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“Caitlin Clark Is the Face of Basketball!”: Fans Cheer for WNBA Star as Fever Preseason Game Tickets Resale Twice as Much as NBA Tickets

Dylan Edenfield
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Caitlin Clark reacts during a video featuring clips submitted by fans during her jersey retirement ceremony Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

The excitement hasn’t died down a bit in year two for Caitlin Clark, who will soon lead the Indiana Fever into a preseason matchup at her alma mater, the Iowa Hawkeyes’ Carver-Hawkeye Arena. To say the 23-year-old’s homecoming is highly anticipated would be an understatement.

Tickets for the game sold out in a flash, and now the resale market has exploded with ridiculous prices that put NBA regular-season games to shame. The resale prices start at 475 euros, nearly $500—and it’s just an exhibition match.

The Fever’s ticket prices nearly double those of the average NBA game. At 242 euros, or $251, NBA ticket prices pale in comparison. To make the difference even more stark, the $492 price tag on Clark’s preseason game is the lowest price, while the $251 admission for NBA games is simply the average price.

This price explosion is a result of Caitlin Clark winning the hearts and attention of all basketball fans. The talented guard has completely transformed expectations surrounding the WNBA, and her impact on the game as a whole is something never seen before.

The sudden surge of women’s basketball is being dubbed ‘The Caitlin Clark Effect’ and fans seem to agree.

“Caitlin Clark is the face of basketball,” one fan commented under the ticket price comparison. “Absolutely, her skills on the court are truly impressive!” another agreed with the post’s claim that Clark’s pull is unparalleled.

Clark is just getting started in the W, but she’s already been impacting ticket prices since before ever setting foot in the pros.

Caitlin Clark has increased ticket sales since she was drafted

Despite having just 40 WNBA games under her belt, Caitlin Clark already had a solidified fan base dating back to her college dominance. Ticket sales for her debut with the Fever were already sky-high, notably at a time when many of her peers expected her to struggle.

Clark helped sales and viewership go up in every contest she played in as a rookie. When she finally matched up against college rival Angel Reese in the pros, tickets for the Fever versus Chicago Sky game reportedly started at an astronomical price of $331, a massive 1636% rise from 2023’s lowest price, $19.

Clark wasn’t just breaking records by getting more eyes on the TV screen, either. The sharpshooter led the association in assists per game and three-pointers made while also setting the single-season assist record (327) and single-game assist record (19). She destroyed many of the rookie records set by past legends, as well.

There’s no doubt about the unmatched impact Caitlin Clark has had on her team and league. In just her second season, and with plenty more memorable years in the tank, the WNBA could be headed for a true renaissance.

Post Edited By:Sameen Nawathe

About the author

Dylan Edenfield

Dylan Edenfield

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Dylan Edenfield is an NBA journalist at The SportRush. He has written 500+ basketball articles for various websites since starting the venture in 2016, as a freshman in high school. Dylan has been a writer and graphic designer for PalaceofPistons.com, a Detroit Pistons-based Substack and podcast, since 2016. As an avid Detroit Pistons fan, contributing and building relationships with fellow writers truly sparked his love for NBA coverage. Dylan graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in December 2023 with a Communications major in Media Arts & Studies and a minor in Sports Management. Dylan hoped to combine these two focuses to break into the professional sports journalism landscape. Outside of sports, Dylan is an avid gamer and occasionally likes to try other art forms, including drawing and painting. When it comes to something he creates, Dylan goes the extra mile to ensure his work is as good as it can be.

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