The WNBA finally has an answer to its Game 6 scheduling problem. The solution, however, comes with an unusual twist for a championship series.
Game 6 of the WNBA Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries will take place Thursday, Oct. 29, at 12:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena, the league announced Monday.
The 17,000-seat venue will host a potential championship-clinching game before the Atlanta Hawks face the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. that evening.
The WNBA’s announcement ends days of uncertainty surrounding the game’s location and start time.
However, the afternoon tipoff means Golden State fans will have to watch a possible championship game beginning at 9:30 a.m. Pacific time.
WNBA Finals Game 6 Gets New Time and Venue
The league originally scheduled Game 6 for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
However, State Farm Arena was already booked for the Hawks’ game against Cleveland.
Atlanta’s usual home court, Gateway Center Arena, seats approximately 3,500 spectators.
That created a difficult choice between accommodating more fans and preserving a traditional evening broadcast window.
Ultimately, the league prioritized the larger arena.
“The sellout crowds and extraordinary atmosphere at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 were a tremendous success,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in the league’s statement.
She added that the arrangement would allow thousands more fans to attend a game with the championship potentially at stake.
The Hawks agreed to move their game against Cleveland from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. to accommodate the doubleheader.
Game 6 will air on USA Network and stream on Peacock.
ESPN Reveals Why WNBA Rejected Other Options
The decision followed extensive discussions involving the WNBA, NBA, both teams and their broadcast partners.
During ESPN’s NBA Today, Ramona Shelburne explained why finding a solution proved so difficult.
“Every solution has problems,” Shelburne said, citing a source familiar with the discussions.
One proposal involved moving Game 6 to Friday and a potential Game 7 to Tuesday, which would have created a lengthy gap between games.
Another option involved returning to Gateway Center Arena, but that would have drastically limited attendance.
Moving the Hawks-Cavaliers game earlier Thursday also presented problems because both NBA teams play Wednesday night.
Shelburne said officials explored moving the NBA matchup to Cleveland or rescheduling it for Friday.
Neither alternative offered an ideal solution.
Instead, the league settled on a Thursday afternoon Finals game followed by an NBA regular-season contest.
Dream, Valkyries Face Championship Stakes
The unusual scheduling arrangement comes during a tightly contested Finals.
Atlanta and Golden State are tied 2-2 entering Monday’s Game 5 in San Francisco.
The Valkyries evened the series Saturday with a 67-62 victory in Atlanta, setting up a pivotal fifth game.
Regardless of Monday’s result, Game 6 could produce a champion.
Dream guard Allisha Gray dismissed concerns about the unusual start time.
“I don’t care if we’re playing at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., midnight,” Gray said, according to the Associated Press.
The league also preserved the original schedule for a potential Game 7, set for Saturday, Oct. 31, in San Francisco.
For the WNBA, the compromise guarantees a bigger stage for the Finals.
Whether a weekday matinee can deliver the same atmosphere as the previous sold-out games in Atlanta remains to be seen.
WNBA Finals Game 6 Gets Surprising Schedule Change After Venue Uncertainty