When a national sports league experiences exponential growth over a short period, it begins to attract audiences across all age groups. It expands its reach to a broader, more diverse population. This is precisely where the WNBA stands as of today. Despite a new team in the Golden State Valkyries, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert envisioned expansion beyond the horizon. But while she plans to cross borders and seas and increase the league’s access to a worldwide audience, this move will pose greater threats to the W.

More eyeballs will demand more games, more teams, intriguing storylines, and more players. But while the league can fulfil all these wishes down the stretch and strike another, more lucrative media deal, it would also lead to increased scrutiny from fans and media. Well, the recent incident during the Phoenix Mercury game is a ripe example of fan scrutiny. And after the incident went viral, another clip emerged on social media.

It was a clip of Fever guard, Caitlin Clark, from her high school days with the caption, “Caitlin Clark in high school dropped 42 points and got the win when the crowd heckled her and called her overrated. Meanwhile, these WNBA players can’t handle booing.”

The clip begins with a section of the crowd singing “overrated” in a chorus, directed at Clark. However, an unbothered Clark continued to play despite the constant booing. Instead of being affected by the noise, Clark not only concentrated on the game, but she even added 42 points as her team clinched the victory. Needless to say, her exceptional gameplay was enough to shut down the adverse courtside reactions.

However, the topic of booing cropped up when Indiana fans gave a cold shoulder to a Phoenix Mercury teammate. And who better than Kahleah Copper to come to her rescue? In a postgame presser, Copper raised the issue. “She’s a legend, and after all the things she’s done for the league. And, with this disrespect, I can’t get down with it. They booed her, and she didn’t say a word to the crowd. People talked some trash to her, but we had her back,” she said.

As soon as DeWanna Bonner stepped on the Gainbridge Fieldhouse arena, a section of the crowd burst into a series of loud boos against the athlete. Instead of reacting, the player walked down and joined the remaining roster. Despite being inducted by the Indiana Fever under a blockbuster deal this year, Bonner parted ways with HC Stephanie White on favorable terms.

“But it’s just very distasteful for what their fan base is doing as far as when it comes to DB because she’s just the sweetest soul,” Copper continued. “And the situation didn’t work for her, and that’s just not what she wanted, or whatever, it’s just we don’t need all of that. It’s unnecessary.” And, boy, is she right!

Needless to say, Copper is not the only player to call out the Fever fans. Several athletes including Angel Reese and Alyssa Thomas have raised concerns surrounding the “toxic Fever fanbase.“Now, with the recent clip doing rounds on X, is it healthy for athletes to completely ignore the mistreatment? Or should the league devise stricter rules for fan behaviour too?

Although a fan was evicted shortly after the wig incident, it remains a rare occurrence. Especially compared with the several incidents that the players have faced. Though the clip showcases an unbothered Clark, the reigning rookie has complained about nasty audience comments on several occasions.

Caitlin Clark’s injury is a boon in disguise.

Constant injuries have ruined Caitlin Clark’s sophomore blueprints. Clark left the team to fend for themselves when she succumbed to a sprain in the left quadriceps. While she did make a solid 32-point comeback and handed over the season’s first loss to the New York Liberty, the Indiana Fever athlete fell victim to another injury.

While head coach Stephanie White claimed that the team is learning to play without their star player, the roster confirmed the same by overcoming their defensive shortcomings and clinching the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup. And with Clark sidelined, the move forced players to showcase their talents on the court and establish a strong presence in the paint.

What’s next saw Kelsey Mitchell, Natasha Howard, and Lexi Hull shining on the hardwood, joined by Aari McDonald and Sophie Cunningham. The roster played to its best strength and is currently sailing through the season with a flashy three-game winning streak. But this isn’t the only success in Clark’s absence.

Indiana Fever recently locked horns with the so-called rivals, the Chicago Sky, with Caitlin Clark on the sidelines. While she tended to her right groin injury, Angel Reese also remained absent from the game, thanks to a back injury. This bizarre scenario, where two teams had a face-off without stars, created intrigue for fans and media alike.

As a result, the game saw a surge in viewership. Nearly 1.5 million viewers saw the game. “This past Sunday, ABC aired another of its most-watched WNBA games EVER with the Indiana Fever’s win over the Chicago Sky. 1.5M avg. Viewers (1.7M peak). WNBA on ESPN up 6% from last season,” ESPN shared on X (former Twitter). This was a massive achievement for Fever as well as the league.

Now, as the locker room prepares to face Paige Bueckers & Co. next, can they secure another win? While the Indiana Fever locker room continues to maintain a dominant stance, the Dallas Wings have shown massive improvements since the All-Star break. With a young rookie brigade led by Paige Bueckers and veteran Arike Ogunbowale, will the locker room successfully secure their rankings or spiral with a loss? Only time will tell.