Dream say concerns over finding available Finals venue went unheeded

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  Kendra AndrewsOct 27, 2026, 07:54 PM ET

ATLANTA -- In an open letter addressed to the city, the Dream said concerns they had over the availability of a properly sized venue for WNBA Finals games in Atlanta went unheeded and that the solution of moving Game 6 up to 12:30 p.m. ET was "not what we fought for."

Game 6 of the Finals between the Dream and Golden State Valkyries will be played Thursday at 12:30 p.m. E.T. as opposed to the original schedule of 8:00 p.m. ET. The shift in timing was a result of the game being moved to State Farm Arena, the home of the Atlanta Hawks.

The Dream have played all of their home playoff games at State Farm Arena this postseason, which seats roughly 17,000 fans. The Dream's home court, Gateway Center, fits just 3,500.

To accommodate Game 6, the Hawks' home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers that night will move back one hour to 8 p.m., just as they did for Game 4 to be played at State Farm Arena. All three Finals games in Atlanta have required hurried adjustments to the schedule.

"As much as we have great affection and nostalgia for Gateway Center Arena, we believed that our fans and the city wanted the opportunity to be a part of this historic series, and to see it played on a world-class stage," the letter said. "That meant State Farm Arena."

According to the letter, the Dream brought up concerns the franchise had with playoff scheduling and dates that overlapped with NBA games at the arena. The letter said the organization reiterated the concerns as the playoffs went on but, "Our concerns did not receive the attention, nor the urgency that they deserved."

Negotiations between the WNBA, Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, NBA and broadcast partners took place over the weekend to figure out the best course of action for all parties involved.

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelbourne, the NBA and WNBA explored options to keep Game 6 in primetime. However, both the Hawks and Cavaliers play Wednesday night, so they could not play their game in the earlier time slot Thursday.

"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 ahead of Game 5 in San Francisco. "I'm disappointed for that, but I'm hopeful as many people as possible can see the game."

"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 in a statement Monday. "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."

Valkyries players Kiah Stokes and Veronica Burton encouraged fans in the Bay Area to call in sick to watch the game, while their coach Natalie Nakase expressed confidence that Golden State fans would tune in from wherever they had to despite the 9:30 a.m. tipoff in California.

Dream players such as Allisha Gray, Jordin Canada and Angel Reese, all brushed aside the game time as a non-factor.

"It's the Finals. We just got to do what we've got to do," Gray said. "We are locked in on winning Game 6 whether it's 8 a.m., 10 p.m., midnight. We got a championship to win."