WWE was ready to push back Friday’s SmackDown by an hour to help the WNBA fix a scheduling problem with the Finals. In the end it wasn’t needed.
Per ESPN, the WNBA was struggling to find a workable time for Game 6 between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream at State Farm Arena. The Atlanta Hawks were already booked to play the Cleveland Cavaliers there on Thursday, October 29, which left the Dream without a good slot.
During weekend negotiations, Hawks and State Farm Arena CEO Steve Koonin contacted WWE President Nick Khan and asked whether SmackDown on Friday, October 30 could move from its usual 8 PM ET start to 9 PM ET.
During the frantic negotiations over the weekend, an unlikely ally emerged — the WWE. At one point, sources told ESPN that Steve Koonin, the Hawks and State Farm Arena CEO, reached out to WWE president Nick Khan and asked if he’d be willing to move the telecast of this week’s Smackdown to accommodate Game 6 of the WNBA Finals on Friday night.
Both SmackDown and the Finals air on USA Network, so the shift would have opened up a 7 to 9 PM window for Game 6. Khan told him WWE would be fine with the later start if it helped the Finals be played in a more suitable arena.
The plan was dropped because a Friday Game 6 would also have pushed a possible Game 7 to Tuesday, November 3, which collides with Election Night coverage.
Smackdown usually airs at 8 p.m. ET on Friday nights on USA Network, which is the broadcast network for this game. If Game 6 were to be played from 7-9 p.m. at State Farm Arena, the WWE would have to move an hour later. Khan told him they’d be fine with the later broadcast window if it was needed to help the WNBA Finals play in a more appropriate arena.
The WNBA found a different fix. Game 6 will be played Thursday, October 29 at 12:30 PM ET, and the Hawks agreed to move their game against Cleveland to 8 PM ET that night. That lets both games use the same arena, and SmackDown stays on its normal 8 PM ET Friday schedule.
