It’s typically straightforward to overlook simply how comparatively younger the WNBA is. The playoffs are formally underway to place the ultimate touches on their twenty eighth season which, when mentioned aloud, doesn’t sound significantly new.
Nevertheless, examine that to different leagues throughout America and also you shortly get a greater sense. The NFL’s twenty eighth season was in 1947. Baseball’s historical past is a bit more troublesome, however the NL and AL have been enjoying collectively since 1903, that means their twenty eighth season pre-dated World Warfare II.
The NBA, maybe probably the most direct comparability to make, had it’s twenty eighth season in 1973-74, a yr when blocks and steals turned official stats and video games had been nonetheless on tape delay. All that’s necessary context to bear in mind when trying on the WNBA, which remains to be rising and figuring issues out alongside the way in which.
The aforementioned begin of the postseason will seemingly convey with it a realization to the WNBA’s quickly rising viewers: the playoff format wants revamping.
At present, the primary spherical collection are all best-of-3. On account of flights not beforehand being chartered, the primary two video games of the collection happen on the area of the upper seed. If a Sport 3 is critical, they then journey to the sector of the decrease seed for a do-or-die recreation.
The WNBA has been attempting imperfect options for years. The present format started within the 2022 season. From 2016 by way of 2021, a way more convoluted system noticed groups receiving byes as late as into the semi-finals together with one-off video games within the early levels of the playoffs.
The crux of the problem, although, was that, with out chartered flights, journey wasn’t straightforward. And if the league was dedicated to a best-of-3 format in spherical one, then no less than one franchise can be at a drawback.
This most up-to-date change noticed the WNBA reward the upper seed with the prospect at a fast sweep, giving the underdogs an enormous drawback. To that time, because the change in 2022, the upper seed is 8-0. On Sunday, all 4 higher-seeded groups received their respective Sport 1 contests.
At the beginning of the 2024 season, although, the league lastly agreed to constitution flights for each workforce to each recreation. The choice got here so late that altering the postseason format was most likely a non-starter, no less than for the 2024 playoffs.
However one change ought to spur one other on this occasion. With constitution flights now frequent, the playoff formatting must be modified.
Earlier than enjoying the Connecticut Solar on the street on Sunday, Indiana Fever head coach Christie Sides spoke concerning the subject.
“I believe we’re evolving and altering,” Sides mentioned. “I believe there’s going to be some adjustments. The final time I used to be on this place, it was the one-game elimination. You can beat anyone on this league on a given evening. It’s bought numerous luck to do with it. However, yeah, I agree. Now, we have now constitution flights. We will get backwards and forwards. I’m positive it’s one thing they’re going to speak about.”
The Fever have, clearly, been one of many tales of the season. Behind Caitlin Clark, they returned to the playoffs for the primary time since 2016. Extra apropos, they broke all kinds of attendance data, averaging 17,035 followers per recreation whereas turning into the primary franchise to interrupt 300,000 complete fan attendance in a season.
And but, as issues stand, it’s unlikely these followers will see a playoff recreation.
The extra frequent sense take is that the league wants to vary it’s playoff format once more. The best change can be to go to a 1-1-1 format with the upper seed enjoying Sport 1 and Sport 3, if vital, at dwelling. It could enable the decrease seed an opportunity to play in entrance of it’s dwelling followers in an elimination recreation, creating unimaginable atmospheres throughout the league.
A number of the finest playoff moments include dwelling followers exploding with pleasure at an enormous play or a buzzer beater or game-winner. Proper now, that hasn’t existed for half the groups within the WNBA for 2 years and counting.
The WNBA is rising and evolving and that’s nice for its future. However one of many subsequent adjustments this offseason ought to embrace a more in-depth take a look at its postseason format.
