Cheryl Reeve says WNBA needs to take advantage of watershed moment with Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever rallied from seven down to start the fourth quarter and beat one of the WNBA’s best teams on Sunday.

The Fever used a 28-14 fourth quarter to turn the tide and top the Minnesota Lynx, 81-74. Clark scored 10 points in the final frame and finished with 17 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals.

Indiana improved to 11-14 with the win and is 8-4 in its past 12 contests since June 13.

At times, Clark and the Fever had the Target Center in Minneapolis looking and sounding like Carver North during the win over the Lynx. It harkened to memories of Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes marching to three straight Big Ten Tournament championships during Clark’s time in Iowa City.

Before the game, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said she didn’t care that it could be a pro-Fever crowd.

“I don’t give two (expletive). Not even one (expletive),” Reeve said before the contest.

Afterward, Reeve was asked what the league can do to have this type of crowd and environment be more consistent in the regular season.

“I mean, I don’t know that I quite understand the question in that everybody knows that the reason why our teams around the league are having sellouts are because Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are coming to town. Angel Reese has impacted their attendance at the Chicago games. I suspect on the road as well. So what the league can do is be ready to capitalize on the moments, but it’s much like when we saw Bird and Magic come in the league, right.

“The league has been building for a watershed moment and we’re here. Now, you’ve got to take advantage of it. It’s beyond just kind of saying, OK, well the Indiana Fever and they’re selling out and you’re just sitting back and watching it. How, (what) other ways can you monetize and capitalize on it. That’s obviously a business-layered thing, but that’s how I think you could capitalize,” Reeve said.

Teams around the league have been capitalizing on the momentum. The Phoenix Mercury wasted no time in marketing their first matchup against the Indiana Fever as the “GOAT vs. the Rook.”

Multiple Fever games have been moved to different venues to accommodate the type of crowds that follow Clark and the Fever.

The WNBA has more momentum than ever before and it’s fun to watch as the stars continue to be embraced.