MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Lynx are off to a great start both on the court and financially.
A team spokesperson says revenue is up 38% over the last year, and ticket sales are up 50%.
The team has also exceeded their revenue goals for the year, and all of this is happening before the team plays its first home game of the season.
The Lynx will square off against the Seattle Storm at the Target Center Friday night.
Trent Kakedakis is excited to kick off another season.
“I will be there for the opener,” Kakedakis says.
He has been a season ticket holder for 13 years and has followed the team since the very beginning.
"The WNBA is expanding and it's just, I'm glad we're finally getting some new teams,” Kakedakis says.
He lives in the Twin Cities area and tries to watch every home game at the Target Center.
Melissa Waller however, has a much further drive to watch the games.
She lives near Hibbing and tries to get to at least one game at the Target Center every season.
"I'm just an old country girl up here and coming down to the cities, it's just the excitement of being in the Target Center and the hype of it,” Waller says.
She also moderates a Lynx Facebook group called the “Lynx Army.”
The group has more than 3,200 members, including one member who lives in Los Angeles.
“I love the team. I’ve been a fan for a long time,” Nicole Jackson says.
So, how did a basketball fan from California end up being a Lynx fan?
"I am a big fan of UCONN and my favorite player was Maya Moore. I knew whichever team she got drafted to that was going to be my team. So, the Lynx are my team,” Jackson laughs.
She has been a Lynx fan for going on 13 years, but during that time she has never set foot in the state of Minnesota.
“I have never been, but that’s going to change this summer, because I’m going to see the team retire Moore’s jersey in August. I got my ticket, I got my flight. I’m excited to get out there,” Jackson says.
The Lynx are riding high heading into their home opener.
A team spokesperson says merchandise sales during the team’s first preseason game were three-times higher than their projections.
Team officials have also decided to add additional seating for select games during the regular season.
A handful of sections in the 2nd level of the Target Center will be open for fans to buy tickets.
One of those games includes the Lynx first ever matchup against 1st overall draft pick Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
"It’s an exciting time to be a fan. We're seeing it now, right? More eyes, more viewership, we're in more primetime TV slots. People can see the talent level of this league,” Jackson says.
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