WNBA Finals Game 6 starts at 12:30 p.m. to avoid NBA conflict
Atlanta Dream owners say the league ignored warnings about scheduling, forcing a midday start in State Farm Arena.
By Marco Graham ·
Game 6 of the 2026 WNBA Finals began at 12:30 p.m. EST on Thursday in Atlanta. The midday start time drew immediate criticism from fans and former players who expected an evening broadcast.
The Atlanta Dream played the Golden State Valkyries at State Farm Arena, the home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. The game was scheduled for noon because the Hawks were set to play the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. EST that same night. League officials chose to keep the NBA schedule intact rather than move the basketball game for the city.
The scheduling issue began in early October when the WNBA moved Games 3 and 4 of the finals from the Dream’s usual home, Gateway Center Arena, to State Farm Arena. The larger venue seats nearly 17,000 people, while the Gateway Center holds 5,000. The move was announced on Oct. 13 to accommodate higher demand for the final series.
Team owners said they raised concerns about the arena conflict months before the finals. In an open letter to the city, the owners stated that the league did not treat the issue with the necessary urgency. Chiney Ogwumike, an ESPN basketball analyst and former WNBA player, called the late scheduling decision a major failure for the players and fans.
The controversy did not stop fans from filling the arena. Thursday’s game was sold out despite the early start time. The series has seen high television ratings, with Game 4 becoming the most-watched WNBA Finals game in history with nearly 2 million viewers.
The Dream won Thursday’s matchup 80-69 to force a Game 7. The WNBA has not issued a public response to the criticism regarding the tip-off time.
