WNBA Warns Fever Over Caitlin Clark Injury Reporting After Fan Fury Led to Empty Seats

The Indiana Fever announced 2 hours before the game against the Portland Fire that Caitlin Clark would not play.

WNBA Warns Fever Over Caitlin Clark Injury Reporting After Fan Fury Led to Empty Seats

Fever announced Caitlin Clark's omission 2 hours before the game (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • The Indiana Fever received a warning from the WNBA for failing to report Caitlin Clark's injury status before a recent game.
  • Fan backlash over Clark's absence led to visible empty seats during the Fever's game against the Portland Fire.
  • The Fever subsequently changed Clark's injury status to 'Probable' for their upcoming game against the Golden State Valkyries.

After missing two-thirds of the 2025 regular season and the entire postseason, fans were hoping that a healthy Caitlin Clark would finally give them something to cheer about this time.

Those soft-tissue injuries took a toll not just on Indiana Fever tickets but also on viewership numbers and the superstar point guard’s mental well-being.

She received support from a certain LeBron James while dealing with the emotions of not playing, but admitted that until she got back out on the court, her competitive side would not be pleased.

That is why fans felt that the Iowa native was on a mission. Despite an average performance by her standards in the season opener, the point guard has elevated her game.

Not only is she pushing herself, but Clark is also breaking records nearly every game she plays. Naturally, fans would love to see her play every day, and that is why they were upset when the Fever ruled her out hours before their last game.

Fans felt that the franchise tried to manipulate them into showing up for the game, despite knowing well in advance that Caitlin Clark would not suit up. Now, the league seems to have listened to their angst.

The Indiana Fever have received a warning for failure to report Caitlin Clark’s injury status leading up to Wednesday’s game, league sources tell me.

Chloe Peterson reported

It might not mean much, as generally, the league should have levied a hefty fine on the Fever. Instead, fans have to make do with the warning. Hopefully, the franchise can now stop beating around the bush as they have been.

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Fans make a point to Indiana Fever for their handling of Caitlin Clark’s injury

Last season, when Caitlin Clark was actually sidelined due to injury, quite a lot of fans showed up to watch the Indiana Fever play, even though television ratings dropped. Her presence courtside did help matters, as fans could at least interact with her before and after games.

Caitlin Clark seated on the bench
Caitlin Clark seated on the bench (Image via Lucina M/X)

This time, in this game against the Portland Fire, quite a few empty seats were visible. ESPN’s official boxscore indicates that 14,010 fans were present.

Having 80% of the fans present is a very good sign, as other teams fail to fill out their arenas regularly. However, videos from the game show a different picture. A fan recorded a clip showing swathes of empty seats at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. There are quite a few fans, but it did not look like there were 14K of them in there.

This clip was recorded midway through the second quarter. It is possible that several fans left after arriving, only to realize their favorite superstar wasn’t playing.

If anything, this was the best response fans gave the Fever franchise, letting them know that without Caitlin Clark, this surge in interest in women’s basketball would not have happened.

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Fever change Caitlin Clark’s status after backlash and warning

It seems these two reactions worked. Not only did the empty seats serve as a reminder not to mess with fans, but the WNBA’s warning also seemed to have its intended effect.

The Indiana Fever changed Caitlin Clark’s injury status to ‘Probable.’ That designation means that the said player has a 75% chance of playing in the upcoming game.

They will take on the Golden State Valkyries in their next game before hitting the road. Considering how the Valks dominated the New York Liberty in their game earlier, it is ‘probable’ that the Fever will ask their point guard and scoring leader to lead the team.

The Fever need all the wins to get their squad playing in rhythm. Niggling injuries have stopped them from getting in sync. With the Commissioner’s Cup games coming up in June, fans would expect the team to defend their crown.

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