New Photo Captures Fever’s First Home Crowd Without Caitlin Clark originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Indiana Fever hosted their first home game on Friday since Caitlin Clark suffered a left quadriceps injury that is expected to sideline her for at least two weeks. They faced head coach Stephanie White’s former team, the Connecticut Sun.
It’s unclear exactly when the reigning Rookie of the Year got hurt, but she was seen holding a compress on her leg during last Saturday’s game against the New York Liberty. Clark has since missed Wednesday’s road game against the Washington Mystics.
Meanwhile, media attention has turned to the noticeable drop in interest. Ticket prices for Wednesday’s game fell by 47% after Clark was ruled out several days before, and television ratings on NBA TV were down by 224,000 viewers compared to the game eight days earlier against the Atlanta Dream (Christine Brennan, USA Today).
With the Fever back home on Friday, the question was, would Indiana fans still pack Gainbridge Arena without Clark in the lineup?
The answer was yes. Fieldhouse Files’ Scott Agness took a photo of the crowd just seconds before tip-off, and there were “some pockets of empty seats, but still a great crowd.”
First Fever home game with Caitlin Clark sidelined. Some pockets of empty seats, but still a great crowd. pic.twitter.com/mr2EqxQMHR
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) May 30, 2025
Clark is expected to miss several more games beyond Friday night. The Fever will face the Mystics again on Tuesday, then travel to face Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on June 7, and return to Atlanta to play the Dream on June 10.
It’s possible she could return during one of those games, or her absence could extend beyond them. Clark’s status will depend on the progress of her recovery.
Related: WNBA Suffers Big Blow After Caitlin Clark Injury
Related: Fever Stars’ Telling Pregame Gesture Toward Caitlin Clark Amid Injury
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.