While the WNBA has successfully avoided a scenario where a potential championship game between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream is played at the 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena by moving it to State Farm Arena once again, the decision to push Game 6 to a 12:30 p.m. ET tip-off from the original 8:00 p.m. ET start has not been met with exhilaration by businesses that rely on women’s basketball to bring customers through their doors.

“To have this be what might be the last game of the Finals feels like such a slap in the face, and shows that they really don’t care about us being able to watch the game,” Chandler Robertson, owner of Blazers in Brooklyn, New York, said via Front Office Sports’ Colin Salao on X.

Over the past few seasons, the WNBA has been drawing sellout crowds, attracting millions of viewers, and commanding unprecedented national attention, with the league’s growth becoming even more evident this season. But a 12:30 p.m. ET tip-off raises doubts about whether the league is even trying to maximize its current momentum.

Level Sporting Club owner Clarissa Flores also expressed disappointment over the midday tip-off, revealing how most fans will be at work or in school when Game 6 starts.

“We spend all year telling people to show up for women’s basketball, then on one of the biggest stages in the world, we make it even harder for them to show up. We’re putting our money, our livelihoods, our future behind women’s sports. … We need the people making the decisions to match that same commitment that we’re giving,” Flores said in an Instagram post. Game 6 tips off at 11:30 a.m. in Chicago.

Meanwhile, it is even worse on the West Coast, where the game tips off at 9:30 a.m. Jen Barnes, owner of Rough & Tumble in Seattle, told FOS she’s not sure whether the Game 6 timing would even be suitable for her. “We normally open at 4 p.m. on weekdays. We’re pulling in different schedules as it is for these games, but my kitchen team is not able to be on-site for a 9:30 a.m. tip-off,” Barnes said.

“I think it’s a huge underservice to the WNBA fan at the minimum, and it’s an unfortunate revenue loss for all the places that play these games,” Barnes added.

Women’s sports bar owners are not the only ones concerned with Game 6’s early tip-off. Even Atlanta Dream head coach Karl Smesko recently voiced concern for the fans who won’t be able to attend the game at State Farm Arena.

“I hope everyone gets to see it somehow and I know for some people it’s not realistic — they have jobs and won’t be able to make it. I’m disappointed for that, but I’m hopeful as many people can see the game as possible.” Smesko said, according to ESPN.

The backlash over the schedule change comes under further scrutiny when viewed against the growing demand for women’s basketball. As we all know, the Valkyries are the queens of the Chase Center, recording more than 51 consecutive sellouts across the regular season and playoffs since their inaugural season. But even the Dream witnessed the excitement firsthand, selling out Games 3 and 4 at State Farm Arena. According to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, 10,000 tickets were sold for Game 6 in the first 90 minutes of sales.

The aftereffects of the timing change from 8:00 p.m. ET to 12:30 p.m. ET are already showing. According to TickPick, the get-in price for Game 6 has tanked from $156 at the time of the announcement to just $23. Safe to say, women’s sports bars won’t be the only ones losing out on profits.

As for the WNBA, commissioner Cathy Engelbert did not address concerns surrounding the unusual timing or clarify whether alternative scheduling options were considered in her statement about Game 6’s venue shifting to State Farm Arena.

“The sellout crowds and extraordinary atmosphere at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 were a tremendous success, and we’re excited to give thousands more fans the opportunity to experience Game 6 with a championship on the line. We thank the NBA, Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, State Farm Arena and USA Network for the collaboration and flexibility that made this move possible. We look forward to delivering another unforgettable Finals experience in Atlanta.” Engelbert said.

ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike also criticized the league’s poor planning on First Take and proceeded to call out the mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens, requesting that he “give get-out-of-school passes, to give get-off-work passes” so that fans can enjoy a potential championship game without stress.

There is no denying the WNBA’s remarkable growth over the past few years. However, the league is currently shooting itself in the foot by tipping off what is probably the biggest game of its season at such an unconventional hour. Game 6 on Thursday will now truly test the WNBA’s daytime viewership.