WNBA to expand Finals to 7-game series next season
The WNBA will expand its Finals next year to a best-of-seven format
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA will expand its Finals next year to a best-of-seven format, the league announced Thursday.
The league currently has a best-of-five semifinals and finals in its playoffs with a best-of-three first round.
“This will give our fans a championship series format that they are accustomed to seeing in other sports,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said before Game 1 of the Finals.
Engelbert said the better seeded teams will host the first, second, fifth and seventh games. The league also will be changing the opening round to give the lower seeded team at least one home game. The higher seeded team will host Game 1, and 3 if it's necessary. Currently the first round has the first two games at the better seeded team. All four of the first round series were sweeps this year.