In a line worthy of Clair Huxtable’s finest sarcasm, there was “big fun in Baltimore”—only this time, it wasn’t from watching The Wretched, the fictional band from that unforgettable Cosby Show episode, or even Caitlin Clark. Fans departed into the damp night — some to the adjacent garage where they paid $45 for parking—raving about the Mystics and how they ended a three-game losing streak by playing with precision, poise, and purpose when it mattered the most.
This was a momentous and soulful occasion rooted in history, legacy, and the unmatched energy of the WNBA taking center stage in a city hungry for more. The enthusiastic crowd – many wearing red Fever No. 22 jerseys, gold Iowa t-shirts, the iconic orange WNBA hoodie, and black Mystics No. 0 jerseys — showed up and showed out, providing a memorable experience for all who attended.
“It was a dope experience,” Mystic forward Shakira Austin told reporters postgame. “It’s always great playing in front of a bigger crowd … It was nice to come out here and just have that support for sure.”
This night was bigger than basketball – a wonderful reminder that women’s sports truly matter.
From thumping pregame music to the vibrant buzz on the concourse, the entire night was soaked in Baltimore flavor minus a crab feast and WNBA firepower. The scent of arena popcorn and chicken mingled with the pulse of excitement.
For young girls in the stands—many seeing a WNBA game live for the first time—it was proof that dreams can look like them. The game wasn’t just history, as the first WNBA regular season game in Baltimore. It was hope.
The moment wasn’t lost on players as they genuinely enjoyed the rare opportunity to play in a new city and showcase the game to a new wave of fans. Baltimore has always been a hoops town. From St. Frances to Poly, the city’s hardwood heroes paved the way long before the WNBA ever arrived.
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This was a full-circle moment for Mystics guard Brittney Sykes, who led the team in both scoring and rebounding—finishing with 21 points, nine boards, four assists, and a season-high two blocks. Sykes continued her strong start to the season as she is currently tied for the league lead in games of 20 or more points with Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier and Los Angeles’ Kelsey Plum, according to the Mystics’ postgame release.
Her love for hoops was cultivated by her cousins, who live in Baltimore.
“They were the reasons why I even picked up a ball,” Sykes said to reporters postgame. “So, there’s something special in that—just understanding the history behind the women hoopers. Men, too, but the women who have come out of Baltimore—bringing this game here is about so much more than basketball.
“Now, we’ve been able to show the little girls closer to Baltimore that there’s a real possibility of making it to the league. We’d love for them to come to D.C., but that’s the whole point of trying to expand.
“And just being able to have a performance like we did—in front of little girls, little guys too, but especially the girls helps them see the WNBA that much closer to them.”
Washington rookie Kiki Iriafen scored 16 points and electrified the crowd with consecutive baskets late in the third quarter. Austin and Sonia Citron finished with 13 points each. DeWanna Bonner scored a season-high 21 points to lead the Fever.
Outreach and exposure were two critical words that members of the Fever shared about the experience of playing in a city without a WNBA franchise.
“Playing in Baltimore is great,” Bonner told reporters following shootaround. “This gives people an opportunity to get eyes on us. Sometimes, it’s a little girl’s dream to see this team and this league with how it’s growing and the excitement behind it.”
Home away from home
A wide-eyed little girl carried two small stuffed Panda bears in her tiny hands as she walked happily back to her seat. Another young girl, wearing a sequinned jacket, danced in the aisles during the second half as the Mystics pulled away to even their overall record to 3-3. The Mystics never trailed in the second half and had the fans going wild.
The halftime concert featuring Baltimore natives Bandhunta Izzy, Tate Kobang, OTR Chaz, and YBS Skola rocked the building.
Mystic fan experience manager Erin Blaine and her team enthusiastically embraced the challenge of ensuring Baltimore was adequately represented with authenticity. They understood the assignment and delivered a “Culture Shift Baltimore Edition” VIP-like area, where guests drank their favorite beverages, ate plates of food, laughed, mingled, and took plenty of photos in an area decorated with red, blue, and silver balloons.
Still, a small but meaningful touch stood out—the Mystics handed out charm bracelets to some fans, and the promotional graphic featured lettered charms of both the Mystics and Fever. As the night concluded, Blaine was walking around the arena in her socks.
“I’m intentional about everything that I do,” Blaine shared during halftime to The Next. “This was our home away from home, so I want to make sure we show the love out here, too. We had something similar for our home opener, and it was included with D.C. influencers. So, this time, we brought out Baltimore influencers and creators to all come out here, share a space, and enjoy the Mystics.”
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This was one of four high-demand Mystics games strategically relocated to larger venues this season. With Capital One Arena undergoing renovations, Washington shifted both matchups against Indiana to Baltimore. Indiana returns here on Sunday, Sept. 7. It moved the highly anticipated showdowns against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky, along with A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces, to George Mason University. The demand was too big for business as usual—and the Mystics adjusted accordingly.
Though the excursion to Baltimore felt more like an elementary-school field trip than a home game, the Mystics approached it like business as usual. They transported their home floor from CareFirst Arena, drove up early Wednesday morning, held a shootaround, and spent the afternoon resting at a hotel before heading to CFG Bank Arena. Every detail was designed to make Baltimore feel like home—for one night, at least.
