Whether it’s Caesar vs. Pompey or Batman vs. the Joker, we can all agree on one thing: rivalries turn fans into die-hards. Or as Gen Z likes to put it, that’s where the “tea” is. And last season? WNBA fans were sipping it hot. Enter Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark: Contrast in play styles? Check. College history? Check. Loud fanbases? Oh, hell yeah. The intensity was so high that the Wintrust Arena couldn’t contain a Sky vs. Fever matchup.
Instead, they had to move to the United Center, to play in front of a sellout crowd of 19,496. But sadly, seems like the hype is dying down already. Analyst Rachel DeMita recently declared on her YouTube channel, “I also predict that the Angel Reese Caitlyn Clark rivalry is going to be dead. I think that rivalry is actually done.” And the narrative is shifting as Paige Bueckers vs. Caitlin Clark is already pricier than any court-side ticket. Their June 27 matchup saw a whopping $255 price for even the cheapest tickets.
For fans who grew up watching rivalries breathe and build over the years (think Magic vs. Bird, or even Serena vs. Sharapova), this sudden shift is almost jarring. At this point, just call W the league of missed matchups. But why does it all move so fast?
The Anatomy of a Rivalry Lost in WNBA
In high-intensity sports like basketball, you are bound to have heated moments. And once ego enters the equation, the sparks are meant to fly for a while. But without a dedicated stage to settle the score, how does the tension survive? The fire is there, but without fuel, it fades fast.
No Stage, No Stakes
Heard of the dedicated week the NBA carved out just to let the bad blood boil? In 2022, the league added a fresh twist to its regular season: Rivals Week. You ask if it’s here to stay? Say no more. The NBA brought out its most reliable rivalry of the last decade, and it delivered. A thrilling double-overtime game, the Lakers and Warriors Saturday night matchup averaged a whopping 3.97 million viewers on ABC.
And that’s what the W needs too. Because the league’s current scheduling pattern is not helping. It has inconsistent spacing which means that the teams may not play each other again for weeks or in high-stakes settings. For instance, Reese and Clark met just four times during their rookie seasons in 2024. And the fans didn’t think it was enough. So, it only makes sense for the WNBA to take advantage of its growing popularity by spotlighting its biggest team and player rivalries over the course of the season.
No One’s Telling the Story
Now don’t get us wrong, the Clark-Reese storyline doesn’t quite fit under this heading. They’ve had plenty of coverage; what they lack is a consistent platform to battle it out. But there are tons of rivalries that don’t even get the spotlight they deserve. Take A’ja Wilson vs. Breanna Stewart, for example. There’s something there, and even A’ja has admitted it. While speaking with Draymond Green, she said: “I think that’s what our game and our league really need. It puts people on opposite sides — pick a side, root for it, and enjoy it. Watch these two grow. It’s crazy to see how the league is kind of in our hands.”
Oct 1, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates after scoring in the fourth quarter against the New York Liberty during game two of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
That kind of tension is pure entertainment. But somehow, most outlets barely covered it. Also because ESPN and CBS have limited game allotments. That makes it hard to “build chapters” through nationally televised series. Maybe it will resurface after tomorrow’s Aces vs. Liberty matchup, but it shouldn’t take a viral moment to bring real rivalry back to center stage.
Understaffed Social Team & Under-Promoted Narratives
It’s a fact that the WNBA franchises operate with leaner social media and content departments than their NBA or MLB counterparts. And more often than not, the league relies on its fanbase to drive the most viral moments. And they have been doing a good job.
Nielsen reported a 29% year-over-year increase in WNBA viewership and digital searches, while 2024 regular-season games averaged 942,000 viewers across Disney networks. It was a 201% jump from 2023. That is why this growth window is the perfect time to invest in some in-house promotion because as of now, it’s not up to the mark.
Case in point: Liberty-Aces series. Last season, this clash featured MVP-level play and historic triple-doubles. Yet, sadly the pre-game buzz across official WNBA or team social channels was practically nonexistent. Compare that to NBA or MLB franchise build-ups, and it’s an obvious gap.
Potential fix: The League could level up the quick digital coverage by bringing in creators or influencers dedicated to season-long arcs. Think mini-documentaries following hot matchups, much like Uninterrupted does for NBA stars. That consistent storytelling could be the spark the W needs.
League Steers Away from “Bad Blood”
The W has a powerful identity. It’s built on values like unity, teamwork, and community. But have they gone too far into it? The answer is yes, so much so that they are robbing viewers of bold player-on-player stakes, heated exchanges, and “remember last time?” rematch narratives. Even the players rarely let their emotions out, which is definitely not healthy for the spectacle.
Do you think Jimmy Butler would ever tell the media, “Let’s not make it anything that it’s not,” when asked about his beef with Grant Williams? Yeah, not a chance. NBA stars like Butler don’t defuse the tension. And Grant Williams? He didn’t downplay it either. In fact, he embraced it, “It’s literally the most corny trash talk you can imagine. And after that, we both blacked out. I don’t know what he said, [and] I don’t know what I said. We were just like head-to-head,” he recalled on Off The Record.
May 19, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams (12) and Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) react after a play during the second half of game two of the Eastern Conference Finals for the 2023 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Oh and Steph vs. Ja, let’s not even begin. From the viral gun gesture to their online feud, the two haven’t ever shied away either. So when Reese and Clark downplay it with statements like “Basketball play, refs got it right. Move on,” that’s not what the fans want.
How the WNBA Can Fix It All
Lucky for us, the W has already caught on the demand. It’s ready to kick things up a notch this summer with its inaugural Rivals Week, and the drama starts early. On August 9, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will face off against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky in a prime-time CBS showdown. It’ll be a marquee matchup that will set the stage for a week full of high-stakes games with real playoff implications.
But one themed week isn’t enough. The league should capitalize on rivalries all season long. Player-driven narratives need to take center stage, with mini-series like Chapter 2: Caitlin vs. Angel or A’ja vs. Stewie: Unfinished Business letting fans rally behind their favorites. Moreover, better scheduling can amplify the drama too.
The league should go forward with adopting MLB-style two-game series in the same market because familiarity breeds intensity, and repeated clashes will add value. Partnering with culture-savvy platforms like Overtime, Just Women’s Sports, WSLAM, and Togethxr would also help transform WNBA rivalries from fleeting moments into full-fledged movements. This isn’t just about games; it’s about giving emotions the space to unfold.
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