The WNBA 2026 preseason will officially start on April 25, and the WNBA app will provide free live streaming of all the preseason games. Moreover, the Indiana Fever set a record for the second year in a row, with 100% of their regular-season games available for broadcasting. This is a clear sign of Caitlin Clark’s effect, where the Fever side enjoyed huge benefit from its 2024 rookie.
Yet there is one aspect in the game that analyst Jason Whitlock feels raises questions over the Fever playmaker’s popularity, and that’s the ticket sales. Sadly, the Fever front office is struggling to sell the tickets for the opening game of the season, giving analyst Whitlock a point to doubt on CC’s star power.
Jason Whitlock Doubts Caitlin Clark’s Effect
A post highlights the number of empty seats for the Indiana Fever season opener against the Dallas Wings. Both teams have massive star power, and hence, WNBA fans raised concerns over the Indiana Fever’s failure to sell tickets.
Jason Whitlock, though, sees this as the failure of the ‘Caitlin Clark effect’. In his recent video, Whitlock said, “The Indiana Fever, they’re struggling to sell out their first home game of the season. They’re struggling to sell tickets for Caitlin Clark. That’s not a good omen. That’s a sign that the WNBA is about to potentially crash and burn; that they’ve probably already burned up the goodwill that Caitlin Clark earned them.”
Jason Whitlock believes the "Caitlin Clark effect" is already fading as the Indiana Fever struggle to sell tickets for their home opener
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) April 23, 2026
"The Indiana Fever, they’re struggling to sell out their first home game of the season. They’re struggling to sell tickets for Caitlin Clark.… pic.twitter.com/LwhNrJH6TA
“If you can’t sell out the Indiana Fever’s first home game and you’re basically having to reduce prices and give tickets away to see Caitlin Clark, that is an indicator not just that Caitlin Clark has lost her star power, it’s an indicator that the entire league is teetering at the brink of an uprising and a backlash that’s really long overdue,” Whitlock added.
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Interestingly, Whitlock only slammed the Indiana Fever for devaluing Caitlin Clark’s impact with the broadcasting record set by the franchise.
While there are still two weeks for the season opener, the Fever side could eventually fill up the Gainbridge Arena. At the moment, though, there is only one reason a WNBA analyst sees holding back fans from reaching the ticket counter.
Analyst Finds Reason For Empty Seats at Caitlin Clark’s Season Opener
The recent occupancy chart showed 30% seat availability, and the key reason for the empty seats, as per an analyst, is nothing but ticket prices.
The Fever Are Struggling To Sell Out A Home Opener For The First Time.. Even In The Nosebleeds
— VENOM 😈 (@BlameVenom) April 19, 2026
What Could Be The Reason For This Decline? 👀 pic.twitter.com/yl7G7kW7bh
Section 16, in the 11th row from the court, on opening day, is worth $876.95, while similar tickets cost $228 on other game days. 300% increase in price is a questionable decision.
To make matters worse, the NBA playoff tickets in the 2025-26 season are less than the WNBA season opener at Gainbridge Arena. For example, tickets for the Portland Trail Blazers vs. San Antonio Spurs series are available for $875.