Caitlin Clark was scratched from the lineup less than two hours before tip Wednesday night, which apparently gave fans enough time to … make other plans.
That’s the only explanation I can think of when I see this now-viral video of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse looking half-empty.
For those who weren’t glued to WNBA news Wednesday (that’s all of you), Clark was mysteriously scratched about 100 minutes before Indiana’s game against the Portland Fire. One report said it was a back injury, although the Fever didn’t list her on the injury report earlier this week.
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Another said it was some sort of load management, which, frankly, sounds ridiculous give the season started five minutes ago. Indiana coach Stephanie White didn’t really clear much up when she told reporters that she found out at 5 p.m. that Clark woke up and had “some stiffness and soreness.”
Head coach Stephanie White and Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever meet during the second quarter against the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on June 17, 2025. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Anyway, that’s not the point here. We can argue for days about the process of reporting injuries and the ethics behind it all.
The bottom line? Fans got the message loud and clear according to this video posted from inside the arena halfway through the game:
Yikes. Not great! Well, scratch that. It’s a fine looking crowd for a WNBA game in May. Frankly, it’s a fine looking crowd for a WNBA game, period.
But not an Indiana Fever home game. Not a game that was supposed to feature Caitlin Clark. The “Caitlin Clark Effect” has basically become an adjective in WNBA circles over the years, and it refers to the crowd size for all of her games.
Spoiler alert: It’s usually massive.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark celebrates in the second half against the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 9, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
Now, who knows what the home crowd would’ve looked like last night had she played. Perhaps this was the best they were going to do regardless. I have no clue.
BUT, the optics aren’t great. They weren’t great all night from the team. Perhaps Clark was truly a late scratch because the team figured she’d play. Obviously, though, when you wait until 5 p.m. to tell fans that the only player they’re showing up to see ain’t playing, it’s going to look fishy.
Combine that with a TON of empty seats during the game, and it’s certainly plausible some simply saw the alert and decided to spend their Wednesday nights elsewhere.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark reacts to a referee’s call during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Aug. 12, 2025. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Regardless, the vibes haven’t been great in Indiana to start the year. Fans seem to despise head coach Stephanie White, because they say she despises Caitlin Clark.
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Clark, meanwhile, has already missed another game after a lost 2025 season.
The good news? Indiana blew Portland out of the water last night! So there’s that.
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