Angel Reese is drawing attention ahead of her first WNBA Finals appearance with the Atlanta Dream. This time, it’s not about her performance on the court. Ticket prices for Atlanta’s first home game of the series have reached a record high, according to online ticket marketplace TickPick.
The numbers have also sparked conversation in the WNBA world, with several fans pointing to Reese’s popularity as a reason for the demand.
WNBA Fans React to Angel Reese, Dream’s Record-Setting Finals Ticket Prices
TickPick announced Wednesday that Game 3, scheduled for Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. ET, was the most expensive WNBA Finals game in its records. The cheapest available ticket was listed at $201, while Legion Hoops reported an average purchase price of $494 on TickPick.
The Dream will open the series Saturday on the road against the Golden State Valkyries. Game 3 will take place at State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, after the WNBA moved it up a day to accommodate the larger venue.
Atlanta played most of its regular-season home games at the 3,500-seat Gateway Center but plans to open the full 17,000-seat State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4.
Reese joined Atlanta in an offseason trade and helped the team finish 30-14 in the regular season. The Dream then swept their first two playoff series to reach the Finals, their first trip to the championship series since 2013.
Reese became the first Dream player to win Defensive Player of the Year, averaging a career-high 16.4 points and a league-leading 12.1 rebounds per game. Her popularity has also been a talking point as ticket prices for Game 3 draw attention.
“And they swear she doesn’t move the needle,” one fan wrote.
“LMAOOOOOOOOOO all their talking points are dead!!!” Lakers Guru posted.
“No wonder CCFC been quiet,” a third fan remarked.
EssentiallySports also weighed in on the ticket demand, calling it “The Angel Reese effect” and saying interest in seeing her “on the biggest stage is reaching unprecedented heights!”
“Big money game,” an X user commented.
“Box office!!” another fan tweeted.
The record was announced before tickets for Games 3 and 4 went on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. ET. TickPick’s figures reflect purchases made through its own marketplace, rather than ticket sales across every platform.
Reese told WSB-TV that leaving Gateway Center was bittersweet, even as she looked forward to the Finals crowd. Steve Koonin, CEO of the Hawks and State Farm Arena, told Front Office Sports that he expects a packed building. “I think you’ll see a very different building that is jam-packed for these Finals,” Koonin said.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.