The New York Liberty and Indiana Fever made history Saturday, as their game had the largest paid gate of any WNBA game since the league’s inception in 1997.

According to Spotify’s Bri Lewerke, the Liberty and Fever drew over $2 million in ticket revenue. They also sold out the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, which holds nearly 18,000 fans for basketball.

Fans were on hand to witness just the third WNBA regular-season game in the career of 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark, plus a pair of former No. 1 overall picks in Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart played for the Liberty as well.

Indiana Fever #22 Caitlin Clark dribbles the ball while guarded by New York Liberty #13 Leonie Fiebich during a WNBA game between the Fever and Liberty, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on May 18, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

Significant interest in Saturday’s game was expected due to Clark’s popularity and the fact that it was her first game in a market like New York.

The 22-year-old Clark spent four seasons at the University of Iowa and emerged as one of the all-time greats in women’s college basketball.

She won every major player of the year award in each of her final two seasons at Iowa and also led the Hawkeyes to the National Championship Game in back-to-back seasons.

After Clark averaged 31.6 points per game in her senior season, it was a no-brainer that the Fever would use the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft on her.

Within one hour of Clark getting drafted, her Fever jersey sold out of nearly every size on the Fanatics website:

In her first two WNBA regular-season games, Clark faced the Connecticut Sun on the road and the Liberty at home, and she produced mixed results in a pair of losses.

Although the Fever lost again Saturday by a 91-80 score to drop to 0-3, Clark enjoyed her best game as a WNBA player with 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting, plus eight assists and six rebounds.

Fans also got to enjoy some great basketball from a stacked and undefeated Liberty team that reached the WNBA Finals last season.

All five Liberty starters scored in double figures, including Stewart (24 points) and Ionescu (12 points).

Clark is the type of star with the potential to take the WNBA to new heights in terms of popularity and revenue, and even though she isn’t yet playing for a contending team, she provided a taste of that on Saturday.