Caitlin Clark, making her senior national team debut after eight months away from the court, was expected to draw a huge crowd. Yet, when Team USA took the court on Wednesday, the stands were surprisingly empty, sparking a debate online.

Team USA cruised to a 110–46 win at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, a venue that can hold between 3,500 and 18,500 spectators. Yet plenty of empty seats were clearly visible.

Noticing the low turnout of just 1,041 fans, veteran journalist Robin Lundberg questioned the situation on X, asking, “Do they not sell tickets to these World Cup games?”

The low attendance was notable given the team featured a new generation of stars, including Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese.

Fans who didn’t tune in missed a strong performance from Clark, who played just 19 minutes but still finished with 17 points and 12 assists.

The former Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball star went 4-for-5 from three-point range, pulling up from the logo and finding teammates in transition while looking ready for a big comeback season with the Indiana Fever.

However, this isn’t the first time that attendance has been disappointing, even when Team USA has delivered dominant performances.

Team USA struggled to ignite the crowd with or without Caitlin Clark

Back in 2024, the USA Women's National Basketball Team opened the Olympics with a 102–76 win over the Japan Women's National Basketball Team at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, using their size inside to dominate even though their outside shooting struggled.

Led by WNBA MVPs A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, Team USA had more than enough talent to chase a record eighth straight Olympic gold, even without Caitlin Clark.

However, the buzz and media frenzy that usually follows Clark in WNBA arenas was missing during the Olympic opener, which tipped off at 9 p.m. local time about an hour outside Paris.

The atmosphere also felt quieter compared to other games, as the crowd for the U.S. matchup was noticeably smaller and less energetic than the fans who showed up for games involving the France Women's National Basketball Team and the Spain Women's National Basketball Team earlier in the week.

So, why do you think the turnout was so low for Caitlin Clark’s Team USA debut? Tell us in the comments.

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Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi