Author of Caitlin Clark Book Comments on Angel Reese
The rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese just found a new chapter, this time off the court.
During an appearance on ESPN LA, Christine Brennan, author of “On Her Game,” a book chronicling Clark’s rise, made headlines by dismissing Reese’s influence on women’s basketball viewership. According to Brennan, the surge in attention the WNBA is receiving boils down to one name.
“I mean, it’s Caitlin. Again, the TV viewership is Caitlin Clark. It’s not Angel and Caitlin—it’s Caitlin,” Brennan said. “Angel’s a great rebounder and excellent at what she does. But she doesn’t move the needle on TV ratings.”
The Stats Tell the Story
Brennan’s bold take comes with numbers to back it up. When Caitlin Clark was sidelined with a quad strain earlier this season, Indiana Fever games saw a 53% drop in viewership—from 1.81 million viewers down to 847,000. When she returned against the New York Liberty, the game became the third most-watched WNBA matchup on ABC ever, drawing 2.2 million average viewers and peaking at 2.8 million.
Meanwhile, Angel Reese, who led the WNBA in rebounds (13.1), has embraced the media attention but pushed back on the idea that Clark is solely responsible for the WNBA’s growing popularity.
“It’s not just because of one person,” Reese said earlier in the season. “It’s because of me, too, and I want y’all to realize that.”
Still, Brennan’s remarks have stirred debate, with many fans and analysts split over how much credit should go to Caitlin Clark versus the broader wave of young WNBA stars, including Reese.
There’s no denying that both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are elite talents who have helped elevate the league’s profile. But with TV numbers continuing to surge around Clark’s appearances, it’s clear that her presence alone is also reshaping how women’s basketball is watched.
And if this rivalry wasn’t already spicy enough on the court, it’s heating up in the headlines, too.
Read More: 10 Reasons Why the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese “Rivalry” Is Great for Basketball
