It felt like déjà vu in Indiana. Another night, another test without the fabled “Caitlin Clark effect”. With the Des Moines native sidelined for a minimum of two weeks owing to a left quad strain and with Sophie Cunningham also ruled out, the Fever were rolling out a patched-up lineup against the same Washington Mystics team that beat them 83-77 just days ago. A loss felt imminent. But if the locker room was rattled, it didn’t show. They hit the hardwood like a team with something to prove.

Kelsey Mitchell lit it up with 23 points, Lexie Hull torched the Mystics in the second half with 14 points, and newly signed Aari McDonald showed up for her debut game like she’d been part of the roster for weeks. Her two-way impact helped fuel a 31-point third-quarter explosion, with Indiana finally snapping its three-game losing streak with an 85-76 win. But while the Fever delivered on the scoreboard, the box office told a different story.

Gainbridge Fieldhouse drew 16,013 fans on Tuesday night—but many of them paid pennies. According to TickPick, tickets were going for as low as $4. One X user, Mark Jackson’s Burner, put the negatives of the “Caitlin Clark effect” into perspective: the cheapest seat had dropped from $41 to $3 since Clark’s injury—a stunning 92.68% decline. For context, even a preseason Fever vs. Mystics game was priced at $13.

The ripple effect was undeniable. When news of Clark’s injury hit, tickets for the highly anticipated June 7 game against Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky fell from $86 to $25 overnight. Across Clark’s first four missed games, average ticket prices plunged from $137 to $80.

It’s a stark contrast to what the WNBA was seeing just weeks ago. To capitalize on the “Clark Effect,” games were relocated to bigger venues. Atlanta’s May 22 home game shifted to the 19,000-seat State Farm Arena. Washington moved its May 28 and September 7 games to Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena. Chicago transferred two matchups to the United Center, and Dallas bumped its June 27 game to the 21,000-capacity American Airlines Center. Each change was a bet on Clark drawing massive crowds.

But the injury reset the calculus. Without Clark, the hype—and the prices—tanked. SeatGeek lists tickets for her expected June 11 return at $45. Vivid Seats? $72. A bounce-back not just in presence, but profit.

Safe to say that Indiana got the W they needed. But financially? It was a loss. The Caitlin Clark effect giveth—and when she’s gone, it taketh away.

Caitlin Clark jokes on sidelines with Cunningham while Aari McDonald shines in debut

Hours earlier, Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham were joking and laughing on social media, lightening the mood despite the team’s struggles. Cunningham shared a TikTok showing off her chipped tooth from Friday’s tough loss, captioned, “Tell me you play in the W without telling me you play in the W.” Clark, ever the close friend and prankster, fired back on Instagram, comparing Cunningham to Jim Carrey’s goofy Lloyd Christmas from Dumb and Dumber. Their playful banter and shared laughter revealed a close bond that brought warmth to a team facing adversity.

With Clark sidelined by a left quad strain and Cunningham out from injury, Indiana’s backcourt was stretched thin. The Fever acted fast, signing Aari McDonald to an ’emergency hardship exception’ contract on June 2. Just 24 hours later, McDonald made her debut. She dazzled with 7 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals, playing lockdown defense that shifted the team’s momentum.

Head coach Stephanie White praised McDonald’s calm and aggressive presence after the game: “You came in and impacted the ball game. You settled us down, were aggressive, and your defense set the tone.” Then teammate Lexie Hull added on to the praise, “It was huge. I told her she’s 1-0, so she’s gotta keep that run going. We needed her out there. She was huge on defense, huge drawing offensive fouls. I’m proud and happy she’s here.”

Notably, the Fever erupted for 31 points in the third quarter, more than doubling their first-half output, and stretched a 69-55 lead before holding off a late push by the Mystics to win 85-76. Indiana’s hot shooting from beyond the arc (11-of-28) contrasted sharply with Washington’s cold 3-point night (1-of-10), showcasing a determined and resilient team effort.