History of Indiana Fever in Timeline
The Indiana Fever are a professional women's basketball team based in Indianapolis. They compete in the Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Established in 2000, the team is owned by Herb Simon, who also owns the Indiana Pacers (the NBA counterpart) and Simon Malls.
2000: Chris Denari Begins as Play-by-Play Announcer
Chris Denari started his tenure as the Indiana Fever's play-by-play announcer.
2000: Fever Granted Expansion Franchise
Indiana was granted an expansion franchise coinciding with the opening of Gainbridge Fieldhouse (then Conseco Fieldhouse). Led by center Kara Wolters and coached by Anne Donovan and Nell Fortner, the Fever finished their inaugural season 9-23.
2000: Indiana Fever Founded
The Indiana Fever, an American professional basketball team in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), were founded. Owned by Herb Simon, who also owns the Indiana Pacers and Simon Malls, the team is based in Indianapolis and plays in the Eastern Conference.
2001: Tamika Catchings Misses Season Due to Injury
Tamika Catchings missed the entire WNBA season due to an ACL tear suffered during a college game.
2001: Fever Draft Tamika Catchings
The Fever drafted University of Tennessee star Tamika Catchings in the WNBA Draft, but she missed the entire season due to an ACL tear. Despite high expectations for a playoff berth, the Fever finished with a 10-22 record.
2002: Tamika Catchings' Breakout Season
After missing the 2001 season, Tamika Catchings returned and established herself as one of the WNBA's most versatile players. She earned Rookie of the Year honors and an All-Star selection. The Fever finished with a 16-16 record, tying for a playoff spot and winning a tiebreaker against the Orlando Miracle to secure their first playoff appearance. They lost their first-round series to the top-seeded New York Liberty.
2002: Tamika Catchings' Arrival
Tamika Catchings joined the Indiana Fever, marking the beginning of her tenure as the franchise player.
October 26, 2007: Brian Winters' Departure
The Fever decided not to renew head coach Brian Winters' contract, concluding his four-year tenure with a 78–58 regular season record and a 5–7 playoff record.
December 12, 2007: Lin Dunn Appointed Head Coach
Assistant coach Lin Dunn was promoted to head coach, succeeding Brian Winters.
2007: Fever's Playoff Run
The Fever had a strong start to the 2007 season, aiming for the WNBA Finals. They achieved the best 20-game start in Eastern Conference history. However, Tamika Catchings' foot injury sidelined her for the rest of the regular season. Despite this, they secured the #2 seed in the playoffs. They faced tough competition from the Connecticut Sun and Detroit Shock, with thrilling comebacks and heartbreaking losses. Catchings suffered another season-ending injury during the Eastern Conference Finals.
February 19, 2008: Katie Douglas Trade
In a significant WNBA trade, the Fever acquired Indianapolis native Katie Douglas from the Connecticut Sun in exchange for Tamika Whitmore and their first-round pick in the 2008 draft.
July 19, 2008: Liberty Outdoor Classic
The Fever participated in the inaugural Liberty Outdoor Classic, the first regular-season outdoor professional basketball game, against the New York Liberty at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Fever emerged victorious with a 71–55 win.
2008: Fever's Challenging Season
The Fever faced difficulties during the 2008 season, finishing with a 17–17 record. They secured the fourth playoff spot but were eliminated by the Detroit Shock in the first round.
2008: Financial Concerns and Ultimatum
The Indiana Pacers owners revealed that the Fever had been experiencing financial losses. They issued an ultimatum, implying the Fever's survival depended on on-court and box office success.
2009: Fever's Future Secured in Indianapolis
Due to their successful 2009 season, the Fever announced their continued presence in Indianapolis for 2010 and 2011.
2009: Fever's Resurgence and Playoff Run
Responding to the owners' ultimatum, the Fever excelled in the 2009 season, achieving a franchise-best 22–12 record and securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference. They swept the Washington Mystics in the first round and advanced to the conference finals. In a rematch against the Detroit Shock, they secured their first-ever WNBA Finals appearance. However, they were defeated by the Phoenix Mercury in five games.
