Fans Blame WNBA for Scheduling Championship Game at Midday

Renard Hayes didn't mince words. Standing outside State Farm Arena in Atlanta before Game 6, he placed the blame squarely on the WNBA for scheduling a potential championship-clinching matchup at 12:30 p.m. on a Thursday.

"I think it’s the league’s fault," Hayes told OutKick. He added that the Atlanta organization shared the responsibility.

He wasn't the only one frustrated. Fans gathered outside the venue described the logistical nightmare of attending a game originally slated for 8 p.m. Many took time off work. Others pulled their children out of school. Some traveled hours just to be there.

The WNBA shifted the start time to accommodate a doubleheader at State Farm Arena. That night, the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks were set to host the Cleveland Cavaliers. Golden State entered the day holding a 3-2 series lead, with a shot at its first-ever title hanging in the balance.

Hayes, who lives in Florida, managed to make the early start work for himself. But he worried about those who couldn't.

"It’s kind of a shame about how they couldn’t handle the situation better or couldn’t be more prepared," he noted.

For Golden State supporters watching back in California, the tip-off hit at 9:30 a.m.

"Probably have to take a break off work, take the day off or whatever like that," Hayes observed. "But for me, I’m good with it. I’m okay with it."

He cited last season, when Golden State relocated a playoff game to San Jose, as proof that alternatives exist. He also questioned whether the Dream’s regular home, Gateway Center Arena, with its roughly 3,500 seats, could have handled Finals-level demand.

Moving to State Farm Arena solved the capacity issue. The new start time created a different problem.

"We came from four hours away, so we’re not too thrilled. But we’re here," one Dream fan told OutKick. Her child missed school for the event.

Another Atlanta fan managed to slip out of work but acknowledged the rigidity others faced.

"For all of the other Dream fans, it’s not ideal," she said. "We would have rather played at nighttime."

One supporter declined to appear on camera. She had called in sick to avoid her boss spotting her at the game.

A father attending with his wife and two children felt the need to clarify their situation after an interview.

"We’re responsible parents, we swear!" he insisted. He explained that the kids attended school for two hours, finished all their work, and then left.

Questions swirled about why the NBA’s regular-season game snagged the evening slot while the WNBA’s potential title decider got stuck in the workday.

"We should have been prime time," one Dream fan argued.

The father with the family called the arrangement "kind of disrespectful to the Dream." He pointed out that the Hawks were merely beginning their season.

The Hawks agreed to move their game to 8 p.m. for the doubleheader. But fans speaking with OutKick maintained that the Finals deserved priority.

One Valkyries supporter said the women deserved more respect and should have secured the prime-time slot. Still, he welcomed the chance to play in a much larger venue.

"It’s awesome that it’s being played at State Farm Arena rather than a 3,500-seat arena," he said.

The scheduling shakeup landed with a thud. The WNBA announced the move on Monday, just three days before Game 6, and tickets hit the market that very afternoon. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert framed it as a necessary step to accommodate thousands more fans, praising the sellout crowds at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4. She also touted plans for a coordinated promotional push with broadcast partners to build awareness of the new start time.

OutKick pressed the league on why it chose an afternoon slot, what alternatives it weighed, and whether it worried about viewership. The WNBA has not responded to those questions. USA Sports, airing the game on USA Network, admitted the timing is tricky. "The daytime window isn’t perfect from a TV audience perspective, but the league had to make a really difficult decision taking a lot into account across multiple stakeholders," a spokesperson said. "What was important to us was to ultimately be a good partner and to be part of the solution here."

Reaction on the ground is mixed. Not everyone objects to the early start. One Dream fan said she was fine with it and encouraged those who couldn't attend to support the team from wherever they were. A Valkyries fan, who arrived from San Francisco at 6 a.m., brushed off suggestions that she might be tired. "No. We’re ready," she said.

Fans outside State Farm Arena found ways to make Thursday work. Some took time off. Others brought children who would otherwise be in school. Hayes was happy to be there for his daughter, though he did not think the league handled the situation well. Still, the sentiment among supporters remained positive. "So with that being in mind, I think that’s a win regardless.