INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Fever is celebrating the first game back from the Olympic break with a home victory over the Phoenix Mercury.
The sold-out crowd brought fans from all over the country together. Fans from Iowa, South Carolina, Vermont, Texas, and even as far as Canada filled the stands Friday night to celebrate the return of the most-watched team in the WNBA after a month-long hiatus.
The Fever ended up winning Friday night's game by a scoreline of 98 to 89.
“It’s our first time here,” said Sara and Greenlee Quillin, fans from Iowa. “We are excited to come from Iowa to support women's sports, basketball, the whole business and help my daughter to be an inspiration and have goals.”
“It’s everything,” said Brett Lake from South Carolina. “Shoutout to all the girl dads out there! I love it to be able to come here and to give my daughter the trip of a lifetime for us.”
“My wife talked me into getting season tickets last year and I'm so glad she did because we enjoy the heck out of this,” said Rick Stevens from Indianapolis. “It’s just amazing.”
“It’s an incredible feeling being here in person,” said Becky and Tom Popelka, fans from Iowa.
“We are ready to scream our lips off,” said Shannon and Shelley Wolfe, fans from Texas. “I am ready to lose my voice.”
Fans are not only celebrating the first home game since mid-July but a very successful first half of the season.
“I was a basketball player growing up so it's so cool to see women's basketball grow as much as it has,” Wolfe said.
“It’s so much fun,” said Abigail Loomis from Vermont. “I would recommend it 100%.”
The Indiana Fever not only holds the attendance record at both home and away games this year but the merchandise sales are through the roof with jersey sales seeing a 1200% increase and the top seller is #22.
“It’s pretty exciting because I like Caitlin Clark and she is pretty exciting to watch,” said Presley Kibler, a Fever fan from New York.
“She is an inspiration because all of her moves and tricks she teaches me and the three-pointers she makes,” Greenlee Quillin said.
“I also play sports so it is very inspiring,” said Quinn Kennedy, a Fever fan from Canada.
“She is just awesome and I want to be like her one day,” said Brielle Lake, a Fever fan from South Carolina.
“She’s one of my favorite players,” Loomis said. “Something about her and her aggression, the way she plays, and does not take any hate, I love her.”
The hope is this record-breaking trend of ticket sales, merchandise, and overall viewership will only continue in the second half of the season.
“It’s all over,” Popelka said. “It’s like a Fever. It’s catching everywhere.”
“It’s so long overdue for the ladies to get the recognition that they are finally, finally getting,” said Joanie Stevens from Indianapolis.
And fans can continue making memories for what has already become a truly unforgettable season.
“I think it's great,” Quillin said. “It’s going to be big going forward and I am glad to be a part of it.”
“Bring your daughters and sons to watch these ladies play,” Stevens said.
The Indiana Fever will be back in action this Sunday when they take on the Seattle Storm.