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TheIndiana Fever are dealing with more than just a losing streak. In just two games without Caitlin Clark, attendance has dropped, ticket resale values have tanked, and the league feels a bit... off. The WNBA's breakout moment is turning into a public relations mess, and fans aren't the only ones calling it out.
When the league opened an investigation into Indiana fans allegedly making racist remarks-only to later confirm there was no substantiated evidence-it sent a message. Not one of protection or progress, but of mistrust. And that hasn't gone unnoticed.
Rachel DeMita, former D1 hooper and sports personality, didn't hold back on her YouTube channel. "You've got people within the WNBA media pushing false narratives about a fan base that just brought billions to the league," she said. "And the WNBA still doesn't seem to respect what's happening in Indiana."
The Numbers Don't Lie, But the Reaction Feels Off
This is a team that's leading the league in attendance-averaging 17,000 fans a night. They've sold the most merch. Their games are the most watched across ESPN, ABC, and even Amazon Prime. And yet, it's the Fever who get singled out when something goes wrong?
Last year, when flare-ups happened in Vegas or New York, there were no formal investigations. But Indiana's suddenly the problem? It feels less like fairness and more like the league doesn't know how to manage the storm that came with Clark-and now that she's injured, the momentum is slipping fast.
The physicality of the league is another concern. Clark has taken big hits this season, and now she's out. Add that to injuries suffered by teammates like Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham, and you've got a trend. ESPN's Andraya Carter recently noted that the inconsistency in officiating is starting to feel like a safety risk.
On the court, the Fever have looked lost without their star. They dropped back-to-back games and head into a June 3 rematch against the Mystics needing answers fast.
Washington's rookie duo-Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron-have been a handful. The Fever's best shot? Locking down on defense with Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard controlling the paint, and using Erica Wheeler's sharpshooting to break open the Mystics' shaky perimeter D.
But even if they fix the X's and O's, there's a bigger fix needed league-wide. The WNBA has to figure out how to its breakout teams without alienating them. If it doesn't, the league might find that the fans who showed up in droves... stop showing up at all.