UCLA Coach: WNBA Scheduling Must Match Rising Popularity

UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close publicly questioned the WNBA’s scheduling strategy on Tuesday, arguing that the league’s administrative planning has failed to keep up with its recent growth in attendance and viewership. Close made these remarks during a preseason media session in Los Angeles, just days before her team opens its season on Monday against Lehigh.

The criticism centers on Game 6 of the WNBA Finals, which is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time on Thursday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The Golden State Valkyries hold a 3-2 lead over the Atlanta Dream in the best-of-seven series, giving the franchise a chance to win its first championship in its second year of existence. The morning start time conflicts with an NBA game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers, which is the second leg of a back-to-back set for the Hawks.

The venue choice drew particular scrutiny from Close. While the Dream play their regular-season home games at the Gateway Center, which seats approximately 3,500 fans, they have moved to State Farm Arena for the playoffs. The arena, home to the NBA’s Hawks, has a capacity of roughly 17,000. Close suggested that the scheduling and venue decisions did not account for the current level of fan interest.

“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 noted that the situation exposed a gap in strategic planning, adding, “I think it got exposed that it didn’t match this time.”

Close, who led UCLA to its first national championship last spring, emphasized that she is not privy to the league’s internal meetings. However, she observed that the league appears to be in a favorable position to capitalize on its popularity. “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,” she stated, pointing to the lack of anticipation for the trends currently visible in the sport.

The timing of the Finals has coincided with a surge in interest for the league. According to the Sports Business Journal, the WNBA had its most popular season in a generation. Yahoo! Sports previously reported that the league averaged 771,000 viewers per game, marking its most-watched season since 2000. Close believes the administrative side needs to grow alongside the on-court performance to maintain this momentum.

The series features two former UCLA players who are now in coaching or playing roles within the league. Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase was a walk-on point guard for the Bruins, graduating in 2002. Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada, who is averaging 14.9 points and 7.8 assists per game this season, played for Close from 2014 to 2018.

Close also addressed the league’s officiating standards, a topic of recent debate following Game 5. Dream coach Dean Smesko and star forward Angel Reese expressed frustration over physical contact that went uncalled in their 64-55 loss to the Valkyries on Monday night in San Francisco. Close believes the quality of officiating must improve to match the increased visibility of the league. “The planning and strategic planning of the ownership groups and the administrative side have to grow with it because we are in a really sweet time,” she concluded.

UCLA enters the new season as the 11th-ranked team in the country. The roster has changed significantly from last spring’s championship team, with six players selected in the April WNBA draft. Five of those players were first-round picks, including Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalic, Gabriela Jacquez, Kiki Rice, and Gianna Kneepkens. Charlisse Leger-Walker was selected in the second round by the Connecticut Sun.