Last year, nine games were moved to larger arenas to accommodate Caitlin Clark’s massive fan base, but her injury-riddled season created a deflationary effect that appears to have carried into 2026.

With the WNBA’s regular-season schedule now released, 19 games have been moved to different venues to attract larger crowds or tap into new markets. That’s an increase from last year's 15. However, unlike previous seasons, the rise is largely driven by expansion teams Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire.

Meanwhile, according to Front Office Sports, only four Fever matches, set to feature Clark, have been moved to larger arenas. It is a considerable drop from the nine games relocated last year.

Here's a list of the four matches that were moved to larger venues:

• The July 5 matchup against the Las Vegas Aces: moved to T-Mobile Arena
• The August 8 match against the Chicago Sky: moved to the United Center
• The August 18 match against Toronto Tempo: moved to Scotiabank Arena
• The August 20 match against the Dallas Wings: moved to the American Airlines Center.

The decline comes after CC played just 13 games last season. She appeared in only three of the nine road games that were moved to bigger venues.

Even so, Indiana remained the league’s biggest road attendance draw, averaging 15,884 fans per away game, nearly 4,000 more than any other team.

"We can’t speak to what other teams may do in terms of venue changes," a Fever spokesperson told Front Office Sports on January 23. That said, teams still have time to adjust before the 2026 regular season begins.

Can more teams change venues to accommodate Caitlin Clark's fanbase?

The WNBA's 2025 season schedule was released in December 2024. However, the Chicago Sky brass announced in February that they would host two 2025 games against the Fever at the United Center.

Understandably, Clark's massive fanbase was one of the primary reasons behind this late venue shift from the Sky.

Then, in March, the Atlanta Dream moved their May 22 game against the Fever to State Farm Arena. The CC22 effect played its part in the game's relocation from the Gateway Center, with a capacity of 3,500, to the arena with over 16,000 seats.

A week later, the Dallas Wings followed suit, shifting a matchup with Indiana to the American Airlines Center.

So while fewer teams have moved games against the Fever so far, the option remains on the table. There’s also another variable. The 2026 WNBA season could face delays as the league and players’ union continue negotiations on a new CBA.

So, do you think more teams will relocate their Fever matches, considering Clark's fanbase?

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Souvik Roy