WNBA moves Finals Game 6 to Thursday afternoon in Atlanta; Bill Simmons criticizes decision
The Dream and Valkyries will play at State Farm Arena at 12:30 p.m. ET on October 29, a choice that allows a larger crowd but puts a potential title decider in a weekday afternoon slot.
The WNBA announced Monday, October 26, that Game 6 of the Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 29, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The afternoon start lets the game use a larger venue on a day when the Atlanta Hawks also have a home game, but places a possible championship decider during the workday.
The best-of-seven series was tied 2-2 before Monday night’s Game 5 at Golden State’s Chase Center, according to reports published ahead of tipoff. Whichever team wins Game 5 will have a chance to claim the title in Atlanta on Thursday; both clubs are seeking their first championship.
Why Game 6 moved to the afternoon
The Dream usually play at Gateway Center Arena, which has 3,500 seats. State Farm Arena, also home to the Hawks, has about 17,000 seats and has hosted some of the Dream’s bigger games. The WNBA chose the larger arena over the originally scheduled night game at Gateway Center Arena, CBS Sports reported.
The Hawks are scheduled to play the Cleveland Cavaliers at State Farm Arena at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday. Deadline reported that moving the Finals game earlier allowed both events to take place there. The NBA game’s later start is part of the arrangement.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Games 3 and 4 of the Finals sold out at State Farm Arena. She said the move would give thousands more fans a chance to attend Game 6 and thanked the teams, the Hawks, the arena and broadcast partners for making it possible, according to Deadline. USA Network is due to televise the game, with a Peacock simulcast; the WNBA said it would work with its partners to promote the new time.
Simmons criticizes the late decision
CBS Sports reported that the league announced the Game 6 venue only hours before Game 5 was due to begin. It criticized the weekday afternoon start while describing the competing demands of arena capacity and scheduling. Bill Simmons was sharper in his response: ClutchPoints reported that he called the announcement a ‘heroic finishing touch’ to one of the ‘dumbest leadership seasons’ in professional sports. That characterization is Simmons’s opinion.
If the series reaches Game 7, it is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 31, Deadline reported.
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Sources and context
- Bill Simmons calls out WNBA’s ‘dumbest leadership season’ after Valkyries-Dream Game 6 announcementClutchPoints, syndicated by Yahoo Sports
- WNBA Finals' Game 6 scheduling debacle is an embarrassing end to a historic seasonCBS Sports
- WNBA Moves Game 6 Of Final Series To Mid-Day Thursday Timeslot Due To Arena ShuffleDeadline
- 2026 WNBA Finals schedule: Dream vs. Valkyries Game 6 gets moved up to afternoon tipCBS Sports
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.