WNBA

Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese Matchup Breaks WNBA Viewership Records

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Anthony Cardenas
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Anthony Cardenas Sports Editor

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Published20 May 2025

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The hype surrounding the start of the 2025 WNBA season proved to be real over the weekend. One of the most talked about stories in sports over the last few days has been the season-opening matchup between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky, a game that featured controversy and eventually set a viewership record for the platform that it was broadcasted on.

Fever vs Sky Breaks WNBA Viewership Records

There are always eyes on superstar Caitlin Clark, who has made a massive impact on the WNBA both financially and in overall interest. So when she was matched up against a player that she has had a long-standing history with in her team’s season opener, there were a record number of eyes on the contest.

According to the publicized numbers, 2.7 million viewers tuned in to watch the Fever vs Sky matchup on ABC on Saturday afternoon. It was the most-watched WNBA game on any ESPN platform ever. It is thought to be the highest viewership of any regular season WNBA game in 25 years.

By comparison, the Subway Series finale between the New York Yankees and New York Mets that broadcasted the next day drew just 2.5 million viewers despite being in a prime time slot.

Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese Continues To Be Must-See Action

Those 2.7 million viewers got what they came to see. The game itself turned into a blowout in favor of the Fever, who wound up winning by a 93-58 margin. But there was a mid-game scuffle between the two biggest stars on the court, as a hard foul from Clark on Angel Reese caused tempers to flare from the Chicago side.

It was a situation that caused plenty of controversy, and had the sports media world abuzz with the latest chapter in the Clark vs. Reese beef. It is a situation that dates back to the pair’s college days, and has turned into a full-blown rivalry at the next level. While Clark continues to maintain that it is simply about basketball, many pundits around the game have turned the conversation into one about race.

Caitlin Clark and the Fever have high hopes this season, and are one of the teams with the best championship odds. They’ll resume their schedule on Tuesday night against the Atlanta Dream, a game in which they are currently favored by 7.5 points.