The Atlanta Dream's return to the WNBA Finals has reinvigorated its fanbase, but it has also created conflicts regarding where the team will play its home games during the series.
Typically, the Dream play their games at an arena with a relatively smaller capacity, but the playoff run has required Atlanta to move its games to a bigger arena, where the Atlanta Hawks usually play. With the beginning of the NBA season and the WNBA Finals overlapping for about 10 days, there were multiple conflicts on the same nights as the scheduled Dream home games.
Therefore, the two Atlanta teams had to work together to try and make sure the Dream could host the Golden State Valkyries with a strong home-court advantage. For the Dream to secure its first-ever WNBA championship, it needs to create a strong home environment strengthened by its crowd.
Here's how the WNBA Finals avoided a mess and got the Dream its home games in a major arena.
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Where are Dream playing WNBA Finals?
The Dream play most of their home games at the Gateway Center in College Park, Georgia, which is also home to the College Park Skyhawks, who serve as the Hawks' G League team. Occasionally, though, the Dream do play at State Farm Arena, which is where the Hawks play their games, if the WNBA team has enough demand for the bigger capacity.
As the Dream are set to host Games 3, 4, and 6 in the WNBA Finals, they were initially set to host those games at the Gateway Center because there were conflicts at State Farm Arena; Game 3 was scheduled for the same day as a Sombr concert, and Game 4 was scheduled for the same day as the Hawks' home opener.
Therefore, the WNBA worked with State Farm Arena to ensure that the Dream home WNBA Finals games will be played at the bigger arena. Game 3 was moved up a day from Thursday, Oct. 22 to Wednesday, Oct. 21, while the Hawks adjusted the time for their home opener to allow both teams to play their home games on Saturday, Oct. 24.
"Ensuring that Games 3 and 4 of the Finals will be played at State Farm Arena is an important moment for the Dream's players, fans, the organization and the city of Atlanta and is a testament to the extraordinary momentum of the team, women's basketball and the growing impact of women's sports," the Atlanta teams announced together.
Dream fans returned the favor, selling out Game 3 on Wednesday night, marking their first sellout at State Farm Arena this postseason and sixth time this year.
The location for a potential Game 6 in Atlanta has not yet been announced, as the Hawks are set to host the Cleveland Cavaliers that day.
Atlanta played each of their first three playoff home games in the first-round and semifinal round at State Farm Arena, so it's logical that the team will continue doing so in the WNBA Finals. The team didn't have to maneuver games with the Hawks, though, as the NBA team begins its NBA season on the road on Wednesday night.
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Dream home venue capacity vs. Hawks capacity
- Gateway Center: 3,500
- State Farm Arena: 17,000
State Farm Arena can host almost five times more fans in its stands than the Gateway Center, a significant difference between the two arenas. At its core, the Gateway Center is a G League arena that mainly hosts minor league basketball games, while the State Farm Arena not only hosts Hawks home games but concerts and other shows as well.
For comparison, the Valkyries host all of their home games at the Chase Center, which has a capacity of over 18,000 people and also hosts Golden State Warriors home games.
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