Everything changed when the ping-pong ball bounced the right way. Twice.
People keep asking what did the Fever win because, honestly, the trophy case at Gainbridge Fieldhouse didn't get a new WNBA Championship addition in 2024. But if you measure "winning" by silverware alone, you’re missing the biggest shift in women’s basketball history. The Indiana Fever won a lot more than just basketball games this past year; they won the cultural lottery, a massive viewership war, and a legitimate path to a dynasty.
It’s weird to think that just a couple of years ago, this team was struggling to get anyone to show up. Now? You can’t find a seat.
The Caitlin Clark Effect and the First Playoff Berth in Years
Let’s get the literal stuff out of the way first. What did the Fever win on the court? They won a spot in the WNBA Playoffs.
That sounds small if you aren’t a die-hard fan, but for Indiana, it was everything. Before 2024, the franchise had been stuck in a brutal post-season drought since 2016. That’s nearly a decade of "rebuilding" that felt like it was going nowhere. By finishing the regular season with a 20-20 record, they secured the No. 6 seed. They didn't just stumble in, either. After a rocky 1-8 start that had every critic on Twitter screaming that Caitlin Clark was a "bust," the team flipped a switch.
They won the respect of the league.
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That mid-season turnaround wasn't just luck. Aliyah Boston, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick, found her rhythm alongside Clark. Kelsey Mitchell played some of the most efficient basketball of her career. The team won 19 of their final 31 games. While they eventually lost to the Connecticut Sun in the first round, the "win" was the proof of concept. The rebuild is over.
Breaking the Attendance and Revenue Ceiling
If you look at the business side, what the Fever won was a total transformation of their bank account and brand value.
The numbers are actually stupid. They led the WNBA in attendance, averaging over 17,000 fans per home game. To put that in perspective, they had multiple games where they outdrew NBA teams playing on the same night. They didn't just win local fans; they won a national touring audience. When the Fever went on the road, they were the "Washington Generals" in reverse—everyone showed up to see them win, not the home team.
- They set the record for the highest-attended WNBA game in history (20,333 fans against the Mystics).
- Jersey sales went up over 1,000%.
- Television ratings for Fever games on ESPN and ION regularly beat out MLB and NHL regular-season games.
Basically, the Fever won the "Main Character" trophy of the sports world for 2024.
Individual Hardware: Rookie of the Year and Beyond
We can't talk about what this team won without mentioning the individual awards that piled up. Caitlin Clark won the WNBA Rookie of the Year in a near-unanimous vote. She also won a spot on the All-WNBA First Team—the first rookie to do that since A'ja Wilson.
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But it wasn't just Clark. Christie Sides won WNBA Coach of the Month in August. Aliyah Boston stayed in the All-Star conversation. The Fever won a level of league-wide recognition that they haven't seen since the days of Tamika Catchings. They proved that you can build a powerhouse through the draft if you hit on consecutive No. 1 picks.
The "Win" No One Talks About: Chemistry
Early in the season, things looked bad. There were rumors of locker room tension. People thought the veterans would resent the hype surrounding the rookies.
What the Fever won, ultimately, was a cohesive identity. You saw it in the pre-game tunnel walks and the post-game press conferences. They became a team that liked playing with each other. This is a subtle win, but it’s the most important one for 2025. Without that chemistry, Mitchell might have looked to leave in free agency, or the offense would have remained stagnant. Instead, they developed a high-octane, transition-heavy style that is objectively the most fun brand of basketball to watch in the league right now.
Real Talk: Why They Didn't Win the Championship
It’s okay to be honest here. They weren't ready to win a title in 2024. The Connecticut Sun showed them that "playoff basketball" is a different beast. The Sun played physical, grimy defense that rattled the younger Fever players.
The Fever won a massive "learning experience." They realized that while they can outrun teams in the regular season, they need more size and more defensive consistency to beat the New York Liberty or the Las Vegas Aces in a five-game series. They won the realization that their bench needs to be deeper.
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How the Fever's 2024 Wins Compare to History
| Metric | 2023 Season | 2024 Season |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 13 | 20 |
| Playoff Status | Missed | Made (1st Round) |
| Average Attendance | ~4,000 | ~17,000 |
| All-WNBA Players | 0 | 1 |
What Happens Next?
The Fever won the right to be the most talked-about team in the 2025 off-season. Because of their success, Indiana is now a destination. Free agents who want to play in front of sell-out crowds and alongside a generational passer like Clark are looking at Indianapolis differently.
They won a future.
For years, the Fever were an afterthought in the Indiana sports landscape, overshadowed by the Colts and the Pacers. Not anymore. They won the city. They won the morning talk show cycle. And most importantly, they won the argument that women's basketball is a massive, profitable, and thrilling business.
Moving Forward: Actionable Steps for Fans and Analysts
If you're following the trajectory of this team, don't just look at the scoreboards. To truly understand the Fever's growth, you need to track a few specific areas over the next twelve months.
First, watch the roster construction in the off-season. The "win" of 2024 provides the leverage to hunt for a veteran wing defender who can take the pressure off the guards. Second, keep an eye on local broadcasting deals. The Fever won such a massive audience that their local TV rights are now worth a fortune, which will likely change how fans in the Midwest consume their games.
Finally, pay attention to off-court endorsements. The players won individual brand deals that were previously unheard of in the WNBA. This financial stability allows players to focus entirely on their game in the off-season rather than playing overseas in Europe or China to make ends meet. That is a win for the longevity of the players' careers and the quality of the league as a whole.