WWE was willing to move Friday Night SmackDown to a 9 PM ET start time to help the WNBA solve a scheduling crisis around Game 6 of the WNBA Finals. According to ESPN, WWE president Nick Khan told Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena CEO Steve Koonin that the company would shift its flagship Friday show an hour later if it meant the Finals game could be played at a proper arena.
WWE SmackDown (Credits: WWE)
Game 6 of the WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream is set for 12:30 PM ET on Thursday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. But in the days leading up to it, the game was without a venue and time, as the Atlanta Hawks play at the arena on Thursday at 8 PM ET.
WWE Offered to Move SmackDown to 9 PM for WNBA Finals Game 6
During frantic negotiations over the weekend, an unlikely ally emerged: WWE. Koonin reached out to Khan and asked if WWE would be willing to move this week’s SmackDown telecast to accommodate Game 6 of the WNBA Finals on Friday night.
SmackDown usually airs at 8 PM ET on Friday nights on USA Network — which is also the broadcast network for the WNBA Finals game. If Game 6 were played from 7 to 9 PM at State Farm Arena, WWE would have to move an hour later. Khan told Koonin they would be fine with the later broadcast window if it was needed to help the WNBA Finals play in a more appropriate arena.
The gesture highlights the unusual overlap between the two properties: both SmackDown and the WNBA Finals game air on USA Network, making WWE’s flexibility genuinely useful to the league’s scheduling puzzle.
Why the WWE SmackDown Plan for WNBA Finals Game 6 Fell Through
Ultimately, the plan fell through. The league did not want a potential Game 7 to be held on Tuesday against Election Night coverage, so the Friday night arrangement was abandoned and Game 6 was set for Thursday afternoon instead.
Even so, the episode is a rare glimpse of cooperation between two major sports entertainment properties, with WWE willing to give up its prime Friday slot to help the WNBA Finals find a fitting stage.
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Source: Fightful — read the full story there.
