College and pro foes will continue their battle in August

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will go head-to-head with Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky in the prime-time game that kicks off the inaugural WNBA Rivals Week this August.

Other exciting matchups include a pair of games between New York and Minnesota, a rematch of the WNBA Finals; a clash between projected No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers and Dallas against Clark’s Fever; and Atlanta’s Brittney Griner facing off against her former Phoenix team.

The week will be sponsored by Ally Financial, a new partner for the league this season.

“We have a great partnership, but it’s about great activation too,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a Zoom interview. “There will be a full slate of games that week, and it will be an exciting part of the activation.”

The Rivalry Week games will be broadcast across various networks, beginning with the prime-time matchup between the Fever and Sky on CBS on August 9.

“The timing of the week is key, as in August, teams really begin pushing for the playoffs,” Engelbert explained. “These matchups will help build that momentum leading into September and the crowning of the champion in October.”

Rivalries are key to growing the sport, according to Engelbert. She pointed to the Commissioner’s Cup, which was introduced in 2021 and has fostered intense rivalries between teams like New York and Las Vegas, as well as the Liberty and Lynx.

“Rivalries create high-stakes games and offer great basketball every time teams face off,” said Paige Bueckers. “There are so many great rivalries in the league, and this is the perfect opportunity to highlight them.”

Ally Financial has a strong presence in women’s basketball. The company was a founding partner of the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league, which wrapped its first season last month, and discussions with the WNBA began well before Unrivaled’s launch.

“What Cathy and her team have done with the league, the cultural influence of the players, and the media connectivity is phenomenal,” said Andrea Brimmer, Ally’s Chief Marketing Officer. “The WNBA is the crown jewel of what’s happening in women’s sports.”

Ally has made it a priority to invest equally in both men’s and women’s sports.

“This commitment to women’s sports is more than just words, it’s about actions,” Brimmer added. “Becoming the new sponsor of the WNBA is another major step for us.”