You might have to wait a while if you didn’t get your hands on an Angel Reese Chicago Sky jersey already.
The 2024 first-round draft pick said Sunday on X her jersey has sold out within a week of her entering the WNBA:
my jersey already being sold is crazy 🥺i love yalllll
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 21, 2024
Reese’s arrival coincided with the Sky getting a refreshed “Rebel” edition uniform:
“Because in Chicago, we are LIMITLESS”
A detailed look at our new Rebel jersey 🎽 pic.twitter.com/jz7IdOC3hN
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 18, 2024
“Because in Chicago, we are LIMITLESS”
A detailed look at our new Rebel jersey 🎽 pic.twitter.com/jz7IdOC3hN
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 18, 2024
New followers to the league are quickly coming to understand some of the frustrations longtime fans have expressed on the merchandise front.
Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever jerseys became a hot item in almost no time, and while they’re still available to purchase through Fanatics and the WNBA’s official shop, Sportico’s Eben Novy-Williams reported they may not ship until August. That’s less than ideal when Indiana tips off the regular season on May 14.
Reese and Clark were the two biggest stars in the college game, so it was inevitable that their apparel would be big sellers right out of the gate. The fact that there isn’t the necessary supply to meet the initial demand isn’t a surprise.
The Athletic’s Bill Shea detailed the issue back in 2021 and cited anecdotes from Sky fans who couldn’t purchase jerseys for Diamond DeShields or even Candace Parker, the face of the franchise. Parker subsequently called out the situation directly:
Humbled and thankful for the honor! Now, if only my jersey could be available for people (INCLUDING MYSELF) online, in stores, or in the meta verse that’d be great. https://t.co/9Ptb7rdbnM
— Candace Parker (@Candace_Parker) December 29, 2021
In one sense it’s an obvious sign of progress that young players such as Reese and Clark are already having a tangible impact in the WNBA. They’re popularity can help to bring more attention to the league at a pivotal time.
But this is also laying bare how much work is still ahead for the WNBA and its apparel partners to ensure they aren’t leaving money on the table.
