Sold out for a WNBA exhibition game? Welcome to the Caitlin Clark era of the league

ARLINGTON, Texas – More than three hours before Caitlin Clark made her WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever in an exhibition game against the Dallas Wings on Friday night, a few fans among the packed crowd were lined up outside the arena dressed in the University of Iowa jerseys number 22.

Christina Edge, who lived in Iowa for 35 years before moving to the Dallas suburb of Rowlett three years ago, said arriving at the University of Texas-Arlington’s College Park Center so early would increase her chances of getting a photo with the phenomenon. basketball player who was two-time national player of the year with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

“It’s my birthday,” said Edge, who said her son gave her the ticket as a birthday present, “and I just want a picture with her!” She carried a bright yellow sign advertising this appeal.

Pailynn Amos, 9, was also outside the arena wearing a yellow Clark jersey with her own sign — “When I grow up, I want to be just like her.”

Rebecca Amos, Pailynn’s mother, made the approximately one-hour journey from the town of Ennis.

“I watched her (on TV) like crazy,” Rebecca said. “So, she (Pailynn) kind of grew into her. So we thought, ‘Wow, now she’s in Dallas.’ We could actually go see her!

Clark received a rousing ovation before kickoff when introduced to Indiana’s starters.

The WNBA’s first preseason game was played the same night the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks hosted the LA Clippers in Game 6 of a first-round playoff series, about 20 miles away.

The exhibition game was the first of two for the Fever before Clark made his regular season debut on May 14 at the Connecticut Sun.

Clark, whose long-range shots and spectacular passing made for must-see TV as she led Iowa to the last two NCAA women’s national title games, said after the morning shootout that she had no statistical goals for Friday’s game.

“Did you give everything you had? I think that’s the most important thing,” Clark said. “I want to get on the court and then I want to walk off the court tonight and feel like I played like Caitlin Clark played my entire life.”

The game sold out all 6,251 spots shortly after it was announced on the Dallas schedule, specifically requested by Wings president and CEO Greg Bibb shortly after Clark declared in February that she would leave college for the WNBA with one year of eligibility remaining. Indiana won the lottery for this year’s first pick last December.

A local television crew recorded the Fever’s arrival at DFW International Airport on Thursday. During Clark’s media session Friday morning, she addressed the request to sign a couple’s ultrasound image.

“That was definitely a first,” she said with a laugh.

“I think it’s going to be loud tonight, probably the loudest preseason game I’ve ever been a part of,” Wings center Kalani Brown said. “It’s really great that Caitlin is bringing all this attention to women’s basketball, so I’m really grateful for that. It’s great for our game.”

Wings forward Maddy Segrist said, “I hope it’s not too many Indiana fans.”

“This is what women’s basketball has deserved for some time,” said Fever center Aliyah Boston, WNBA Rookie of the Year last season and Women’s College Player of the Year before Clark’s run. “Better late than never. I’m really excited about what’s to come in this league.”

The Wings said last month they had sold out their season ticket allotment, which represents about 2,500 seats.

Indiana will return to College Park Center to play twice during the regular season, on July 17, in the last game before the WNBA’s nearly month-long Olympic hiatus and one day after the MLB All-Star Game is played at the Texas Rangers’ stadium . less than three miles away. The Fever also plays there on September 1st.

___

APWNBA: