UCLA coach criticizes WNBA scheduling
Cori Close argues league administration must align its planning with the sudden growth in fan attendance and viewership.
By Mateo Thompson ·
UCLA women's basketball coach Cori Close criticized the scheduling of the WNBA Finals, arguing that the league's administrative planning has not kept pace with its rapid growth.
The Golden State Valkyries lead the Atlanta Dream 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. This early start time coincides with an NBA game between the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers later that same evening.
The Dream typically play home games at the Gateway Center, which seats roughly 3,500 fans. For the postseason, they moved to the larger State Farm Arena, a venue that holds approximately 17,000 people. Close stated that the conflict with the NBA game exposed a lack of strategic foresight in the WNBA's calendar.
"I think it got exposed that it didn't match this time," Close said. "I'm not in those rooms. I don't know whether or not they believed their team would actually get there or if we were afraid they wouldn't sell out. I don't know what led to that, but obviously there wasn't strategic planning in advance and anticipating the trends we are seeing in our great game."
The WNBA recently recorded its most watched season since 2000. According to the Sports Business Journal, the league averaged 771,000 viewers per game. Close noted that this increase in engagement requires corresponding improvements in ownership groups, marketing, and public relations teams.
She also addressed the need for better officiating, referencing a 64-55 loss by the Dream in Game 5. Atlanta coach Dean Smesko and forward Angel Reese voiced frustration over physical contact that went unpenalized. Close believes the current level of play demands a higher standard from referees.
UCLA opens its season on Monday against Lehigh as the 11th-ranked team. Six players from last spring's national championship squad were selected in the WNBA draft in April. Five of those players, including Lauren Betts and Angela Dugalic, went in the first round.
