Angel Reese HUMBLED By EMPTY LSU Gym Despite DIRT CHEAP Tickets For Chicago Sky Preseason Game

Angel Reese’s Homecoming Humbled by Empty Seats: LSU Crowd Shines Harsh Light on Basketball Star’s Drawing Power

By [viet], Staff Writer

Angel Reese, one of the most talked-about stars in women’s basketball, made a much-publicized return to her alma mater at LSU this week, lacing up for the Chicago Sky in a preseason matchup against the Brazilian national team. The narrative seemed ready-made for a celebration: a national champion coming home, facing the fans who once rocked the Pete Maravich Assembly Center to its very foundations. Instead, Reese’s homecoming delivered a reality check that stunned even her most ardent supporters—and perhaps, Angel Reese herself.

A Half-Empty Arena and Dirt-Cheap Tickets

Despite a media build-up and Reese’s status as a self-proclaimed driving force behind women’s basketball’s recent surge, the attendance numbers told a different story. Just 6,373 fans made their way through the doors of an arena that boasts a 13,000-seat capacity—barely filling the stands halfway. Tickets could be found for as little as $11 on secondary markets, cheaper than most movie tickets. Yet entire sections remained empty, their vacant yellow and purple chairs speaking louder than any viral post.

For a player who, alongside Caitlin Clark, boldly declared herself a main attraction and generational draw for women’s basketball, the contrast could not have been sharper. “I’ll look back in 20 years and be like, ‘Yeah, the reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person. It’s because of me too,’” Reese recently told reporters.

But in Baton Rouge, the numbers contradicted her grand claims.

The Fans’ Silence—and the Noise on Social Media

As images of the empty arena circulated online, critics wasted no time weighing in. “Angel Reese fans couldn’t even sell out LSU’s arena for her return—and tickets were dirt cheap,” one social media post observed bluntly. Another pointed out, “When Clark came home, you couldn’t get a ticket. When Angel comes home, you can’t give them away.” The message was clear: celebrity, even of the viral, NIL-fueled variety, does not guarantee actual butts in seats.

The criticism found an unlikely antagonist in Reese’s own mother, who took to Twitter to defend her daughter. Rather than addressing attendance, she aimed her frustration at Caitlin Clark fans. “That certain fan base looking in the stands celebrating attendance while others are looking up in the rafters celebrating championship banners—we ain’t the same. Different year, same haters. Have a great day.” The attempt at deflection, however, only underscored the glaring gap between college glory and professional stardom—reminding everyone that banners don’t fill empty stands, even for returning heroes.

Questions of Marketability, Role, and Future

The disappointing turnout has prompted questions about Reese’s true marketability. She has amassed major endorsements and maintains a formidable social media presence—but when the moment came to pack an arena for her “homecoming,” the draw wasn’t there. This isn’t just a fan issue, either. Reese faces a major shift on the court, as new Chicago Sky coach Tyler Marsh reimagines her role. Known in college as a bruising rebounder and interior presence, Reese now finds herself being pushed to the perimeter—despite ranking 30th in two-point percentage (40%) and a dismal 29th in three-point percentage (18.8%) in her rookie WNBA season.

With teammate Kamilla Cardoso emerging as a dominant interior force, it’s clear that the Sky are betting on other options inside. For Reese, this likely means fewer offensive rebounds, fewer double-doubles, and even less chance to build the stat sheet numbers that were her signature in college.

A Stark Comparison: Caitlin Clark Packs Houses Coast-to-Coast

If the narrative wasn’t already uncomfortable for Reese, the Caitlin Clark comparison is impossible to ignore. Where Reese struggled to fill half her college home at bargain prices, Clark’s return to Iowa for a Fever preseason game saw tickets snapped up in minutes at over $400 apiece. Across the country, Clark’s appearances routinely force teams to move to NBA-sized arenas just to accommodate demands. Her jersey became the top seller in WNBA history before her first professional tip-off, and her games draw record-smashing TV audiences.

And in all this, Clark never claimed to be “the reason” people watch women’s basketball. She simply plays—and the nation shows up.

Past Glory Doesn’t Fill Seats for Today’s Games

As the social media firestorm played out, one uncomfortable truth became ever more apparent: in the pros, your college legacy can’t fill seats for you. Reese’s double-doubles and NCAA rings remain part of her story, but WNBA stardom—and the audience numbers that underpin real influence—are another battle entirely.

For now, the reality is clear: viral fame, past heroics, and social media chatter do not equate to real ticket demand. Angel Reese may yet prove herself as a pro both on and off the court. But last night’s empty seats at LSU stand as a stark reminder—the hardest-won glory comes not with talk, but with the ability to truly move crowds.

If you ride with Clark, comment “CC is the GOAT” below. And if you’re watching for packed arenas and true game-changers, the numbers—and the noise—already point in one undeniable direction.

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