Mess in the WNBA Finals: the sixth game, without a defined time or venue

After the Valkyries’ victory against Atlanta Dream last Saturday for tie the WNBA finals (2-2), It was confirmed that there will have to be game six in Atlanta; However, the problem is that, according to the chain ESPNthree days before the momentous duel to decide the best league in the world, It is not known where or when it will be played for coinciding with an NBA game.

This Monday, the fifth match takes place in San Franciscobut there could be a champion in the sixth, and negotiations between all parties involved are still ongoing.

Million dollar economic impact

The focus of the conflict, which “could have an economic impact of millions of dollars in both competitions,” is that the Dream have moved the five playoff games to the State Farm Arenawith capacity for 17,000 spectators (and owned by the NBA Hawks) in front of its usual pavilion during the season, the Gateway Center Arenawith a capacity of 3,500 people.

The high demand and interest in seeing the team led them to move to the Hawks’ usual home, in addition to confirming that they will also play there starting next season.

However, at this moment as the competition finals have been extended in the calendarthe situation has led to the sixth and perhaps final match for the ring, which should be played this Thursday the 29th at 8:00 p.m. local time coincides with the NBA game between Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliersscheduled for 7:00 p.m.

As reported by ESPN, a WNBA spokesperson stated that all options are being studied in search of a solution that seems complicated.

“All solutions present problems,” a source close to the situation told the aforementioned media.

“The fact that we are making these decisions to be able to play a WNBA game in a larger arena is the best news of all. We simply have to plan it better and further in advance. It is much more difficult now to change games than it would have been a week ago,” ESPN indicated.

On the table there are various alternatives. One is that the sixth game will be held on Thursday (as planned) at the Gateway Center Arena, with a smaller capacity. It has even been proposed that it be played in San Francisco (home of the Valkyries).

Work is also being done with the NBA teams (Hawks and Cavaliers) to move the date of said duel or even have it played in cleveland. And it cannot coincide with those of the Golden State Warriors, who play in the same pavilion as the Valkyries.

“Some of the parties involved believe that the NBA should assume the responsibility of changing its regular season game to give priority to the WNBA Finals, others have opposed, arguing that the knock-on consequences of modifying that game would be too complicated,” explain journalists Alexa Phillippou and Ramona Shelburne.

Another alternative is that the WNBA finals to be played on Friday and, if necessary, move the seventh meeting, scheduled for Saturday, October 31 at the Balhalla in the Californian city, to Tuesday, November 3. Here the conflict would be that it would coincide with on election day in the United States and the competition has a policy of preventing such events from coinciding.

In any case, a definitive solution is expected in the next few hours.