The final game of the WNBA Finals series between the Connecticut Sun and the Seattle Storm was not shown on ESPN2 as scheduled on Tuesday night. In its place, the network broadcast three hours of graphic executions of puppies.

ESPN made the move after the first two games of the Finals pulled ratings below 1.0, continuing the terrible ratings WNBA broadcasts have received in the league’s eight years.

“We always receive hundreds of complaints when we air WNBA games,” said George Bondenheimer, president of ESPN, “and many say things like, ‘I’d rather watch baby seals get beaten over the head’ or ‘I’d rather watch cute little puppies be killed than watch women’s basketball.’ So we decided to cede to our viewers’ demands and go ahead and air puppy executions instead of the WNBA.”

ESPN purchased footage the SPCA had gathered of brutal torturing and killings of puppies in animal abuse cases and aired three hours worth of the most heinous acts during the 9 p.m. to midnight eastern slot it had originally scheduled for the Sun-Storm game. Overnight returns show the broadcast received more than double the ratings than the most-watch WNBA game in history.

The puppy executions were perhaps the most graphic and violent programming ever aired on basic cable, with blood and entrails on full display, and painful yelps and cries accompanying each blow administered to the fluffy, young, pups. ESPN gave a certain sports element to the broadcast, having a running tally of the number of puppies killed – overall and by breed – on a counter at the bottom of the screen as a sort of scoreboard.

“To be honest, I’m not a big fan of the WNBA and, in fact, I’m an animal rights activist,” said Bodenheimer, “but I found the puppy executions to be much more watchable than women’s basketball. I’d watch that any day in place of the WNBA. I can’t speak for everyone, but the ratings seem to bear that out.”