As great as this WNBA playoff series between the Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever has been, it’s only about a dozen points away from being over in the span of three days with limited fanfare. Some fans believe that a format change is needed.
Kylen Mills of NBC Sports is one of many advocating for the WNBA to expand its playoff format and increase the number of first round games from three to five for next year. As it stands, the three-game series has already seen the Minnesota Lynx – the number one team in the WNBA – bow out due to losses at the hands of the 8-seeded New York Liberty.
“The WNBA really needs to switch to 5-game series for the first round. We’re being robbed of great basketball,” Mills declared on X. “5-5-7 for the playoffs next year!”
5-5-7 is the way to go
WNBA fans largely agree that a 5-game format for the quarterfinals and semifinals is the way to go, with the series expanding to seven games for the WNBA Finals:
“3 game series almost feels like sudden death it goes by so quickly,” one fan pointed out.
“Has to be done. Opening round best of 5 then best 7 for rest,” another suggested.
“Agreed. 3 games is not enough,” wrote a third.
“It’s gonna happen within the next few years. As much as I love three games because of the intensity, playing a whole season to have such a short series is not great. With the viewership coming in though they for sure gonna extend it to five.”
Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images.
Increasing the length of the playoffs would require agreement from all sides though.
The WNBA already has a new collective bargaining agreement in place with the players union, so there would probably need to be agreement from players to add a potential two extra games to their plate to make it a reality.
By contrast, the WNBA would also need to weigh if the money is there to account for the expense of extra games and the logistics of extending the season.
But if the stars align, perhaps expansion will come in the years to come.
