WNBA Finals Game 6 Secured for State Farm Arena After
Frantic discussions
Atlanta's State Farm Arena will host Game 6 of the WNBA Finals between the Dream and the Valkyries on Thursday, Oct. 29, with a tip-off time of 12:30 p.m. ET, the WNBA announced. The decision followed what ESPN described as "frantic discussions" to secure the venue.
The NBA's Atlanta Hawks will also play at State Farm Arena on Thursday night, hosting the Cavaliers. To accommodate the WNBA Finals game, the Hawks pushed back their tip-off time by an hour to 8 p.m.
This arrangement prevents the Dream from having to play a potential championship-deciding game in their smaller, 3,500-seat home arena, the Gateway Center Arena. It also allows the league to potentially schedule a Game 7 for Saturday.
Sources had indicated to ESPN on Sunday that the Dream were in negotiations with the league to shift the game to the larger State Farm Arena, prioritizing fan experience and the Finals atmosphere. The WNBA had previously made adjustments for the Dream for Games 3 and 4. For Game 3, the league moved the contest up by a day, and for Game 4, the Hawks agreed to a doubleheader by delaying their own home opener start time by 30 minutes.
Previously, the Dream had explored other venues such as Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion and Gas South Arena in Duluth.
"We are waiting to hear from the league if any changes can be made to allow us to play in State Farm Arena. If not, the game will be played in Gateway Center Arena," a Dream spokesperson told ESPN on Sunday.
Another proposed solution involved moving Game 6 to Friday, Oct. 30, and potentially holding a Game 7 on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
The decision to host Game 6 at State Farm Arena is expected to benefit the league financially, as the Dream sold out the 17,000-capacity arena for Games 3 and 4. Tickets for Game 6 are scheduled to go on sale Monday at 4 p.m. ET.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert expressed enthusiasm for the resolution: "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. 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 WNBA Finals series is currently tied at two games apiece heading into Game 5 on Monday night in the Bay Area. The winner of the series will be crowned champion for the first time.