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"Caitlin Clark saved the league" - WNBA fans thrilled over Cathy Engelbert implementing 7-game series for Finals matchup
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert held a press conference on Thursday ahead of Game 1 of the 2024 Finals between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx. Engelbert gave an update regarding the playoff format moving forward, which excited fans for the future seasons.
According to the commissioner, the new playoff format will feature more games in the postseason. Starting in the 2025 playoffs, teams will play a best-of-seven series in the finals. Meanwhile, both the first and second rounds maintain the three-game and five-game series, respectively.
Currently, the WNBA Finals feature a five-game series, similar to the second round. The number of regular season games will also increase for the league. All teams are currently limited to 40 games. That will change starting next season as each team will play 44 games. Engelbert shared this update before the 2024 All-Star Game in July.
Fans couldn't hide their excitement for the league. They shared their thoughts on the news on X (formerly Twitter), with several bringing up rookie phenom Caitlin Clark.
"Clark saved the league," one fan said referring to the Caitlin Clark Effect.
"They better get CC in the finals next year for this to be a profitable move," another fan said.
"Now we need caitlin in the finals for it to be interesting," a fan said.
Other fans expressed their excitement for the league.
"The league is growing and expanding right before our eyes! 🔥" one fan said.
"Good, this is well overdue," another fan waited for the league to have more games.
"Next year we could have the first Game 7 in WNBA History and I’m all for it🔥," a fan said.
WNBA's playoff rating increased from last season
The WNBA has seen a marked improvement in exposure this season, as more fans have watched the games. One of the biggest reasons for this is rookie Caitlin Clark, whose fame has helped the league attract more viewers.
Clark's impact was felt throughout the season and even reached the postseason. The 2024 Rookie of the Year only played two games in the playoffs but it still left an impact on the league's viewership. According to ESPN, the league had a 142% increase in ratings this year compared to the previous year.
The league also averaged 970,000 viewers across 17 playoff games. Exposure continued until the semifinal round as the league had a 99% increase compared to last year.
Fans are starting to pay more attention to the WNBA following the arrival of Clark, which could help the league in the long run.
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