Why Are Chicago Sky Moving Indiana Fever Games to United Center? Exploring Caitlin Clark’s Possible Influence on This Decision.

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“Caitlin and Angel are now doing the same thing, selling out arenas and increasing the viewership,” shared Magic Johnson on X. The record-setting millions of viewership their matchups drew last season has been enough cause for the comparisons. And well, the league seems to be capitalizing on the opportunity, with the Windy City announcing a major move for their matchup.

Chicago Sky makes a major move, vying for a historical record

In Year 1, every time the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky faced off, it was a sellout. Only natural that a similar outcome is expected in May. Recognizing the high anticipation among fans, the Chicago Sky decided to move the matchups to a venue that could accommodate more spectators than Wintrust Arena.

Notably, Wintrust Arena holds only 10,400 fans. However, due to overwhelming demand, the Sky has chosen to relocate the games to the United Center. This marks the first time that the 960,000-square-foot multi-use entertainment facility will host a game between these two teams.

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Home to the NBA’s Chicago Bulls and the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, the United Center has welcomed over 70 million fans in the last 31 years. Beyond basketball and hockey, the arena hosts more than 200 events annually, including major sporting events, family shows, and concerts featuring top musical performers.

Now, over 20,000 spectators will have the opportunity to witness this highly anticipated showdown.

Chicago Sky President and CEO Adam Fox explained the move, stating, “Given the explosive growth in the WNBA, we now have a first-ever opportunity to invite more fans to experience this matchup at a larger venue.” This move comes after other teams made similar decisions; unsurprisingly involving Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever.

First, the Washington Mystics relocated Fever games to CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore. Then, the Connecticut Sun moved their home game against Indiana to TD Garden in Boston. Is this saying something?

Fever 2024 numbers strengthen speculations of Caitlin Clark’s influence

The 2024 Rookie of the Year’s influence on WNBA viewership and attendance is quite clear by now. In her first season, the league averaged over 657,000 viewers—the highest in 24 years. Clark hasn’t just drawn fans to arenas; she has made it impossible for people to take their eyes off her.

This past season, Indiana Fever’s televised games averaged 1.18 million viewers, whereas other WNBA games averaged only 394,000. According to Sports Business Journal, 22 games surpassed one million viewers, and 19 of them featured the 2024 ROTY. But the clarifying statement of the rookies’ impact was highlighted big and loud when the two rivals faced each other.

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The season’s most-watched regular-season game was a matchup between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky. When the Reese & Co. defeated Clark and the Fever 88-87, the game amassed an average of 2.35 million viewers on ESPN, making it the most-watched WNBA game in 23 years.

This is precisely why the Sky-Fever rivalry is expected to generate massive attention this season. By moving the games to the United Center, the Sky are setting the stage for a potential attendance record.

Will Sky-Fever game be able to break the said records?

Currently, the WNBA’s regular-season attendance record stands at 20,711 fans, set during a 2024 Fever-Mystics game at Capital One Arena.

With Clark and Reese on the court, the upcoming matchups could potentially surpass that number. Additionally, the Sky’s current attendance record, set in 2016 at Allstate Arena (16,444 fans), is almost certain to be broken.

In fact, there’s a strong chance the Sky-Fever matchups will record the highest attendance in WNBA history. And with the WNBA expanding its schedule to 44 games per team this season—up from 40 last year—there are even more opportunities for historic moments.

While the Chicago Sky’s move to the United Center is a business-driven decision, it’s clear that Caitlin Clark’s influence played a significant role. We will only know the success of it on May 17th and June 7th.