For the last two seasons, one trend had quietly become a routine occurrence across the WNBA. Whenever Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever came to town, teams upgraded venues to meet the demand. But as the league prepares for its 30th season, that pattern may be starting to change.
While the total number of games moved to alternate or larger arenas has still increased league-wide for the upcoming season, the number of venue changes tied specifically to Clark and the Fever has dropped sharply. Last season, nine road games involving the Fever franchise were moved to larger venues as they averaged more than 15,000 attendees for their road games (4,000 more than the other teams). This year, that number is down to just four.
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Overall, the WNBA has scheduled 19 games in alternate venues so far, which was just 15 last season. However, much of that increase comes from all the expansion that the league is doing. The Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire are the two teams that will debut this year, where the Tempo will play five home games outside their primary arena, including games in Montreal and Vancouver, as the league continues to test new markets.
Still, when it comes to Indiana, the change is hard to miss. The games against the Fever that have been moved to larger arenas in 2026 are:
The most notable change comes from teams like the Washington Mystics, Connecticut Sun, and Atlanta Dream, who all moved games against Indiana. However, none of them have done so this time around. On the other hand, teams like the New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Minnesota Lynx, and Golden State Valkyries already play in NBA arenas, so they don’t need any venue change at all.
If you are wondering why, the answer may be how Caitlin Clark’s last season unfolded. After appearing in just 13 games, Clark suffered a groin injury in July and missed the remainder of the season.
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Yet despite her absence, the Fever still attracted the most spectators in the league, though it looks like the teams are exercising more caution this year.
While a spokesperson from the Fever franchise declined to speculate on how opponents decide venue changes in an interview with Front Office Sports, there are still three months before the season tips off. So if the demand is there, the games can still be upgraded.
CBA Negotiations cloud the 2026 WNBA season
Even though the league released a full 44-game schedule just a few days ago as a sign of confidence that the 2026 season will tip off on May 8, the reality behind the scenes is far less settled. The WNBPA and the WNBA have been at the negotiation table for over a year now, trying to find common ground for a new CBA. But they have continuously failed.
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After passing the last deadline (January 9th) without reaching an agreement, the players’ union and the league have entered a ‘status quo’ period where they have agreed to let the business continue as usual, while they try to meet eye-to-eye.
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While the players have the option to call a strike if they believe the negotiations are becoming unfair, the league also retains the right to initiate a lockout under the same circumstances. However, even after multiple missed internal deadlines, neither side has shown an appetite for taking that path.
But the reality is free agency, the expansion draft for the Tempo and the Fire, and roster-building timelines all hinge on a new agreement being finalized. Until a new agreement is reached, teams are left operating with limited clarity, making it difficult to fully commit to decisions that depend on certainty, including venue upgrades for high-profile games involving stars like Caitlin Clark.
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