Caitlin Clark Effect Illustrated by Indiana Fever's 2026 Valuation

Since Caitlin Clark’s entrance into the WNBA as the Indiana Fever’s No. 1 overall pick in 2024, the popularity of the league has skyrocketed.

Clark burst onto the WNBA scene with a historic Rookie of the Year season, facilitating countless TV viewership and in-person attendance records wherever she went.

And just before the start of the 2026 WNBA season, a new byproduct of the “Caitlin Clark Effect” emerged.

The Fever’s franchise valuation has jumped 522% since Clark joined the team in 2024, according to a recent study from Sportico. Indiana, which was valued at $90 million before the 2024 draft, is now worth $560 million.

The Fever are the third most valuable franchise in the league, trailing only the Golden State Valkyries ($850 million) and the New York Liberty ($600 million).

Given Indiana’s rapid uptick in value over the last couple years, it’s fair to say the franchise could be gunning for that top spot in the near future.

Following her stunning rookie campaign, Clark’s second WNBA season was severely limited by injury issues. The two-time All-Star appeared in just 13 games for the Fever in their 2025 campaign.

Now, Clark is looking to bounce back with a fully-healthy season in 2026.

Through just 16 minutes in the Fever’s preseason loss to the Dallas Wings on Thursday, Clark recorded a game-high 21 points - shooting 4/6 from the field, 2/3 from behind the 3-point arc and 11/13 from the free-throw line.

The Fever will begin their regular-season schedule with another matchup against the Wings on Saturday.

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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 11:43 AM.