Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark have brought some big-time star power to the WNBA, and they’ll now face off in a venue big enough to fit the thousands of fans aching to see them play.
The Wings announced Monday that the team’s Aug. 1 game against the Fever has been moved to the 20,000-seat American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas, the home of the Mavericks and Stars.
The matchup had been scheduled to take place at Wings’ home arena, the 7,000-seat College Park Center in Arlington.
The Wings are billing the matchup as “The Sequel” in promotional marketing, since the teams played in front of a crowd of 20,409 on June 27 at American Airlines Center, with the Fever notching a 94-86 win.
The hype for that showdown was dampened, though, since Clark did not play with a left groin injury.
As a result, the first matchup between the WNBA’s two most recent No. 1 picks would be on July 13, when Dallas travels to play Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Aug. 1 game at American Airlines Center will be the first time the young superstars face off in Dallas.
The news of the venue change received a mostly positive response from fans on social media
“Paige vs. Clark will be the W’s version of Magic vs. Bird for years to come,” wrote on user on X, with another attributing the change to “the ol’ Caitlin Clark effect.”
Others said they wished the Wings played all of their home games in the larger arena, like one user who wrote: “Yall got Paige bro, why she ain’t playing every home game in there?”
The Fever (9-9) sit in third place in the Eastern Conference standings, albeit with Clark missing half the team’s games with injury.
The Iowa product has missed Indiana’s last five games with her groin injury, and she also missed five games with a left quad strain earlier this season.
In the nine games she has played, Clark is averaging 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.9 assists a night.
The Wings (6-13) have the worst record in the Western Conference, although Bueckers is having an excellent rookie season, averaging 18.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists.