Are Outsiders the Source of Bad Behavior at Fever Games in Indiana?

Caitlin Clark may be the new face of women’s basketball, drawing legions of devoted fans wherever she goes. Still, some of those fans might need a refresher course on how to behave when they attend WNBA games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.The WNBA recently announced it is investigating fan behavior at Indiana Fever games following allegations of “racial comments” directed at Chicago Sky players, specifically Angel Reese, during their game with the Fever recently at the sold-out Fieldhouse.After beating the Sky, 93-58, the Fever lost at home to the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, 91-90, despite 27 points, 11 assists, and 5 rebounds from Ms. Clark. The game was played without any reported incidents on the court or in the stands.Could outsiders be the problem? A representative of the city’s tourism bureau told the New York Sun that attendance at Fever games has been boosted by non-residents who have hopped aboard the Caitlin Clark bandwagon.“Fever fans are now well beyond Indiana residents,” the senior communications manager of Visit Indy, Clare Clark, told the Sun. “When you go into Gainbridge Fieldhouse, it’s a handful of residents, but there’s a huge increase in demand from visitors to see the women play on their home court. From a tourism impact, we’ve seen the influx of visitors coming in from Iowa and throughout the nation.”Ms. Clark is a lifelong resident of Indianapolis and has been to a number of games at the Fieldhouse involving the Fever and the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. “Basketball is in the blood of Hoosiers throughout the state,” she said. “Me as a fan, I’ve never had a negative experience, whether it be for a Pacer game or a Fever game.”The WNBA investigation is also the first major test of the league’s new “No Space for Hate” initiative rolled out earlier this month. The initiative is aimed at addressing multiple reports of hateful fan comments online and in arenas throughout 2024.Developed by a task force composed of league and team representatives, the WNBA Players Association, and the WNBA, the initiative is focused on three areas: enhanced technological features to detect hateful comments online; increased emphases on team, arena, and league security measures; and reinforcing mental health resources and aligning against hate.“There’s no place for that in our game and there’s no place like that in society,” Caitlin Clark said while preparing for Tuesday night’s game against the Dream. “Certainly, we want every person that comes into our arena, whether they’re a player or whether they’re a fan, to have a great experience.”Ms. Reese, whose rivalry with Ms. Clark during their collegiate careers is well documented, drew the ire of Fever fans for her reaction to an intentional foul by Ms. Clark that sent her spinning her to the floor during the Fever’s 93-58 win.An angry Ms. Reese got up from the deck and voiced her displeasure at Ms. Clark, who had already turned her back and was walking away as several players restrained Ms. Reese. Ms. Clark was issued a flagrant foul, and Ms. Reese was booed for the remainder of the game.Afterward, both players called it “a basketball play.”The game concluded without incident, but the league soon announced its investigation into fan behavior. “We will do everything in our power to protect Chicago Sky players,” the Sky president and CEO, Adam Fox, said in a statement, “and we encourage the league to continue taking meaningful steps to create a safe environment for all WNBA players.”The “No Space for Hate” program includes a new Code of Conduct to ensure “guests will enjoy the basketball experience free from disruptive behavior, including foul or abusive language and obscene gestures.”The WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, said the goal of the program is ambitious. “We want our arenas and our social platforms filled with energy and fandom — not hate and vitriol,” she said, adding, “It’s our responsibility to protect what makes this sport so special and ensure we continue to inspire the next generation of women’s basketball fans.”Interestingly, the “No Space for Hate” initiative was created in part due to criticism from WNBA players over the last year and a half about the behavior of some Fever fans. A Dallas Wings guard, DiJonai Carrington, posted on social media last year while playing for the Connecticut Sun that the Fever had “the nastiest fans” in the league. The post, dated August 28, 2024, after the Fever defeated the Sun, attracted 3.6 million views and counting.After the Sun eliminated the Fever in the first round of the playoffs, Alyssa Thomas, now with the Phoenix, said she had “never experienced” the kind of verbal taunts she endured in Indiana. “We don’t want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial things,” Ms. Thomas said in December.The CEO, Mel Raines, of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, which operates the Fever, said he welcomes the investigation, though his organization could face a stiff fine for fan misbehavior. “We are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation,” Mr. Raines said in a statement. “We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players.”The Fever won’t return home again until Saturday, when the defending WNBA champion New York Liberty visit the Fieldhouse. It’s part of what Ms. Clark called “a trifecta weekend” in Indianapolis. The Indiana Pacers will host Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference Final against the New York Knicks on Sunday, a few hours after the Indianapolis 500 is run at the Indianapolis Speedway.

Are Outsiders the Source of Bad Behavior at Fever Games in Indiana?

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