Caitlin Clark is not used to playing so early on gamedays, especially if it’s a weekday, which is why the WNBA’s schedule for Wednesday had her feeling out of her element. Nonetheless, it didn’t take away the fact that it was a fun day for the Indiana Fever rookie.
For those not in the know, the WNBA scheduled the Fever’s Wednesday showdown with the Washington Mystics at 12 noon because it was camp day or kids day. By scheduling games earlier than usual, the league is able to get young fans attending summer camps and field trips to watch the games live.
After the Mystics clash, which saw the Fever lose 89-84, Clark was asked about the whole kids day experience. The Fever sharpshooter admitted that it was “kind of weird” because of the early tip-off, but she emphasized that having so many kids watch them was special.
“Yeah, it’s a fun day. Obviously it’s an early tip on a Wednesday, it’s kind of weird. But it makes for a special memory for them. Hopefully this is something they can remember…” Clark said, per Matthew Byrne.
For what it’s worth, the WNBA received major backlash for their Wednesday schedule. Many new fans simply couldn’t believe that the league made such schedule on a weekday.
Making things worse, the WNBA had the Fever’s game start at the same time as the Chicago Sky and Atlanta Dream’s battle.
Based on Caitlin Clark’s comments, though, it’s definitely worth it after the league made a lot of kids smile.