WNBA Rivalry Heats Up: Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, Eyeing Record-Breaking Crowds
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are set to bring their highly anticipated rivalry to a larger stage this season, as the Chicago Sky have decided to move two of their games against the Indiana Fever to the United Center, home of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls. This marks the first time the Sky will play at this iconic venue.
The two stars, Fever standout Clark and Sky All-Star Reese, will go head-to-head at the United Center on June 7 and June 27. Sky President and CEO Adam Fox emphasized the significance of this move, stating, “With the WNBA experiencing explosive growth, we now have a unique opportunity to welcome more fans to witness this exciting matchup at the larger United Center.”
Typically, the Sky play at the 10,000-seat Wintrust Arena, but the shift to the United Center, which also hosts the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, will allow for a potential audience of over 20,000.
Clark and Reese, whose rivalry dates back to their teenage years, were central figures in a standout rookie class last season, helping drive a surge in TV ratings following Clark’s record-breaking final college season.
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Chicago Sky Finally Moves Caitlin Clark Games to 21,000-Capacity United Center
The emerging rivalry between Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky and Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever has the potential to shatter WNBA attendance records. The Chicago Sky recently announced that they will relocate two of their games against the Indiana Fever to the United Center this summer.
This marks a significant shift, as it will be the first time in the Sky’s 20-year history that they play at the United Center, which can accommodate nearly 21,000 fans for basketball games. Previously, the Sky played at Wintrust Arena, which holds around 10,400 fans, and their franchise attendance record stands at 16,444 from a 2016 game at Allstate Arena.
Last season, several WNBA teams moved their games against the Fever to larger venues to accommodate the surge of Caitlin Clark fans. The Washington Mystics, for example, set a modern WNBA attendance record by hosting the Fever at Capital One Arena, drawing 20,711 fans—the largest crowd since the early 2000s. However, the Mystics recently announced they will host the Fever, Sky, and Aces in Baltimore this season instead of Capital One Arena.
The Sky-Fever matchups were among the most-watched games last season, fueled by the rivalry between Clark and Chicago rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, who previously defeated Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2023 and 2024 NCAA championships. A June 16 game between the Sky and Fever attracted 2.25 million viewers on CBS, surpassing the viewership of Game 5 of the 2023 WNBA Finals on ESPN.
With Chicago’s status as a major market, the proximity to Clark’s fanbase in Iowa and Indiana, and the intense interest in this rivalry, the United Center games are expected to break the attendance records set at Capital One Arena last year. Tickets for the June 7 and July 27 (rescheduled from July 26) games will go on sale March 11, coinciding with the release of all Sky regular-season tickets.
