“Just a game of basketball”- Caitlin Clark downplays Angel Reese rivalry despite Sky rookie embracing 'bad guy role'

A third chapter in the growing rivalry between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky will be written on Sunday. Caitlin Clark's Fever will face Angel Reese's Sky for the third time this WNBA season.

The Fever vs. Sky matchup has become a marquee fixture, as fans are eager to watch the star rookies, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, go head-to-head.

The duo has produced numerous captivating moments dating back to their college days, when Clark played for Iowa and Reese represented LSU. This rivalry has transcended into the WNBA and is significantly contributing to the league's growth.

Despite the hype, Caitlin Clark sees the Fever vs. Sky matchup not as a "rivalry" but simply as a "basketball game."

"I'm pretty sure the only people that view this as a rivalry is all of you (media)," Clark said after Fever's 91-79 win over Atlanta Dream on Friday

"For us, like it's just a game of basketball. That's what it is. If it's gonna help move the game forward, that's amazing," she added.

Clark downplayed the rivalry between the two teams and between herself and Angel Reese. However, the Fever rookie is well aware of the attention the WNBA receives when she competes against her fellow rookie.

Clark voiced her surprise that Sunday's game between the Fever and the Sky is slated to be played at Wintrust Arena instead of the United Center, which can accommodate 23,500 fans. The Wintrust Arena has a much smaller capacity, hosting only 10,387 fans.

"I saw the ticket prices, I guess the only thing is I'm surprised we're not playing at the United Center," said Clark.

"I thought that would have been really good for the game and really good for all the women's basketball fans in Chicago. Maybe there's a conflict of some sort that I don't know about. Obviously, that's a little above my pay grade. But we're excited, you know, one game at a time," she added.

While Clark remains adamant about taking the high road, Angel Reese has been more vocal in taking credit for the growing rivalry and the league's surging popularity.

Earlier in the season, Reese claimed that her embrace of the 'villain' and 'bad guy' role has been instrumental in attracting a larger audience to the WNBA. The Sky rookie took a sly dig at her rival Caitlin Clark, asserting that the Fever rookie is not the sole reason behind the WNBA's increasing

"People are pulling up to games. We've got celebrities coming to games, sold-out arenas. Just because of one single game. And just looking at that, I'll take that role, I'll take the bad guy role and I'll continue to take that on and be that for my teammates," Reese had said.

"I know I'll go down in history. I'll look back in 20 years and be like, 'Yeah, the reason why we watching women's basketball is not just because of one person. It's because of me, too.' And I want y'all to realize that."

Mindboggling ticket price for the Fever vs Sky game

The ticket prices for Sunday's game between the Fever and the Sky have reached record levels. The average ticket price is $271, while the most expensive ticket exceeds $9,000, according to NBC Sports Chicago.

This season, ticket sales, viewership, and in-arena attendance have hit all-time highs, with Clark and Reese playing significant roles in this surge.

When Clark and Reese last faced off on June 16, the game shattered multiple viewership records and set new milestones. The Fever vs. Sky WNBA game on June 16 averaged over 2.5 million viewers and peaked at more than 3 million, making it the most-watched WNBA game in 23 years.