WNBA Finals predictions and live updates: Minnesota Lynx vs New York Liberty predictions, odds, how to watch and schedule
Fans are about to get more of the WNBA Finals.
The league’s Board of Governors approved a best-of-seven format for the finals starting in 2025, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced Thursday. The finals will have a 2-2-1-1-1 structure in which the higher seed will host Games 1, 2, 5 and 7, and its opponent will host Games 3, 4 and 6.
The board also approved a 1-1-1 setup for the best-of-three first round of the playoffs, with the higher seed hosting Games 1 and 3 and its opponent hosting Game 2. It’s a change from the current format, which has the higher seed hosting Games 1 and 2 and its opponent hosting Game 3.
The bracket-style postseason will continue to have three rounds of series play and maintain the best-of-five format in the semifinals.
“We are seeing an incredible demand for WNBA basketball, as reflected in the number of cities pursuing expansion franchises,” Engelbert said in a statement. “Fans attending games and engaging with our social and digital platforms in record fashion, and game broadcasts and streams being consumed like never before.
“These changes will create more opportunities to watch the best players in the world compete at the highest level and give our fans a championship series format that they are accustomed to seeing in other sports.”
Additionally, the regular-season schedule will increase from 40 games to 44 in 2025. Next season will also see the league expand to 13 teams with the inaugural season of the Golden State Valkyries.
Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals between the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty tips off Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
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