Indiana Fever Surge to Second-Most Valuable WNBA Franchise, Surpassing Champions Las Vegas Aces…
In a stunning testament to the explosive growth of women’s basketball, Forbes has ranked the Indiana Fever as the second-most valuable team in the WNBA for 2025, with an estimated valuation of $370 million. This places them just behind the New York Liberty at $400 million—and notably ahead of the reigning champions, the Las Vegas Aces.
The Fever’s meteoric rise is largely fueled by the “Caitlin Clark effect.” Since drafting the superstar guard in 2024, Indiana has seen unprecedented spikes in attendance, ticket prices, sponsorships, and merchandise sales. The team led the league with an estimated $32 million in revenue during the 2024 season, outpacing even NBA counterparts in per-fan spending at games. Gainbridge Fieldhouse averaged near-capacity crowds of 17,000—slightly edging out the Indiana Pacers in the same arena—while the Fever became the most-followed women’s basketball team on social media.
Forbes notes that while Clark’s impact is undeniable, the broader optimism around the WNBA’s future has driven franchise values league-wide to an average of $272 million, a massive jump reflecting new media deals, expanding fanbases, and investor enthusiasm. The Golden State Valkyries expansion team was excluded from this ranking due to its debut season, but insiders predict it could top next year’s list.
For the Aces, back-to-back titles (including their 2025 repeat?) have built a powerhouse on the court, but off-court metrics like market size and star-driven hype have propelled the Fever ahead in valuations. It’s a reminder that in today’s WNBA, championships are golden—but superstar draw and business boom can be worth even more.
As the league heads into negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement post-2025, these soaring values signal a brighter financial era for players and owners alike.