2009: Fever Reach WNBA Finals
The Indiana Fever reached the WNBA Finals but lost to the Phoenix Mercury in a five-game series.
2010: Fever Continues in Indianapolis
The Fever played in Indianapolis as previously announced.
2011: Fever Continues in Indianapolis
The Fever continued to play in Indianapolis as previously announced.
2012: Kelly Krauskopf's Promotion
Following their championship win, the Fever's ownership acknowledged general manager Kelly Krauskopf's contributions by promoting her to president of the franchise. Krauskopf's responsibilities expanded, accompanied by a pay raise.
2012: Fever's First WNBA Championship
The Fever reached the WNBA Finals and triumphed over the Minnesota Lynx in four games, securing their first-ever WNBA championship.
2015: Fever's Third Finals Appearance
The Fever reached the WNBA Finals for the third time in franchise history, but they fell short against the Minnesota Lynx in five games.
November 18, 2016: Pokey Chatman Hired as Head Coach
The Fever appointed Pokey Chatman as their new head coach.
2016: Record Playoff Streak and Catchings' Retirement
The Fever secured their 12th consecutive playoff appearance, setting a new WNBA record. However, they were defeated by the Phoenix Mercury in the first round under the league's new playoff format. This game marked the end of Tamika Catchings' illustrious playing career with the Fever since 2002.
February 2017: Candice Dupree Trade
The Fever executed a three-team trade, acquiring five-time All-Star Candice Dupree and the Mercury's 2017 first-round pick. In exchange, they sent Camille Little and Jillian Alleyne to the Mercury, while the Connecticut Sun received the eighth overall pick in the 2017 draft and Lynetta Kizer from the Fever.
August 12, 2017: Record-Breaking Loss
The Fever suffered a 111–52 defeat against the Minnesota Lynx, marking the largest margin of defeat in WNBA history. During the game, they endured a league-record 37–0 scoring run by the Lynx.
2017: Chris Denari Steps Down as Announcer
Chris Denari stepped down from his role as the Indiana Fever's play-by-play announcer.
2018: Fever's Rebuilding Year
The Indiana Fever continued to struggle in 2018 as they rebuilt their team, finishing in last place with a 6-28 record.
March 4, 2019: New Leadership at Indiana Fever
Pacers Sports & Entertainment announced Allison Barber as the new president and chief operating officer of the Indiana Fever, while Tamika Catchings was named vice president of Fever Basketball Operations.
November 27, 2019: Marianne Stanley Becomes Head Coach
Marianne Stanley was introduced as the new head coach of the Indiana Fever, making her the seventh coach in franchise history. Tamika Catchings was also promoted to general manager.
2019: Fever Announces Temporary Move to Hinkle Fieldhouse
The Indiana Fever announced that they would move their home games to Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse for the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to renovations at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
2020: WNBA Season Played in Florida Due to Pandemic
The 2020 WNBA season was played in a bubble at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021: Fever Split Home Games Between Two Venues
The Indiana Fever played their first four home games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse before playing the remaining home games at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
February 14, 2022: Tamika Catchings Steps Down
Tamika Catchings stepped down from her role as vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the Indiana Fever.
February 24, 2022: Lin Dunn Returns as Interim General Manager
Former Fever coach Lin Dunn, who led the team to a WNBA championship in 2012, was introduced as the team's interim general manager.
2022: Fever Struggle, Earn Top Draft Pick
The Indiana Fever struggled during the 2022 season, earning the top pick in the following WNBA draft.
2023: Fever Draft Aliyah Boston
The Indiana Fever selected Aliyah Boston from South Carolina with the first overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft.
2024: Fever Draft Caitlin Clark, Spark Interest in WNBA
The Fever drafted Caitlin Clark first overall, leading to a surge in interest in the team and the WNBA, with draft TV ratings exceeding those of actual games in previous seasons.
