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The Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream played to a thrilling overtime game on Sunday, with the Fever winning 95-91. And while it was Kelsey Mitchell who delivered the big baskets late in the game and Makayla Timpson who had a big game with 20 points, the conversation after the game naturally focused on Caitlin Clark versus Angel Reese.
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Clark and Reese have been rivals since college, and their joining the league together in 2024 dramatically changed the league’s popularity, taking it to new heights.
Now in their third WNBA season, the competition is stronger than ever, with the final regulation play of Sunday’s game creating a viral image that has refueled the emotions from both camps. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy says it’s what makes the league more exciting.
“This is what you want in a rivalry,” said Portnoy. “And this league, I’m telling you…A lot of people make fun of the WNBA. But if you want true hatred and true rivalries, this is the league for you. The playoffs are gonna be unbelievable. I don’t know what the ratings are yet; I bet they are gigantic.”
If you want true rivalries and true hatred in sports, the WNBA is for you pic.twitter.com/LORIcTN7Wr
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) August 17, 2026
The bitter rivalry lives, and it continues to get stronger
Back in college, Angel trolling Caitlin by pointing at her ring finger during the 2023 NCAA women’s title game infuriated Clark fans. So was Reese doing John Cena’s “You can’t see me” hand wave one year later in the NCAA Elite Eight. But since coming over to the “W,” Caitlin beat Angel for the Rookie of the Year honors, and she has won their head-to-head matchup 6-3.
Right before the All-Star break, Nike announced that Caitlin’s signature shoe will finally be released on October 1st. A month later, Mattel introduced the Angel Reese Barbie Doll. At All-Star weekend, CC promoted her shoes while AR promoted her Barbie.
Portnoy says the Caitlin-Angel rivalry and all the mess that the WNBA is in right now make it a more valuable brand that he is willing to bet on.
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“I’ve been saying this. While people are always poo-poo the WNBA, and last year I was like, if I could buy a WNBA team, I would do it from a business perspective in this clap. Because this league is like a rocket ship and all the stuff that surrounds it only makes it more volatile, more must-watch, more exciting,” he added.
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El Presidente said he is willing to fork out $250 million to buy a Boston franchise
This isn’t the first time that Portnoy is willing to put his money where his mouth is when it comes to the WNBA. Last year, while advocating for increased pay for WNBA players, Dave also praised the league’s business and noted that the cost of expansion franchises has skyrocketed due to the league’s commercial success. He even said he would pay a quarter of a billion dollars in a heartbeat if the league offers him an opportunity to put up a team in his hometown of Boston.
“The WNBA is exploding by every single metric you look at — TV ratings, merch, revenue, ticket sales, you name it. They just had an expansion team, the Valkyries in Vegas; the fee was $50 million. They have sold out every single game. They are averaging more attendance than a third of the NBA teams. The franchise fee has gone up to $250 million,” saidPortnoy. “If somebody told me I could buy a Boston team for 250 million, I would do it without blinking. That’s all you got to know about the WNBA finances.”
Last season, the WNBA made enough money to trigger the first-ever revenue sharing in league history. The new CBA has seen the salary cap balloon to $7 million and the player max salary increase to $1.4 million. Say what you want about the controversies that are plaguing the “W” today, but they’ve only made their popularity even greater. Portnoy is willing to go all in to prove that point.
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This story was originally published August 18, 2026 at 8:42 AM.