Fever's Caitlin Clark Downplays Rivalry with Angel Reese, Sky Ahead of WNBA Matchup

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark said she was "surprised" her upcoming matchup with Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky wasn't moved from Wintrust Arena to the much larger United Center in Chicago.

Following Friday's 91-79 win over the Atlanta Dream, Clark told reporters she believes fans and the media are fueling the rivalry aspect to her head-to-head meetings with Reese. Still, the No. 1 overall pick said she's happy to embrace the dynamic if it helps to bring added attention to the WNBA.

"For us, it's just a game of basketball, that's what it is," Clark said. "If it's gonna help move the game forward, absolutely. That's amazing. That's what it should be. People can talk about it. I saw the ticket prices. I guess the only thing is, I'm surprised we're not playing at the United Center. I thought that would've been really good for the game and really good for all the women's basketball fans in Chicago."

Throughout the league, teams have moved games out of their usual home arenas to meet the increased demand for tickets, with Clark and the Fever helping to fuel the added interest.

The Sky probably would've loved the financial boost of staging Sunday's game in an arena with a capacity of nearly 21,000 fans. Wintrust Arena, by contrast, seats roughly half that amount.

However, United Center is already booked with an event. Likewise, Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, might have had trouble turning the venue around from a Saturday night concert on somewhat short notice since it's not used to hosting WNBA games in the summer.

Since Fever vs. Sky is limited to the cozy confines of Wintrust Arena, the price to get in the door is what you might expect for a Finals battle.

Independent of Clark, the arrivals of Clark and fellow rookie Kamilla Cardoso have helped the Sky strengthen their foothold in the Chicago sports scene.

Starting next year, the franchise will probably be more savvy in not leaving money on the table by making full use of the nearby arenas.