WNBA Finals: Fans and Players Frustrated by Early Game 6 Tipoff

WNBA Finals Game 6 Early Tipoff Forces Fans to Scramble for Solutions

When the Golden State Valkyries take the floor at State Farm Arena in Atlanta for Game 6 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday, the game will start at 9:30 a.m. PDT. That unusual morning start time has upended routines across the league’s fan base, forcing supporters, coaches, and players alike to navigate a championship clash scheduled several hours ahead of the Cavaliers-Hawks NBA matchup Thursday night.

Shaunice Christmas-Miller and her wife, Kendall, count themselves among the fortunate ones. Both possess enough professional flexibility to work from home Thursday and catch the action. Yet convenience for a single household does little to soothe broader frustrations over scheduling logistics in a season for women’s basketball.

The Logistical Hurdles of a Morning Championship Contender

The morning tipoff creates an immediate hurdle for supporters who cannot simply skip their morning shifts. Shaunice Christmas-Miller, who works in human resources, pointed out that better advance planning across the seven-game series could have prevented a last-minute scramble.

They should have thought ahead for the whole seven-game series, she said, adding that the women deserve primetime slots.

Several of the WNBA Finals games have drawn record ratings, reflecting interest in the league, this series and its athletes. The Valkyries have sold out every game since they began as an expansion franchise last year.

They would never make the men’s NBA final happen at 9:30 in the morning, Kendall Christmas-Miller, an accounting manager for a medical tech company, noted. I’m glad that they found accommodations, but there’s still more work to be done when it comes to prioritizing women’s sports, especially when they’re performing at this level and getting the viewership.

Reactions from Coaches, Rapper, and the Fan Base

The morning schedule drew sharp commentary from prominent voices across the sports world. Golden State coach Steve Kerr intends to watch the action over breakfast, noting he has a day off that day. Other basketball figures proved less diplomatic.

Ole Miss women’s coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin took to social media to voice her displeasure, posting that she would rather play anywhere else than have a 12:30 tip for a WNBA Finals game, calling it not a good look for fans and for the players.

WNBA Finals: Fans and Players Frustrated by Early Game 6 Tipoff — Photo: sports.yahoo.com

Meanwhile, cultural figures amplified the fan frustration. Rapper Flavor Flav posted Tuesday: Thursday is a paid holiday. Because Flavor Flav said so. His post featured an image displaying an informal note addressed to employers everywhere to serve as a permission slip requesting time off for workers, bearing Flavor Flav’s signature alongside two titles underneath — The World’s Greatest Hype Man and Official Supporter of Women’s Sports.

During Monday night’s matchup, as the Valkyries pushed to the brink of a title by defeating the Dream 64-55, attendees inside the arena made their viewpoints unmistakably known. A sign in the stands read: MOVE THE HAWKS GAME WOMEN = PRIME TIME.

Valkyries Rally Behind Thrive City Watch Parties

For fans unable to travel to Atlanta, the organization is stepping in locally. Golden State is hosting an early-morning watch party at Chase Center’s Thrive City viewing area beneath a screen that is 74 feet wide and 42 feet high.

Women's sports bar, Rikki's, hosts Valkyries fans for WNBA Finals

Valkyries co-owner Peter Guber expressed confidence that the franchise’s devoted home crowd will brave morning commuter traffic to converge on San Francisco. Whatever they do, they come where the action is and this is the action, Guber said.

Golden State coach Natalie Nakase has urged her supporters to lean into their resilient reputation. Point guard Veronica Burton joked that supporters should simply call in sick, while teammate Kiah Stokes chimed in about faking a cough. Guard Kaila Charles emphasized that playing in a bigger arena allows more people to come and support women’s basketball.

As the team prepares for the game on Thursday morning, the collective resolve of the fan base remains. Kendall Christmas-Miller put it plainly for those tuning in over their morning coffee: women’s sports fans are resilient, and they will keep pushing to find a way to show up.