WNBA Finals Scheduling: UCLA Coach Cori Close Calls for Better Planning
A Golden State Valkyries game against the Atlanta Dream clashed with an NBA contest, prompting criticism of the league's advance preparations.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
UCLA women's basketball coach Cori Close called for improved strategic planning from WNBA ownership groups on Tuesday, citing a scheduling conflict in the current championship series. The comments came during the Bruins' preseason media day, one day before the team's season opener against Lehigh.
The conflict involves Game 6 of the WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream. The game is set for 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time on Thursday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. That venue is home to the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, who play the Cleveland Cavaliers that same evening.
The Dream typically host regular-season games at Gateway Center, which holds approximately 3,500 spectators. For the postseason, the team moved to State Farm Arena, a facility with a capacity of roughly 17,000. Close noted that the morning slot is not a prime media window for a competitive series involving two former players from her UCLA roster.
"I hope that as the incredible work of the WNBA attendance, corporate sponsorship and viewership continues to soar, that the ownership groups and the planning in advance will match that soar," Close said. She emphasized that the league is in a period of high growth that requires administrative coordination to keep pace.
The scheduling issue follows a season described by the Sports Business Journal as the most popular in a generation. Viewership averaged 771,000 per game, marking the highest level since 2000. Close acknowledged that teams are often funded by investors seeking returns, but she argued that marketing and public relations departments must grow at the same rate as the on-court performance.
Close also addressed officiating standards, specifically referencing Game 5, which ended in a 64-55 loss for the Dream. Dream coach Dean Smesko and forward Angel Reese expressed frustration with physical contact that was not called in San Francisco. Close stated that officiating must rise to meet the increased level of movement and engagement in the sport.
UCLA enters its season as the 11th-ranked team in the country. The roster has undergone changes since its national championship win last spring, with six players from that team entering the WNBA draft in April. Five of those players were selected in the first round by teams including the Washington Mystics, Chicago Sky, Toronto Tempo, and Connecticut Sun.
