Commissioner Cathy Engelbert cited “the league’s growth and increased demand” in the decision to expand the WNBA finals and regular game schedule
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A WNBA logo is shown on a basketball court
The WNBA announced exciting changes to its format for next season.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert revealed during a press conference on Thursday, Oct. 10 that the league will expand its Finals format from a best-of-five series to best-of-seven while addressing reporters just before the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx tipped off for Game 1 of this season’s championship series.
Engelbert said adding games to future series in the Finals will “give our fans a championship series format that they are accustomed to seeing in other sports.” For example, the NBA plays a best-of-seven series in each round of playoffs.
The WNBA currently has a best-of-three series in the first round and best-of-five through to the championship round.
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Caitlin Clark (left) and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on April 15, 2024 in New York City
Engelbert also announced that the league will expand its regular season from 40 games to 44 for each of the 12 teams — which will become 13 when the Golden State Valkyries play their inaugural season in 2025.
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The first round of WNBA playoffs will be altered next season as well, giving the lower-seeded team at least one home game in the opening round instead of the current format which gives the higher-seeded team home-court advantage in the first two games of the best-of-three series.
This season, all four of the higher seeds swept their lower-seeded opponents in the series.
Engelbert said that change will be easier to make now that the league is utilizing charter flights for travel — a long-awaited change that was finally put into practice this season.
“The league’s growth and increased demand for WNBA basketball made this the ideal time to expand the schedule, lengthen the Finals and provide fans more opportunities to see the best players in the world compete at the highest level,” the commissioner said during Thursday’s announcement.
The Lynx defeated the Liberty in a thrilling first game of this season’s Finals at Barclay Center in Brooklyn on Thursday. They’ll play again on Sunday before the series moves to Minnesota for Game 3.
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