Chicago Sky vs. Indiana Fever rematch featuring Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese notches WNBA ratings record

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese made WNBA history on Sunday when it comes to TV ratings. According to a release from CBS Sports and the WNBA, Sunday’s game between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky averaged 2.25 million viewers on CBS. It was the most-watched WNBA game on any network in 23 years. Additionally, it’s a 225 percent increase from the same window last year.

The big reason for this is fans wanted to see the battle between the Fever’s Clark and the Sky’s Reese. It was the second matchup between the two this season, and the Fever came away with the 91-83 victory. Clark recorded 23 points, eight rebounds and nine assists for the Fever, while Reese scored 11 points with 13 rebounds.

Sunday's Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever game averaged 2.25 million viewers on CBS.

It was the most-watched WNBA game on any network in 23 years, up 225% from the same window last season. pic.twitter.com/dNxv9jXJEx

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 18, 2024

“I think we’re moving the ball and I think once we gave it up, people were getting it back in the half-court,” Clark said after the game. “I thought we were really good out of the ball-screen action, I thought we made some really good reads.”

Reese took some heat after hitting Clark in the head while going for a block in the third quarter. The play was initially ruled a common foul but was then upgraded to flagrant-1 after review. After the game, Reese criticized the officials for not being consistent.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese weigh in on second matchup

“For inside, I think we were playing really hard. I think we went up strong a lot of times and we didn’t get a lot of calls,” Reese said. “Going back and looking at the film, I’ve seen a lot of calls that weren’t made. I guess some people got a special whistle.

“I’m still proud of Kamilla [Cardoso] going out and still getting a double-double. That’s something y’all are not going to be able to stop, regardless of the referees. We’re here for a while. We’re not going to be denied, no matter what you guys try to do. But, our goal is to win and we’re going to do whatever it takes to win.”

Instead of being angry at Reese, Clark praised her for what she had accomplished. “What she’s done with her platform has been absolutely incredible,” she said. “She has an entire fan base that has supported her in what she did at Maryland and LSU. I’ve played her for a very long time and she’s been a tremendous player. It’s been fun getting to compete against. I think it’s been really good for the game.”