12:30 p.m. tip-off: WNBA Finals Game 6 set to avoid NBA conflict

The Atlanta Dream faced the Golden State Valkyries at 12:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, a midday start that has drawn sharp criticism from the basketball community.

The unusual time slot was necessary because the Dream’s regular home, the 5,000-seat Gateway Center Arena, was deemed too small for the finals crowd. On Oct. 13, the WNBA announced that Games 3 and 4 would move to State Farm Arena, which seats nearly 17,000 fans and serves as the home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.

When the best-of-seven series reached Game 6, a scheduling conflict emerged. The Hawks are scheduled to host the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. EST on Thursday. Rather than adjust the NBA game, the league set the WNBA Finals match for 12:30 p.m. EST.

Former WNBA player and ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike called the decision an "epic fail" on ESPN this week. She stated, "The players, the fans deserve this being in primetime. The fact that this was dealt with so last-minute is an epic fail."

A viral TikTok post from a WNBA fan described the 12:30 EST start as "quite literally insane." The Dream owners also issued an open letter to Atlanta this week, blaming the WNBA for the issue. The letter stated, "Our concerns did not receive the attention, the urgency that they deserved."

Despite the backlash, Thursday’s game was sold out. The series has also set a television record, with Game 4 becoming the most-watched WNBA Finals game of all time, drawing nearly 2 million viewers. The Dream defeated the Valkyries 80-69 to force a decisive Game 7.

The WNBA has not yet responded publicly to the criticism. The Atlanta Dream will look to close out the series in the next game of the 2026 WNBA Finals.