The WNBA has faced criticism after moving a crucial Finals game to a weekday afternoon, making it harder for working fans to watch live.
Game 6 between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries will tip off at 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.
The game was originally scheduled for 8 p.m., but the league changed the timing to accommodate an Atlanta Hawks NBA game that evening.
The decision angered Dream ownership, which said it had warned officials about potential scheduling clashes two months ago. The owners questioned why the conflict remained unresolved as the team advanced to the Finals.
The league could have stuck with the original 8 p.m. tipoff at Gateway Center Arena, where the Dream typically plays. But the venue’s 3,500-seat capacity paled in comparison with State Farm Arena’s 17,000 seats.
The decision attracted attention beyond basketball. Rapper Flavor Flav proposed making Thursday a paid holiday so fans could watch the game without work commitments.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backed the idea on social media, adding to the debate over the afternoon tipoff.