Atlanta Dream to Host WNBA Finals Games in Smaller Venue Due to Scheduling Conflicts
The team will play in a 3,500-seat arena instead of their planned larger venue.
Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream will play their home games for the WNBA Finals at the 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena, a significant reduction from the 17,000-seat State Farm Arena. This change is due to scheduling conflicts that prevent the Dream from utilizing their larger venue for Games 3, 4, and potentially 6 of the finals series.
State Farm Arena, which serves as the home for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, is unavailable because of a concert scheduled for October 22 and two Atlanta Hawks games on October 24 and October 29. The Dream's management reportedly explored options for a larger venue in the Atlanta area but were unsuccessful.
The Dream had planned to make State Farm Arena their permanent home venue starting next season, a move that was announced the previous week. Morgan Shaw Parker, president and COO of the Dream, had expressed excitement about the expansion, stating it would allow the team to welcome thousands of additional fans and create a larger stage for women's basketball in Atlanta.
This marks the Dream's first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013. The team, featuring stars like Reese, Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard, and Allisha Gray, reached the finals after defeating the New York Liberty in three games. Allisha Gray, the team's leading scorer, is expected to benefit from the time off before the finals due to a left hand injury sustained during the semifinals. The addition of veteran DeWanna Bonner late in the season has also been a significant boost to the team's playoff experience.
The finals will pit the Dream against the Golden State Valkyries. Both teams are recognized for their strong defensive performances. In their three regular-season meetings, Golden State won each matchup, with the last encounter occurring on July 4.