Injuries have been the defining storyline of this WNBA season, and the Indiana Fever aren’t the only team feeling the pain. Their struggles have been well-documented, but the Dallas Wings also saw their plans derailed after drafting Paige Bueckers, only to watch injuries strip away any chance at consistency. The Chicago Sky, too, were hit hard. Angel Reese missed much of the stretch run with back issues and even sat out a controversial half-game suspension, but their season had already unraveled earlier when Courtney Vandersloot went down with a torn ACL. What began as a year full of promise for the WNBA quickly turned into a battle for survival.

Replying to a fan’s question about whether the WNBA still carries the same buzz it had before the season tipped off, analyst Rachel DeMita admitted the momentum has shifted. “We’ve talked about it plenty of times. I feel like the hype coming into this WNBA season is the greatest hype that we have seen in the WNBA. And I predicted at the beginning of the season that this was going to be the biggest year that the WNBA has ever seen. Now, as we are gearing up to go into the playoffs, I feel like some of that hype has actually died,” she said. Besides physicality and referees, injuries across the league, from Indiana to Dallas to Chicago, have no doubt been a major factor in that drop-off. But DeMita made it clear that no single loss hit harder than Caitlin Clark’s:

“Caitlin Clark being that number one domino, that biggest domino, like when she fell, when it was confirmed that she would not be playing for the rest of the season, I think a lot of people tuned out from that. When she wasn’t playing for a stretch of the game, people tuned out a little bit, I think it’s fair to say,” DeMita explained. Her point is backed by the numbers: viewership for Fever games—and the league overall—fell by nearly 50% when Clark wasn’t on the court.

Ticket prices for marquee events like the 2025 All-Star Weekend also plunged once her absence was confirmed, underlining just how central she has become to the league’s visibility. DeMita’s observation cuts to the core of the WNBA’s challenge—without its brightest star on the floor, sustaining the momentum of a record-breaking season becomes exponentially harder.

Caitlin Clark’s impact on the WNBA is undeniable. Viewership indeed dipped during her absence, but league attendance has continued to climb as she still shows up for Fever games. Whether she’s suiting up or sidelined, fans still flock to see her, proving that her presence alone is enough to draw a crowd. Missing so much time has been difficult, yet Clark has consistently projected positivity, further strengthening her connection with fans and boosting her popularity. A perfect example came at the Indiana Fever’s recent after-party, where she once again showcased the energy and optimism that have made her the face of the league.

‘Disappointed’ Caitlin Clark sings her heart out during the Indiana Fever’s after-party

Throughout the troublesome season that the Indiana Fever had, Caitlin Clark was always present as an emotional leader. Whether it was cheering from the bench, yelling at the referees, encouraging her teammates, or even covering her coach’s fines. But after all the struggles and doubts, the Indiana Fever finally managed to lock in a playoff spot. While it may seem a little premature to celebrate just making the playoffs, Indiana’s success after the struggles deserved it.

While the most famous clip coming out was an Aliyah Boston TikTok of the team dance, Caitlin Clark was missing from the clip. But it wasn’t that she was not the life of the party. Just a little while later, a video dropped of Caitlin Clark singing her heart out and being the life of the party as she often is. Even during the team’s Commissioner’s Cup victory, Caitlin was the one leading the celebrations and even used the trophy to pour alcohol for her teammates.

Sure, the task ahead is hard for the Fever because there’s no hope of CC coming back for the 2024 playoff: “Disappointed isn’t a big enough word to describe how I am feeling.” And it wasn’t just Clark; Fever missed five starters due to injuries, but there’s no doubt that they will compete. The Golden State Valkyries’ loss against the Seattle Storm has given them an unexpected boost. If the Valks go ahead to lose their final game against the Minnesota Lynx, the Indiana Fever will move to the 6th spot in the standings, and who knows, they might even avoid the Las Vegas Aces in the first round.

No matter who the opposition is, Indiana’s progression seems unlikely. But we know that they, along with their leader Caitlin Clark, will show up no matter what.