WNBA dumps single-elimination games in new-look playoff format
Sarah Valenzuela, New York Daily News
NEW YORK — The WNBA’s playoff format change has officially been approved, the league announced Thursday.
Starting in 2022, there won’t be any more single-elimination playoff games. There won’t be any single or double byes, either. Instead, the new format will consist of three rounds of playoffs in which the first is a best-of-three series and the semifinals and WNBA Finals continue to be best-of-five matchups.
The move comes after an exciting 2021 playoffs that left fans, players and pundits complaining about the lack of opportunity for more action. Everyone simply wanted more as single-elimination rounds in the first two of four rounds didn’t allow for drama to develop.
The Liberty, Storm, Lynx, and even the Wings, could have benefited from a best-of-three matchup. The Libs, who backed into the playoffs, lost their first-round game by one point and had the Mercury on the ropes down to the wire. And the Storm lost to the Mercury by five points in their second-round meeting. Both teams would have still had a shot under the new format.
“We have been evaluating different playoff formats over the past 12 months,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement, “and the new playoff format being announced today will enable fans to engage with all of the league’s best teams and top stars right from the start of the postseason with all eight championship contenders immediately involved in exciting, first-round action.
“Following significant discussions with our Competition Committee and a Playoff subcommittee we formed last year, it was clear that while the prior format’s single-elimination games created a win-and-advance level of excitement to the start of the postseason, the new best-of-three series format will provide added opportunities to create and showcase rivalries with all playoff-eligible teams participating.”
The format the W played under in 2021 was originally adopted in 2016 and did away with the traditional Eastern and Western Conference-based playoffs. The eight teams with the best records regardless of conference made the postseason. The Liberty (12-20) were the No. 8 seed in 2021. The new format will still include the top eight teams.
While the single-elimination games were exciting this season, and the byes gave the top teams something to play for down the stretch, the new format is a positive step for the league.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
WNBA ratings continue to rise, and they were particularly good before the NFL season began. Then the Minnesota Lynx played their only home playoff game opposite a Vikings-Seahawks game at U.S. Bank Stadium, and the deciding game of the Sky-Mercury finals went up against an NFL Sunday.
Stop it. Even baseball, once America's most popular sport, can't compete with the NFL.
The WNBA should seize the summer, when it would be in competition with only baseball, which, during the regular season, is a regional sport. If the WNBA insists on playing in the fall — a mistake — then at least schedule games other times than Sunday afternoon.
As a general sports columnist, I desperately search for topics during the summer and am overloaded with options in the fall. When the Lynx play during the summer, I love covering a meaningful basketball game instead of just another baseball game.
WNBA ratings continue to rise, and they were particularly good before the NFL season began. Then the Minnesota Lynx played their only home playoff game opposite a Vikings-Seahawks game at U.S. Bank Stadium, and the deciding game of the Sky-Mercury finals went up against an NFL Sunday.
Stop it. Even baseball, once America's most popular sport, can't compete with the NFL.
The WNBA should seize the summer, when it would be in competition with only baseball, which, during the regular season, is a regional sport. If the WNBA insists on playing in the fall — a mistake — then at least schedule games other times than Sunday afternoon.
As a general sports columnist, I desperately search for topics during the summer and am overloaded with options in the fall. When the Lynx play during the summer, I love covering a meaningful basketball game instead of just another baseball game.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
Stacy Bengs
Last year the Lynx had to "cut'' Layshia Clarendon or Rachel Banham to stay in compliance with roster and payroll limitations.
On a related note, new Lynx/Timberwolves owner Mark Lore texted Lynx GM and coach Cheryl Reeve to ask why WNBA player salaries were so low.
Lore became a billionaire by investing heavily in ideas he loved. NBA owners who also own WNBA franchises should see the growth and positive trends surrounding the WNBA and pay the players, expand the rosters, expand the league and, later, reap the rewards, just like the investment-first owners in every major men's sport has done over the last century.
Stacy Bengs
Last year the Lynx had to "cut'' Layshia Clarendon or Rachel Banham to stay in compliance with roster and payroll limitations.
