As the WNBA gears up for its upcoming season, the Indiana Fever is taking new steps to enhance security measures for its players, particularly for the highly anticipated rookie Caitlin Clark. The Fever's general manager Lin Dunn, alongside Clark and other team members, discussed these preparations during the team's media day Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Fever organization is implementing robust security protocols as the team begins traveling, including their first preseason game in Dallas this Friday.
“The Fever organization has done a really good job getting out ahead of things,” Clark said, per Michael Voepel of ESPN. “There's gonna be a lot of security traveling with us. There will be certain plans of how we're going to navigate going through airports and things like that. It's not just for us; it's for everybody in the WNBA. Everybody is dealing with the same thing.”
Travel in the WNBA typically involves commercial flights due to financial constraints, a practice that contrasts with the charter flights more common in NCAA programs like Iowa, where Clark previously played. The growing visibility and popularity of the league have made travel security an increasing concern, particularly at airports.
Lin Dunn highlighted the proactive steps taken by Pacers Sports and Entertainment to ensure the safety of all players, inspired by the security measures observed during Clark's tenure at Iowa.
“We're going to take all the precautions we can that not only is she safe but … that we're all safe,” Dunn stated. “I'm appreciative of Pacers Sports and Entertainment because they saw what took place at Iowa, and they've taken the measures that we needed to take to make sure everybody's safe and secure.”
WNBA's increasing popularity calls for increased security for players
The league's increasing popularity, underscored by record-breaking TV viewership and heightened public interest, necessitates such enhanced security measures. The proactive approach aligns with broader discussions within the WNBA about player safety during travel, sparked by incidents involving other high-profile players, such as Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner's confrontation at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport last season.
While the WNBA has introduced charter flights for all playoff games and select regular-season games on back-to-back days requiring air travel, the financial constraints of chartering flights regularly remain a challenge. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has cited cost concerns and potential competitive imbalances as reasons for the league's reliance on commercial travel.
Clark also touched upon the league's collective bargaining agreement, which sets travel parameters, noting the potential for renegotiation if players opt out after the 2025 season.
“It will definitely be an adjustment,” she said. “I'm sure everybody would say that they would love to be flying charter all the time. That definitely would help a lot of problems.”
Fever forward Aliyah Boston, the 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year, also commented on the progress in addressing security concerns.
“We've talked a lot with security and just how they're going to be traveling with us and making sure there's someone with us,” Boston said, highlighting the importance of security given the players' recognizability and the growing enthusiasm around the WNBA.
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