Seattle caught Caitlin Clark fever, but the night belonged to the Storm

May 23, 2024 / 2:48 pm

Climate Pledge Arena hosted the largest crowd in the Seattle Storm’s 25-year history Wednesday. While the game drew fervent Storm fans, perhaps the main attraction wasn’t from Seattle. Many came for a rival player, Indiana Fever’s rookie phenom Caitlin Clark.

“She's a big inspiration for everyone and pushes through, even with obstacles and stuff,” said Morgan Rodenburg, 14, who drove three hours from Eastern Washington to see the game with her 10-year-old cousin Quinn Sager and their grandmother.

Sager wore a bright red Indiana Fever shirt with the number 22.

“Even if you don’t know anything about the WNBA, you probably still know who Caitlin Clark is,” Sager said.

For Rodenburg and Sager, this was their first Storm game. They loved the positive energy, and how “loud and energetic” it was throughout the stadium, Sager said.

They weren’t alone. Before the night was over, Kyle Waters, chief sales officer for the Storm, was anticipating a “record-breaking crowd.”

“We think what's going to happen is we're going to be 18,343 — full capacity, sold out arena,” Waters said at the game. "And the biggest crowd that we've ever seen prior to this was in 2022, August 7, Sue Bird’s final regular season game, which we called Sue's final flight. And that was 18,100 (people)."

The Storm confirmed Waters’ expectations after the game — a total of 18,343 people watched the game from the stands.

caption: The Seattle Storm set an attendance record May 23, 2024, hosting 18,343 fans, more than Sue Bird's last home game (the previous record). Basketball rookie Caitlin Clark was visiting with the Indiana Fever that evening.

The influence of players like Clark, and a stadium full of positive Storm fans, is not lost on adult fans. Nearby, Ashley Sams wore a Seattle Storm jersey and said the sold-out arena that night was proof that Caitlin Clark is “revolutionizing” women’s sports. She also noted the many college players who are spreading influence via TikTok.

“You’ll see these videos of them with their teammates,” Sams said. “They’re dancing, listening to music, or just shooting hoops. It shows the community. That’s what girl’s sports is about.”

Sams came to the game with A.J. Guller, wearing a Caitlin Clark shirt.

“I’m a Seattle fan, unless we play Caitln Clark. She is the G.O.A.T.” Guller said, adding that she saw young girls and boys lining up to get Clark’s autograph. “They are looking up to her.”

The night wasn’t entirely about Clark. Another young player debuted on the Storm’s side, Nikka Muhl, whose place on the team was delayed due to her visa status.

In the final seconds of the game, Clark mishandled a pass and turned the ball over. That finalized a win for the Seattle Storm, 85-83.

The Indiana Fever is still 0-5, leaving Clark with no wins in her second week in the WNBA.

Some fans seemed disappointed at Clark’s loss, but still, for these basketball fans, her impact on the future of women's sports is a win.