The Washington Wizards called Baltimore home from 1963 to 1973 before relocating to Landover and eventually downtown D.C. Before changing their nickname in 1997 and colors to red, white, and blue, the Baltimore Bullets wore psychedelic orange and navy uniforms with curvy, horizontal lines on the left side. The Wizards played games in this facility from 1989 to 1997 and last hosted an NBA preseason game in 2013 for Baltimore native Carmelo Anthony when he was with the New York Knicks. This was the first professional basketball game in Baltimore since that contest. Now, the renovated arena hosts college basketball, including the Division II CIAA tournament, the Harlem Globetrotters, Disney on Ice events, and concerts.
Clark’s impact beyond the court
There were plenty of heart-melting moments throughout the evening, beginning with fans transforming CFG Bank Arena into the world’s largest Hallmark store, as there were numerous “Caitlin Get Well” homemade signs throughout the crowd held by wide-eyed little girls.
While some worried that Clark’s absence—due to a quad strain announced Monday that sidelined her for the first time in her professional career—would impact attendance, Liz Taughinbaugh never had second thoughts. She was still making the two-hour drive from Gettysburg, Pa., with her family to see the game.
She bought tickets a week after learning the WNBA would be coming to Baltimore. When asked if Clark’s injury made her consider staying home, her response was emphatic.
“Oh no, not at all,” she said while wearing a black-and-gold Iowa shirt with Clark’s 22 on one side and Olsen’s 33 on the other side. “We love women’s basketball. My daughter is eight and is obsessed with basketball. Anytime that we can get into a gym, whether we’re playing or watching, we’re going to be there. We were super excited because we’re big Caitlin Clark fans. We’re big Iowa fans, so we saw Lucy play, and to hear that both of them were going to play against each other, we were ecstatic, especially since it was within drivable distance.”
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At 5:19 p.m., a smiling Clark arrived in blue jeans, a white shirt, and a green jacket—cradling assistant coach Karima Christmas-Kelly’s son in her arms. Clark didn’t suit up, but she still stole the spotlight—creating memories that will outlast the box score. For close to 15 minutes, Clark patiently signed red Fever No. 22 jerseys, navy blue hats, Sports Illustrated magazine covers, yellow Iowa t-shirts, kids-sized white-and-black Nike dunk shoes, and trading cards.
From the arena’s lower concourse, a crowd of fans with phones raised high like lighters at a concert leaned eagerly over the black railing, jerseys and signs in hand, their eyes wide with adoration. Children, teens, parents—even grandparents—stretched their arms out in hopes of a signature, a photo, or simply a glance from Clark.
She used fans’ phones to take selfies with them. One excited girl said to another, “OMG, Caitlin Clark touched my phone!”
Little girls trembled with electricity and watched with soft expressions—part admiration, part quiet excitement—as if trying not to disturb the sacredness of what was unfolding as Clark engaged and connected with fans.
Clark did have to navigate one obstacle as she signed and posed for photos – an arena worker who was crouched by an open electrical panel, working with quiet urgency. Security and media personnel wove through the crowd, their black jackets barely noticeable amid the sea of color and motion. At one point, security had to bring out more stanchions to rope off a larger area. Indiana Fever security escorted Clark down the line of fans. Throughout the game, they were strategically placed around the arena. Some were stationed on the opposite side of the Fever bench.
‘Grateful for the fans’
Clark, Austin, Tiffany Mitchell, Lucy Olsen, and Lexie Hull gave fans more than just autographs; they helped transform a night of basketball into something lasting for fans: memories and proof that they were part of something special. Olsen spent five minutes signing shirts and posing for photos before speaking with reporters during pregame.
“We’re just grateful for the fans that have continued to show up and show out for the W teams across the country,” Hull said during pregame to The Next. “To be able to move to an arena this size compared to the arena that the Mystics normally play in is awesome, and it shows that the sport is growing.
“It also shows that fans are excited and engaged, which is special … We’re just grateful for this opportunity to play in cities that don’t have a WNBA team and continue growing the game. Anytime you get to be a piece of history, it’s pretty awesome.”
Clark departed the arena and walked to the bus, holding a black leather briefcase in her right hand and carrying a brown bag in her left hand. Indiana’s Damiris Dantas, with her black hoodie over her head, hugged Washington’s Sug Sutton as she walked to the Fever’s bus. As arena workers rolled wires, swept trash, and started breaking down the arena floor, Mystic staffers filled large black equipment trunks with chairs and tables and packed brown boxes for the trip back home after a memorable night for the WNBA.
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But what remained couldn’t be boxed up or swept away—the frozen expressions of wonder from little girls, a sense of legacy unfolding in real-time, a city showing up for the game it loves, and a community wrapping its arms around the next generation.
For Sutton, that’s what made the night unforgettable.
“The vibes today were high, and I was super thankful to be part of that,” Sutton said. “It was a lot of fun, and this night was super special. It’s great to see a lot of little girls coming out supporting women’s basketball. That’s why we do this.
“This is why we come out and work so hard: to inspire others and the next generation. It’s just exciting to see how far we’ve come and how big the game is growing. It’s always good to see because we didn’t have that a few years ago. It just makes me super happy and allows me to continue to move forward and inspire others that look just like me.”
