The WNBA is back, and it’s a blockbuster clash on opening weekend.
Angel Reese‘s Chicago Sky will take on Caitlin Clark‘s Indiana Fever on Saturday, but eagle-eyed fans have noticed that the hype for the game may not be as high as we’d all think.
The WNBA scheduled Clark and Reese’s respective teams against each other on opening weekend for two reasons: To pack an arena and draw as many eyeballs to TVs.
And while the latter may still happen, the desire for fans to attend the game in person isn’t as high as expected, with tickets still available for as low as $35 on secondary-market sites.
This is even more surprising when considering that games involving Clark are typically the most in-demand games of the WNBA season.
Four of the five most expensive games this season involve the Indiana Fever, with the only match beating Clark’s team being the WNBA All-Star game, which is certain to involve the 23-year-old.
Although it should be noted that the venue hosting the Fever vs Sky is at the Gainbridge Field Arena, which has a capacity of 18,000 and normally hosts the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, who are in the Eastern Conference finals.
Nonetheless, big capacity areas have never driven down prices for Clark games and considering the rivalry between her and Reese, the low ticket prices are even more surprising.
The pair have a history that dates back to 2019 when they first met in the Amateur Athletic Union.
But things really started to heat up in 2023, when March Madness culminated in a game between Clark’s Iowa and Reese’s LSU.
Reese, who had transferred to Louisiana for her junior season, led the Tigers to their first national title by defeating the Hawkeyes 102–85.
She posted 15 points, ten rebounds and five assists in the final, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Clark’s rivalry with Reese goes back to 2023Getty Both Clark and Reese believe their sides can win a championship this yearGETTYWith an average of 9.9 million viewers, the clash between LSU and Iowa became the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history.
But what happened between Reese and Clark at the end of the game soon overshadowed the on-court action
After leading LSU to their first national title, Reese hit Clark with John Cena’s ‘You can’t see me’ taunt, and also pointed to her ring finger to gesture her incoming national championship ring.
It was widely alleged at the time that Clark had made the same gesture to the opposite team earlier in the tournament, in Iowa’s Elite Eight game against Louisiana State.
Both have become even bigger stars since their infamous bout, with Clark going on to star on the cover of TIME Magazine while Reese herself was on the cover of Vogue.
Although the last thing the WNBA would want is empty seats when their two biggest names clash on opening weekend.
Especially when they want to break even more records after an unprecedented WNBA season in 2024, which saw a $136 million uptick for the league.
A 2024 study showed the WNBA was able to deliver $136 million in sponsor media value during the 2024 regular season, and they’ll want to earn even more this year.
It would be a surprise if the arena wasn’t full by the time the game tip-offs, and there’s no doubt the WNBA front office will be keeping a close eye on proceedings.
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