There was much discussion about the scheduling issue of Game 6 of the 2026 WNBA Finals between the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries. The game began at 12:30 p.m. ET, but the afternoon tipoff didn’t affect viewership.
According to a press release from USA Sports on Saturday, Thursday’s Game 6 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta averaged 1.5 million viewers across USA Sports’ linear platforms (USA Network, E! and SYFY) and the streaming service, Peacock.
The coverage ranked as the fifth most-watched WNBA Finals game on cable in league history.
Many social media users reacted to the TV ratings, with several commending the afternoon game’s success despite the backlash it earlier received.
“Angel (Reese) effect,” one fan tweeted.
“At noon on a Thursday! Sold-out arena! Consistency!” another said.
“That’s a solid number for a daytime tipoff. Imagine if it were in primetime,” a fan commented.
Other fans didn’t seem impressed with the Game 6 viewership, with a couple of users noting that some regular-season games drew more viewers.
“Regular season games performed better,” one fan tweeted.
“Finals game drawing less than a regular season against the Chicago Sky is crazy work,” another fan posted.
“Is that supposed to sound like a lot? Reruns of The Big Bang Theory do that,” a fan wrote.
USA Sports added in its press release that if the broadcast’s encore presentations on USA Network and CNBC in the original 8 p.m. ET timeslot were factored in, the average viewers reached 1.7 million.
Heading into Thursday, Game 6’s location was undecided, as the Dream’s original home arena, the Gateway Center Arena, seats only 3,500. The Dream and the WNBA had to coordinate with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks to utilize the 17,000-seat State Farm Arena.
Because the Hawks had a game scheduled that day, the WNBA Finals game was held early in the afternoon.
Atlanta and Golden State are set to play in the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history
On Saturday, the Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries will battle in a historic Game 7 at Chase Center in San Francisco. The game marks the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history. The league shifted to a best-of-seven format starting with the 2025 season.
The Dream forced the do-or-die Game 7 with an 80-69 win on Thursday. Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 23 points, while Rhyne Howard added 21 points. Angel Reese finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.
On the other side, Gabby Williams led Golden State with a game-high 26 points, while Tiffany Hayes chipped in 15 points.
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Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos
