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Ticket prices for the second game of the season between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky are plummeting following Caitlin Clark’s injury setback.
It was announced on Monday that the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year will miss at least two weeks of action with a left quad strain.
The announcement will be a significant setback for the WNBA, as its viewership heavily relies on a healthy and in-shape Clark, who is undoubtedly the most prominent figure in the league.
But it’s also a massive problem for fans who are trying to sell tickets to the game between the Fever and Angel Reese’s Sky on June 7.
The game would have been a mammoth showdown between the duo after their bitter rivalry reignited once again earlier this month.
Tickets to last season’s final regular season game between the Fever and Sky were selling for around $165, the most expensive game in WNBA history.
Tickets to this season’s first game between the two teams were price slightly less than that around $75.
But just 24 hours after Clark’s injury was announced, tickets to the game between the two teams on June 7 are now selling for just $35.
It represents a bitter blow to Reese, who said last year that Clark was not the only player WNBA fans were turning out to see.
Rivals Clark and Reese clashed during the Indiana Fever’s season-opening win against the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
Reese attempted to confront her rival after the Fever star slapped her arm – hard enough to knock the ball loose and send Reese to the floor.
‘You’re crazy as f***,’ Reese could be seen shouting in Clark’s direction.
After the game, Reese was in no mood to talk about the incident – in part because her team was emphatically beaten by the Fever, losing 58-93.
‘Basketball play, refs got it right, move on,’ Reese, who top-scored for her team with 12 points, said in a post-game press conference.
Following the match, Clark mentioned that there was no inherent friction between her and Reese. However, she expressed her disagreement with the officials who changed her foul to a flagrant foul.
Clark stressed that the incident should not be blown out of proportion. She emphasized that it was merely a normal basketball move and expressed uncertainty about why the referees decided to upgrade the foul, indicating that such decisions are within their discretion.
‘I’ve watched a lot of basketball in my life, that’s exactly what it was. I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious. That’s not the type of player I am.’
But their rivalry dates back to college, when Reese helped lead LSU to victory over Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes for the 2022-23 national championship. Reese appeared to taunt Clark by waving her hand in front of her face and pointing to her ring finger.
A day after their latest run-in, the WNBA launched a racism investigation. The league released a statement relating to ‘alleged hateful fan comments’ at the game.
‘The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms – they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter,’ a statement read.
The Fever released their own statement from Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines.
‘We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct during yesterday’s game and we are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation,’ it read. ‘We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players.’
It is not yet clear how serious Clark’s injury is, with the Fever’s statement worryingly only revealing she would miss ‘a minimum of two weeks’.
Further updates, the team added, ‘will be provided, as available, following re-evaluation.’
It is also unknown how Clark sustained the injury, with her finishing Saturday’s 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty seemingly unhurt.
Indiana next play on Wednesday against the Mystics, before hosting the Sun and Mystics. They are then on the road at the Sky, before Caitlin’s potential return on June 10 against Atlanta Dream.