On a related note, new Lynx/Timberwolves owner Mark Lore texted Lynx GM and coach Cheryl Reeve to ask why WNBA player salaries were so low.
Lore became a billionaire by investing heavily in ideas he loved. NBA owners who also own WNBA franchises should see the growth and positive trends surrounding the WNBA and pay the players, expand the rosters, expand the league and, later, reap the rewards, just like the investment-first owners in every major men's sport has done over the last century.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
Paul Beaty
The Chicago Sky brought to their victory party the door that Mercury star Diana Taurasi broke during the finals. Brilliant.
The WNBA already has brilliant players, brilliant basketball and brilliant competition to sell. What has made the NFL an overwhelming success is the way people react to it. They bet, play fantasy football, overreact, follow social media for interpersonal dramas and memes and insults.
Play it up. Have some fun. Engage fan emotions.
Paul Beaty
The Chicago Sky brought to their victory party the door that Mercury star Diana Taurasi broke during the finals. Brilliant.
The WNBA already has brilliant players, brilliant basketball and brilliant competition to sell. What has made the NFL an overwhelming success is the way people react to it. They bet, play fantasy football, overreact, follow social media for interpersonal dramas and memes and insults.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
Paul Beaty
Yes, so much of this comes down to money. The WNBA needs to pay its players enough that they don't need or want to play overseas. Napheesa Collier didn't make it back for the beginning of the 2021 season and Kayla McBride missed training camp. If the Lynx had gotten off to a faster start, they may have earned a second bye, and Clarendon, a key to their success, might have been healthier.
Paul Beaty
Yes, so much of this comes down to money. The WNBA needs to pay its players enough that they don't need or want to play overseas. Napheesa Collier didn't make it back for the beginning of the 2021 season and Kayla McBride missed training camp. If the Lynx had gotten off to a faster start, they may have earned a second bye, and Clarendon, a key to their success, might have been healthier.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
Kathy Willens
All WNBA games should be available on readily-accessible broadcast channels. Facebook doesn't deserve this league, and watching games on Twitter is annoying, and forcing fans to buy an extra subscription is a bad idea.
You can gouge people after you've captured a satisfactory market share. Not now.
Kathy Willens
All WNBA games should be available on readily-accessible broadcast channels. Facebook doesn't deserve this league, and watching games on Twitter is annoying, and forcing fans to buy an extra subscription is a bad idea.
You can gouge people after you've captured a satisfactory market share. Not now.
Report: Kings coach Luke Walton on the hot seat; could be fired if losing streak continues
Star Tribune
The WNBA punches well above its weight when it comes to social issues and social justice. It is America's most admirable league.
Keep it up. The people alienated by your stances were never going to attend a WNBA game, anyway. There are millions of good people out there who will gravitate toward women's basketball as the league grows in popularity and scope.
And as Maya Moore has demonstrated, there are things in life more important than basketball. Keep using basketball as a means to make the world a better place. It will pay off.
It already has.
Star Tribune
The WNBA punches well above its weight when it comes to social issues and social justice. It is America's most admirable league.
Keep it up. The people alienated by your stances were never going to attend a WNBA game, anyway. There are millions of good people out there who will gravitate toward women's basketball as the league grows in popularity and scope.
And as Maya Moore has demonstrated, there are things in life more important than basketball. Keep using basketball as a means to make the world a better place. It will pay off.
WNBA dumps single-elimination games in new-look playoff format
Julio Aguilar/Getty Images North America/TNS
A general view of the WNBA logo is seen on the court before Game One of the Third Round playoff between the Las Vegas Aces and the Connecticut Sun at Feld Entertainment Center on September 20, 2020 in Palmetto, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images/TNS)
Julio Aguilar/Getty Images North America/TNS
A general view of the WNBA logo is seen on the court before Game One of the Third Round playoff between the Las Vegas Aces and the Connecticut Sun at Feld Entertainment Center on September 20, 2020 in Palmetto, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images/TNS)
