The highly anticipated matchup between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark in the WNBA is set to get a larger platform. Per a report by Sports Media Watch, the clash between the two former college hoops superstars will be broadcast on ESPN instead of NBA TV as originally scheduled.
“ESPN was somehow scheduled for zero games between Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever and Angel Reese's Chicago Sky, but that has been remedied. June 1 game flexed from NBA TV to ESPN,” Sports Media Watch tweeted before linking their schedule of WNBA regular season games and where they'd be broadcast.
This is welcome news for both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese fans alike, as the Sky and Fever are set to duel on a Saturday afternoon live on ESPN. The game is expected to draw significant attention. Clark's first WNBA regular season game versus the Connecticut Sun, broadcasted on ESPN, attracted 2.1 million viewers across ESPN2, ESPN+, and Disney+. Peak viewership hit 2.3 million from 7:45 p.m. to 7:59 p.m., as reported by NBC Connecticut, surpassing ESPN's prior record of nearly 1.5 million viewers set during a Phoenix Mercury-Connecticut Sun game on May 22, 2004, during Diana Taurasi's rookie year.
The game itself will be a renewal of a rivalry that aided in the broader boom of popularity for women's basketball and was renewed during the 2023 NCAA National Championship.
Clark v. Reese Part Three
The first battle against Reese and Clark happened in the 2023 NCAA National Championship game. Iowa had just dispatched South Carolina, the defending 2022 National Champions in a hard-fought 77-73 game. In the game, Clark infamously waved off Raven Johnson when she was open from the three-point line. According to Reese, she didn't take that lightly.
After LSU's big 102-85 win against Iowa, Reese specifically gestured “you can't see me” to Clark and pointed at her ring finger as Clark left, clearly disappointed by their championship defeat. Reese later hinted in her comments that her actions were deliberate.
“Caitlin Clark is a hell of a player for sure, but I don’t take disrespect lightly. And she disrespected Alexis (Morris) and my girls from South Carolina. They’re still my SEC girls, too, y’all not gonna disrespect them either. I wanted to pick her pocket, but I had a moment at the end of the game, that was in my bag.”
Basketball fans anticipated the upcoming showdown in the Women's NCAA March Madness Elite Eight. LSU and Iowa were placed in the same bracket region, setting the stage for a highly anticipated championship rematch. Numerous questions arose before the game. Would the sequel live up to expectations? Does the matchup maintain its allure after all this time? It certainly did.
Caitlin Clark got her revenge for the championship defeat, finishing the matchup with 40 points and 12 assists while also connecting on nine three-pointers in the 94-87 victory. Angel Reese had an amazing game herself, finishing the game with 17 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and two steals. The game saw a record audience, drawing an audience of 12.3 million, up from the 9.9 million viewers who watched their national championship game matchup.
With the well-anticipated third game forthcoming, basketball fans are sure to be on the edge of their seats once again. The two star players, Clark and Reese, will surely put on another thrilling performance and bring in a commanding audience that will further grow interest in the sport.
The Chicago Sky plays against the Indiana Fever on June 1st at 12 PM, airing on ESPN.
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