"With a new charter travel program and some owners suddenly interested in playoff revenue, the WNBA announced last fall that the best-of-three first round of the playoffs would now follow a 1-1-1 sequence, which guarantees every postseason team at least one home game. For all the travel complications this introduced, there was little mourning for the old playoff format, a 2-1 first round that guaranteed the better team more home games."
"There are all kinds of considerations to weigh when tweaking a playoff structure, which the WNBA has done a few times now in the last five years, but this time it feels like they landed on an important one: This is supposed to be an entertainment product. And if you put the entertainment product in front of more people, they might even make it more entertaining."
The WNBA changed its first-round playoffs to a 1-1-1 best-of-three sequence, guaranteeing every postseason team at least one home game and increasing travel demands. A new charter travel program and rising owner interest in playoff revenue prompted the adjustment. The previous 2-1 format favored higher seeds with more home games and rarely produced lower-seed victories or series upsets. The new structure prioritizes entertainment value and broader fan access, which can amplify in-game energy and influence outcomes. The Indiana Fever leveraged a loud home crowd while trailing Atlanta, illustrating how increased attendance can alter momentum and competitive balance.
Read at Defector
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]