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‘The Angel Reese Effect,’ ‘They Said Nobody Watches Unless Caitlin (Clark) Is Playing’ — WNBA World Buzzes As Finals Opener Sets Viewership Record

The 2026 WNBA Finals opener between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries saw a record-breaking viewership of 2.1 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, making it the own most-watched Finals opener in league history. The Golden State Valkyries won the game, defeating the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in a tightly contested match featuring seven lead changes and six ties.

This historic audience reach was met with a lot of of the fan-based debate regarding the Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark effect. Fans on social media have since beened debated whether thety the league's popularity is driven by star power or star-star power.

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