The WNBA moved Finals Game 6 to Atlanta's State Farm Arena and shifted tipoff to 12:30 p.m. ET Thursday.
8 p.m. ET was the original start; the Hawks host Cleveland that night.
17,000-plus seats at State Farm, versus about 3,500 at Gateway Center Arena.
8 p.m. ET is the new Hawks-Cavaliers start, pushed back one hour.
9:30 a.m. is the local tipoff time for Valkyries fans in California.
Why it matters: A champion could be crowned Thursday, and the league chose crowd size over a primetime broadcast window. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the change gives thousands more fans a chance to see a game with the title at stake.
The AP's Doug Feinberg wrote the early start will likely lower ratings and hurt sales.
It is the third time the league adjusted the schedule for State Farm.
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Coverage by lean% of 16 sources
16 sources · 21 articles · 56% Center coverage
Where they split: Outlets differ on whether the deal was the best available compromise or a poor result the league could have avoided with earlier planning.
Center coverage, 9 sources: The center frames the move as a hard-won compromise that prioritizes fans in the arena, with questions about why planning came so late.
