Video of Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark’s first WNBA charter flight goes viral
Charter flights for WNBA squads have been long overdue.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert made waves last week when she announced that the league would begin instituting a full charter program during the 2024 WNBA season.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of a full charter program as soon as practical for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, a testament to the continued growth of the WNBA.
“We have been hard at work to transform the business and build a sustainable economic model to support charter flights for the long term. While we still have a lot of work to do to continue to execute our strategic plan, we feel confident that the time is now to institute a full charter program to demonstrate our commitment to leading with a player-first agenda,” Engelbert said.
Recent No. 1 overall pick and Indiana Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark celebrated the decision by the WNBA last week.
Clark and the Fever just so happened to be one of the first teams to enjoy the new chartered life. Indiana Fever guard Erica Wheeler took to Instagram to share the experience and it quickly went viral across social media platforms.
Indiana Fever on their charter flight pic.twitter.com/KU3N7h0lsP
— Allie (@Allie874) May 13, 2024
Clark and the Fever were en route to their season-opening contest at the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night.
The league’s plan will cost $25 million per year for the next two seasons. Previously, WNBA teams only could charter during the postseason and for regular-season games on back-to-back days requiring air travel.
A chartered flight for the Indiana Fever meant they could practice inside their home arena on Monday before departing for Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. It also allowed the Indiana Fever to enjoy privacy, less cramped quarters and a direct flight to their location instead of connecting through a different airport.
It’s great news for the WNBA as the league looks to continue enhancing the players’ and staffers’ day-to-day experiences.
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