Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark follow in the footsteps of game-changing basketball rivalries

The GIST: It’s no secret that stars sell, and that’s exactly what the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese and Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark did in their June 15th matchup, which was the most-watched WNBA game in 23 years. They’re poised to be the WNBA’s next big rivalry, and while all this attention may feel new, superstar clashes have powered the W and NBA in the past.

Reese and Clark: The duo — who first made major headlines after 2023’s record-setting NCAA women’s March Madness championship — continue to shatter viewership records when they share the court. Last week’s matchup averaged 2.25M viewers, peaked at 3M, and was the most-streamed WNBA game ever.

Bird and Magic: Reese and Clark are already drawing early comparisons to NBA legends Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, one of the greatest NBA rivalries of all time. Their rivalry — which also started with an NCAA championship game — headlined three NBA Finals in four years and was credited with revitalizing the NBA.

Weatherspoon and Swoopes: While Bird and Magic changed how the NBA was perceived, Teresa Weatherspoon and Sheryl Swoopes’ rivalry in the early WNBA days set the bar high for interest. Liberty guard Weatherspoon and Houston Comets forward Swoopes faced off in the 1997, 1999, and 2000 WNBA Finals — all of which were won by the Comets.

• Viewership and attendance has declined since the W’s late ‘90s heyday. Before the recent Sky-Fever game, all 10 most-watched WNBA games took place before 2001, but Reese and Clark are quickly getting back to those vintage numbers.

Zooming out: Basketball is a team sport, but marketing-wise, it benefits most from singling out big-name superstars. These two are building a truly compelling rivalry on the court, and as Bird vs. Magic and Weatherspoon vs. Swoopes proved, this can mean a winning formula that drives the game forward. It’s Showtime.