Caitlin Clark Receives New Nickname Following Atlanta Dream Announcement
By Max Escarpio, Athlon Sports
Clark guided the Fever to a 20-20 finish, securing the No. 6 spot in the WNBA standings. In her rookie season, she earned the title of Rookie of the Year and was selected as a WNBA All-Star.
As Clark prepares for her second season, the Fever are scheduled to take on the Atlanta Dream on May 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
When the Dream revealed their home opener details, they also announced that the game would take place at State Farm Arena, the NBA Atlanta Hawks’ home court. The WNBA later reshared the update on social media.
“We have dedicated significant resources and effort to making Gateway Center Arena the most distinctive home-court environment in the WNBA,” said Larry Gottesdiener, majority owner of the Atlanta Dream. “However, due to a scheduling conflict at Gateway, we saw an opportunity to bring this thrilling early-season matchup to State Farm Arena, allowing even more fans to witness it. We appreciate the hospitality.”
After the Dream disclosed that the game would be relocated from their usual venue, Gateway Center Arena, to a larger facility, some fans raised questions.
Atlanta stated that the change was due to a “scheduling conflict,” but some online believe it’s a result of Caitlin Clark’s influence.
She has now been dubbed “Caitlin ‘scheduling conflict’ Clark.”
Clark’s presence has impacted opposing teams since her debut. In her rookie year, several games were shifted to larger venues, including the Fever’s appearances at Capital One Arena (Washington Wizards) and Barclays Center (Brooklyn Nets).
During her first season with the Fever, Clark posted an average of 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game. She led all rookies in both scoring and assists.