When Magic Johnson and Larry Bird first burst onto the scene in the late 1970s, no one really knew what they were witnessing. Sure, they’d already made waves in that unforgettable 1979 NCAA title game—Michigan State vs. Indiana State—but the idea that these two young stars could revive a struggling NBA? That felt like a stretch. Still, against all odds, they did exactly that. One was the flashy, charismatic kid from Lansing. The other, a cold-blooded shooter from the small town of French Lick. Together, they raised the game to a whole new level. By the time the ’80s rolled around, you simply couldn’t talk about basketball without talking about Magic and Bird.

Now come to WNBA, and it feels eerily familiar. It felt like a one-time spectacle when Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark locked horns in college during that fiery LSU-Iowa championship game. But it wasn’t. And the one who’s gained the most from it? The WNBA, as the two transitioned to the pros. They had everything to offer, be it viewership, attendance, or records.

“There’s no more apathy. Everybody cares… But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That’s what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don’t want everybody being nice to one another,” agreed the WNBA commissioner. But something makes the Clark-Reese rivalry a bit different from others. Just ask Elle Duncan.

As a part of ESPN’s recent analysis, Duncan shared her unique perspective on the brewing rivalry between two 2024 WNBA draft standouts. “There’s an acknowledgment that last year was a bit of lightning in a bottle with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and some of these big names in the storyline,” she started off.

No doubt, she’s absolutely correct. It’s ever since the arrival of the 2024 Rookie of the Year that the “Caitlin Clark effect” spread wider than ever. And it really made sense. Indiana Fever games where Clark played averaged 16,084 fans, nearly double the 8,552 for the other W games. Some teams saw attendance skyrocket when the Fever played, with the Atlanta Dream drawing 17,592 fans and the Washington Mystics drawing 20,522 fans. According to the WNBA, approximately 400,000 fans attended games in May alone, making it the highest-attended opening month in 26 years.

However, as per many, like sport analyst Colin Cowherd, this increased attention to W would not have come had it been just Clark or Reese alone. Their rivalry, so to speak, sort of became crucial for the league. As per Cowherd, it is the back-and-forth that is set to benefit the most. Last year, he even suggested that if Reese were to win the 2024 Rookie of the Year award, it would be “the best thing in the world,” as it would fuel debates and fan divisions. A situation where one year Clark might earn All-Star honors while Reese misses out, and another where Reese claims a championship. He implied that the league’s profitability depends on this dynamic, stating, “This can’t just be about Caitlin Clark … The Angel Reese dynamic here is bigger than everyone thinks”. 

All of this growth because of the rivalry feels real, but when you monitor closely, you notice that there’s something that makes it stand out.“When we look at 2023, which is sort of the year they are looking at in comparison to growth and to see if this is sustainable growth and not just a moment—our numbers are up 40, 60, 70%, which is telling us all of these other groups are facing existential crisis as their fan bases are getting older and dying,” added Duncan.

While we don’t know exactly which league Elle Duncan was referring to, there’s clearly a larger trend playing out across the world of sports. According to Sports Business Journal, the NBA’s average viewer age sits at 50.3. Well, it’s relatively younger than the NHL (52), Premier League (52.1), NFL (53.7), MLB (60.2), and PGA Tour (63). That’s promising… but not the full story.

When you dig into the prized 18–49 demographic—the sweet spot for advertisers, the NBA stands tall. A solid 42% of its TV audience fits that bracket, making it the most youth-driven league in terms of televised viewership. And despite all that, the NBA has seen a 2% dip in national viewership compared to last season. In fact, they’re not alone. NHL games broadcast nationally have dropped by 11%, and even college football regular-season ratings took an 8% hit. Meanwhile, the WNBA is on a completely different trajectory.

Here, social media has played an important role in retaining younger fans. The WNBA’s app downloads rose 45% year-over-year in 2023, with users averaging 18 minutes per session, per AllInTheDifference.com. This digital focus aligns with younger fans’ habits. Meanwhile, leagues that have more older people as their main audience struggle a bit with digital relevance. In 2023, MLB’s World Series Viewership fell by 23%, a dip that ESPN said was because of a weak digital presence. The WNBA’s progressive identity also attracts younger, socially conscious fans. Initiatives like dedicating the 2020 season to Breonna Taylor and the #SayHerName campaign click with audiences valuing advocacy. This brings us to the point that fans may start watching because of rivalries, but they stay because of the vibe.

So, when Reese and Clark leaped the pros, their fans followed. And with that, so did the spotlight.

But while Duncan’s comments highlight the excitement, they also hint at the uncertainty surrounding the WNBA’s trajectory. When she says “lightning in a bottle,” she is highlighting how the discourse is still around something that cannot be achieved every season. Can the WNBA sustain this growth without relying solely on Clark and Reese? After all, one cannot build a league around just two players. One factor that should put us at ease is that Clark and Reese have opened the door for others to shine. They have increased the overall interest in women’s basketball, and there’s plenty of young talent to keep the league afloat, like Bueckers and Watkins.

WNBA commissioner plans big by borrowing a page from the NBA playbook.

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While she has always been vocal about the gains of the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese rivalry, this is something new. She recently announced a “Rivalry Week.” Sure enough, this is a marketing strategy to gain eyeballs. And that’s why even the aim of this week’s scheduling is to drive ratings.

All of which can only be done by reigniting old rivalries, and maybe creating new ones. Who knows? The arrival of a new draft class might reflect the same scenario that happened a year before when Clark arrived. After all, we’ve got names like Paige Bueckers in the upcoming draft.

So, there shouldn’t be any doubt that this is a smart play. But at the same time, it’s a move copied from the NBA. This past season marked the third season where the NBA held its Rivalry Week. It was when the New Orleans Pelicans, led by Zion Williamson, came up against Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies. Though neither Williamson nor Morant played in the January 24 contest.

“The timing of that week is critical, because in August you start to really make that playoff push,” Engelbert said. “So it would be great to have those matchups during that period to drive that playoff push into September and crown a champion in October.” Sponsored by Ally Financial, Rivals Week aims to boost engagement through activations like branded content and fan events, with Engelbert further noting, “You can have a great partnership, but you also have to have great activation.”

This might present a contradiction to perhaps what Duncan was trying to say. While Duncan’s skepticism doesn’t oppose rivalries outright, it does suggest that the league must diversify its appeal to avoid a potential drop-off if the Clark-Reese hype fades. So, now, how WNBA’s future will unfold remains to be seen.