It was déjà vu for the Minnesota Lynx – but not in the way the team wanted. The last time Cheryl Reeve’s squad reached the Commissioner’s Cup Finals, they edged the New York Liberty 94–89 and took home their first-ever title. That win wasn’t easy either. Minnesota had trailed early before erupting in the fourth quarter behind clutch threes and relentless defense from Napheesa Collier and company. So it made sense when ESPN predicted the Lynx would take down the Indiana Fever this season, too.
But, on July 1, the Indiana Fever shocked the reigning champs, defeating the Lynx 74–59 to secure the franchise’s first-ever Commissioner’s Cup title. Not only that, but the team also walked away with a $500,000 prize to distribute among themselves. What made the win even more remarkable? The Fever entered the game with an 8–8 record and were without their offensive engine, Caitlin Clark, who was sidelined due to injury. Meanwhile, the Lynx came in scorching hot at 14–2. So, yes, Fever were the underdogs here. But what made the most buzz online had nothing to do with what happened on the court.
As the game was winding down, fans noticed ESPN’s YouTube channel had already scheduled a video titled: “ FULL REACTION: Lynx Dominate Fever to win Commissioner’s Cup | The Wrap Up ” While this was likely a placeholder someone forgot to edit, it gave the impression that ESPN fully expected the Lynx to breeze past Indiana.
Where you at @espn?
Pull up! Lynx dominate the Fever right? 15 point victory over the best team in the W. Underdogs right? They dominated is right? The WNBA MVP had 12 points.
Gonna issue an apology? No? The apology should be louder than the disrespect! Next time sit down and… pic.twitter.com/LNMXxOi9Wt
— IDX-Texas (@idxde_) July 2, 2025
Sure, based on the first quarter, where Minnesota outscored Indiana 20–12, it may have seemed justified. But what happened next flipped the script entirely. Indiana responded with dominant runs of 20–7, 20–15, and 22–7 in the remaining three quarters. And it wasn’t just one hero. A balanced offensive attack featuring Aliyah Boston, Natasha Howard, Kelsey Mitchell, Aari McDonald, and Sophie Cunningham – all scoring in double digits – completely dismantled the Lynx defense.
Despite the Fever’s growing lead, ESPN didn’t update the title until the game’s final quarter, setting themselves up to have egg on their face. Screenshots, as the internet loves to remind us, live forever. And fans were quick to grab a photo of the thumbnail and title, which soon went viral. So, was it just a mistake or something more intentional? That’s hard to say, but considering ESPN’s recent track record with the Fever and Caitlin Clark, it certainly raised eyebrows.
Was it the first time ESPN went wrong with the Indiana Fever?
No doubt, ESPN has faced massive backlash for its comments multiple times, but in the past few months, these instances have only increased. It all began as the 2025 WNBA season approached, when ESPN analyst Elle Duncan came under fire for remarks perceived as dismissive toward Caitlin Clark and the growing fanbase she brought to the league. “The worst part of all this is the new fans are sucking the life out of the WNBA right now. It’s just the truth,” she argued, claiming that before Clark, the WNBA had “other storylines” and “joy,” which she felt were now being overshadowed.
While she admitted that Clark deserved coverage and respect, Duncan also criticized the idea that athletes should “worship” her, calling it “weird.” This sparked widespread criticism online, as fans pointed to undeniable growth because of CC, including a 48% increase in attendance in 2024, 2.3 million total fans, and 340,715 attending Fever home games, shattering the Liberty’s 2001 record.
Although Duncan condemned the league’s and media’s perceived overreliance on Clark, fans quickly noted the irony, pointing out that her own show featured titles like “Should the WNBA Be Thanking Caitlin Clark?” and “Is the WNBA Too Hard on Caitlin Clark?” But Duncan isn’t the only one. ESPN’s Monica McNutt also faced backlash for her comments about Caitlin Clark ahead of the season.
Jul 20, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team WNBA guard Caitlin Clark (22) against USA Women’s National Team player Kelsey Plum (5) at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
McNutt acknowledged Clark’s widespread impact, especially among young girls attending games, but stirred controversy when she said: “Caitlin represented and again, some of this to me probably is not fair to her, because it was not anything that she said or was truly based on her personality—but she was a white girl from the middle of America. And so she represented a whole lot to a lot of people, whether that is truly what she prescribed to or not.”
Her comments reignited tensions first sparked back in September 2024 when she claimed Clark deserved only 60% of the credit for the Indiana Fever making the playoffs. And even when the season began, ESPN’s troubles with Clark coverage didn’t stop. During a nationally televised matchup between the Fever and the Las Vegas Aces, ESPN once again found itself in hot water.
First, the network delayed the start of the “WNBA Countdown” pregame show to continue airing the American Cornhole League’s Pro Singles Final, frustrating viewers who had tuned in early to see Caitlin Clark face off against A’ja Wilson. Then, once the show finally aired, analyst Andraya Carter mistakenly reported that Fever head coach Stephanie White would not be in attendance – a claim that was quickly proven false. While it was probably a genuine mistake, no fan took it lightly. White, who had missed two previous games for personal reasons, was in fact present on the sidelines.
So, you can see how ESPN has come under intense scrutiny for these repeated flubs over the past few months. But does that really mean they’re anti-Fever?
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