The Indiana Fever’s Stranger Things jersey exists because of a coincidence too good for Netflix’s marketing team to pass up: Hawkins is a fictional town, but it’s fictionally located in Indiana, and there happens to be a real WNBA team playing basketball in the same state. What started as a novelty crossover in 2021 came back for one more run as the show’s fifth and final season aired in 2025.
Table of Contents
- Why the Indiana Fever partnered with Stranger Things at all
- What the 2025 jersey design actually looks like
- When Caitlin Clark and the team wore the jerseys
- How players reacted to the collaboration
- Frequently asked questions about the Indiana Fever’s Stranger Things jersey
Why the Indiana Fever partnered with Stranger Things at all
The Indiana Fever’s Stranger Things jersey collaboration is built entirely around geography. According to CBS Sports, Stranger Things is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, making the Indiana Fever a natural real-world partner for Netflix once the two organizations decided to team up. Sports Illustrated’s coverage of the partnership calls it “a perfect pairing” precisely because of that shared setting, even though the show’s Hawkins has no real geographic counterpart within the actual state.
The collaboration wasn’t new for 2025. According to Fox59’s reporting, the Fever first introduced Stranger Things-themed uniforms back in 2021, as part of the WNBA’s broader Nike Rebel Edition series blending basketball with pop culture branding. That original run proved popular enough with fans that Netflix and the team brought it back for one final round timed to the show’s concluding season.
What the 2025 jersey design actually looks like
The Indiana Fever’s Stranger Things jersey for 2025 reimagines the team’s classic uniform with what Netflix’s own Tudum coverage describes as “a dark, retro twist.” The design features eerie red and black color schemes, the show’s distinctive vintage typography rendered across the team name, Demogorgon claw accents worked into the uniform’s graphics, and “011” stitched onto the waistband as a direct reference to Eleven, the character played by Millie Bobby Brown.
Sole Retriever’s coverage of the Nike-produced collection notes the jersey used red, white, and black tones specifically to reference the new final season, while keeping the Fever’s team name rendered in the same font used throughout the show’s own branding. The full collection extended beyond the jersey itself, with SI’s reporting noting the collaboration also included hats, hoodies, and additional apparel items sold through both the Fever’s team store and Nike’s own website.
“This jersey represents the fierce spirit of our team and the fearless energy of Stranger Things — two forces that never back down,” Indiana Fever Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Amber Cox said of the collaboration.
When Caitlin Clark and the team wore the jerseys
The Indiana Fever’s Stranger Things jersey made its on-court debut on Thursday, July 24, 2025, against the Las Vegas Aces at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, according to WTHR’s coverage of the relaunch. CBS Sports reported the team had six total games scheduled while wearing the alternate uniforms, including five home games and one road contest.
That schedule included matchups against the Phoenix Mercury on July 30, the Chicago Sky on August 9, the Dallas Wings on August 12, the Seattle Storm on August 26, and the Minnesota Lynx on September 9, with the team’s lone road appearance in the jerseys coming against the Los Angeles Sparks on August 29. AOL’s reporting at the time noted the Fever were sitting at a 12-12 record heading into the stretch, with star guard Caitlin Clark still recovering from a groin injury that had limited her availability earlier in the season.
How players reacted to the collaboration
The Indiana Fever’s Stranger Things jersey generated genuine excitement within the team itself once the design was revealed. The Big Lead’s coverage described the reaction as “beyond excited,” noting the team shared video of players seeing the new uniforms for the first time, with the outlet suggesting the enthusiasm likely stemmed in part from players being fans of the show themselves ahead of its November premiere.
The full collection wasn’t limited to jerseys featuring Clark alone — Sports Illustrated’s promotional coverage featured Fever stars Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell together in official photos for the release. The merchandise line, including the jerseys and matching apparel, went on public sale at 8 a.m. the day of the announcement, according to CBS Sports, giving fans the chance to buy into the crossover well ahead of the season’s actual November 26 premiere date.
For more on the character whose name appears directly on the jersey’s waistband, Read more: Eleven’s Origin and Powers covers her full arc across the series. And for another real-world brand partnership tied to the same final season, Read more: Gatorade’s Stranger Things Partnership breaks down a separate collaboration built around the show’s 1987 setting.
Netflix’s Tudum coverage of the jersey relaunch goes deeper into the design details and the team’s history with the franchise, and it’s worth reading in full here.
Stranger Things 5 | Official Trailer | Netflix
Frequently asked questions about the Indiana Fever’s Stranger Things jersey
Why did the Indiana Fever partner with Stranger Things? The Indiana Fever partnered with Stranger Things because the show is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, making the real WNBA team a natural crossover partner for Netflix.
When did the Indiana Fever first wear Stranger Things jerseys? The Indiana Fever first introduced Stranger Things-themed jerseys in 2021, before bringing the collaboration back in 2025 to coincide with the show’s fifth and final season.
What does the Indiana Fever’s Stranger Things jersey look like? The jersey features a dark, retro design with red and black color schemes, Demogorgon claw accents, the show’s vintage font, and “011” on the waistband referencing the character Eleven.
How many games did the Indiana Fever wear the Stranger Things jerseys? The Indiana Fever wore the jerseys in six total games during the 2025 season, including five home games and one road game against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Who designed the Indiana Fever’s Stranger Things jersey? The jersey was produced by Nike as part of its Rebel Edition series, developed in collaboration with Netflix to promote the show’s final season.
