WNBA Finals Games Moved to Smaller Venue Due to Scheduling Conflicts
Craig Carton criticizes the WNBA's venue choice for the Atlanta Dream's Finals games, citing scheduling conflicts with concerts and other events.
The WNBA Finals games hosted by the Atlanta Dream will be played at the Gateway Center Arena, a venue with a maximum capacity of 3,500 people, due to scheduling conflicts with State Farm Arena. Host Craig Carton of "The Craig Carton Show" linked this decision to the WNBA's perceived focus on league agenda over its star players.
State Farm Arena, the primary venue for the Atlanta Dream, booked other events, including concerts and Atlanta Hawks games, that took precedence over potential WNBA Finals dates. Carton pointed out that the arena management chose to prioritize events that could draw larger crowds.
"The WNBA Finals, when it goes to Atlanta for the two or three games that'll be played in Atlanta, will not be playing in the State Farm Arena," Carton stated. "And not just because they can't sell it out, which they proved last week they can, but because the folks that own and run the arena had to make a decision: Do we save the date months and months and month ago for the possibility that the Dream are going to be playing there, or do we actually use those open dates and sell for events that bring in more people? They chose the latter."
One of the events booked at State Farm Arena instead of the WNBA Finals was a concert by the artist SOMBR. Carton noted that the artist averages around 10,000 to 12,000 attendees per concert, implying that even with these events, the arena might not be filled.
Carton expressed disbelief that the WNBA, which he noted is owned by the NBA, could not resolve these scheduling conflicts, suggesting a lack of attention from league officials. He highlighted that there are other arenas within a 30-mile radius of State Farm Arena capable of hosting 10,000 to 12,000 people.
"Not only are they not playing in the State Farm Arena, they are playing in Gateway Center Arena," Carton explained. "The Gateway Center Arena is a glorified high school gymnasium. Max capacity for a basketball game is 3,500 people."
Carton argued that the league's prioritization of "narrative" over its players has led to lower viewership numbers, citing the series between the Atlanta Dream and the New York Liberty, which he claimed drew only about half a million viewers because the most popular players were not participating.
The first game of the WNBA Finals is scheduled for Saturday, October 17.