UNCASVILLE, CT (CelebrityAccess) – Mohegan Sun Arena has been home to a WNBA franchise for over two decades and has hosted some of the biggest acts in pop culture since opening its doors in 2001. The next star to walk through the arena doors is Caitlin Clark, who will debut in her first regular season WNBA game tonight (May 14) when The Connecticut Sun opens the season with Clark and the Indiana Fever. The game has long since been sold out. According to the CT Insider, ESPN will have three times the amount of personnel on hand tonight than for an average WNBA broadcast.
Interest is sky-high for the debut of rookie phenom Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft and a three-time NCAA season scoring leader (2021, 2022, 2024) at Iowa. Clark, who became the NCAA’s Division I all-time scoring leader last season, is now set to take the hardwood as a member of the WNBA in Connecticut, a state renowned for UCONN and its passionate basketball fans. The arena that opened over two decades ago with a preseason NBA game featuring Michael Jordan, recently hosted comedian Matt Rife for an unprecedented five-night sold-out run, hosted the fight of the century with the Ward – Gotti match-up and welcomed Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen last month – now sets the stage for one of the biggest nights in WNBA history.
Mohegan Sun Arena President and General Manager Jeff Hamilton told NBC Connecticut, “This is one of the biggest games in WNBA history. Our arena is sold out; it’s our most popular game. Even more popular than when we played in the finals.”
ESPN will broadcast “WNBA Countdown” live from the Mohegan Sun Arena at 7 pm EST. The game starts at 7:30 pm EST and can be streamed via ESPN2, ESPN+ and Disney+.
President of Mohegan Sports and Entertainment Worldwide, Tom Cantone, told CelebrityAccess, “This is the most media response received for a regular-season game in our history. Our arena has hosted some of the biggest shows on the planet, and now we’re hosting one of the biggest sporting events of this decade! How fitting that Mohegan Sun, who owns a WNBA franchise team, The Connecticut Sun, gets to debut Caitlin Clark’s first professional appearance.”
