After several days of uncertainty, the WNBA, NBA and State Farm Arena have come to an agreement that allows both the Atlanta Dream and the Atlanta Hawks to contest home games on Thurs. Oct. 29.
According to ESPN, game six of the WNBA Finals will be played at 12:30 p.m. in State Farm Arena and the Hawks’ game will be played at 8:00 p.m., an hour later than originally planned. Without these scheduling compromises, the Dream would have been forced to host the championship game in their home arena, Gateway Center, which only seats 3,500 fans.
"I hope everyone gets to see it somehow and I know for some people it's not realistic -- they have jobs and won't be able to make it," Dream coach Karl Smesko said. "I'm disappointed for that, but I'm hopeful as many people can see the game as possible."
According to CBS Sports, while some consider it a victory for the high-stakes game to be played in the larger venue, others are critical of the tight time window. If the Valkyries win the game, they’ll be crowned the WNBA 2026 season champions, but that celebration will be cut short in order to flip the venue for the Hawks game that night.
"The sellout crowds and extraordinary atmosphere at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 were a tremendous success, and we're excited to give thousands more fans the opportunity to experience Game 6 with a championship on the line," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. "We thank the NBA, Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, State Farm Arena and USA Network for the collaboration and flexibility that made this move possible. We look forward to delivering another unforgettable Finals experience in Atlanta."
The Dream have played five regular season games in State Farm Arena this year due to the increasing popularity of the WNBA. Gateway Center, the team’s home arena, is the smallest in the league. Next season, State Farm Arena will be the Dream’s permanent facility.
Earlier WNBA Finals games were also rescheduled to accommodate concerts at State Farm Arena and previous Hawks’ games. Despite the chaotic schedules, both previous games in Atlanta were sold out.
