The Atlanta Dream ownership group has issued an open letter claiming that their warnings about arena scheduling conflicts during the WNBA Finals were disregarded motnhs ago. this friction has resulted in a 12:30 p.m. ET tipoff for Game 6 against the Golden State Valkyries this Thursday .
The jump from 3,500 to 17,000 seats at State Farm Arena
For the past six years, the Atlanta Dream has used the Gateway Center Arena in College Park as its primary home, a venue with a capacity of only 3,500 spectators. The team's move to the 17,000-seat State Farm Arena for the Finals was intended to provide a much larger stage for the historic series. While the Dream have operated as an expansion team since 2008, they are scheduled to return to State Farm Arena permanently in 2027.
The 12:30 p.m. ET clash with the Hawks-Cavaliers game
The early tipoff for Game 6 is a direct result of the Atlanta Hawks hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday evening.. To accommodate the Dream-Valkyries matchup, the Hawks' game has been moved to an 8 p.m. start time to allow arena crews sufficient time to prepare the building. The Golden State Valkyries currently hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series after their victory on Monday, meaning they could clinch the title on Thursday. As the report notes, this is not the first time adjustments have been required; all three WNBA Finals games played in Atlanta so far have required schedule changes, including Game 3 being moved up by a day.
Why owners Larry and Robyn Gottesdiener say warnings were ignored
The ownership group—comprising Larry and Robyn Gottesdiener, Suzanne Abair, and Renee Montgomery—released an open letter on Wednesday to address the logistical friction. The owners stated that they raised concerns about potential conflicts two months ago when the WNBA finalized playoff dates. According to the report, the owners felt their warnings did not receive the "attention, nor the urgency" they deserved. Despite the tension, the owners expressed gratitude to the Atlanta Hawks for working to ensure the Finals could still take place at the larger arena.
The question of whether the WNBA underestimated the Dream's run to the Finals
The owners posited that the scheduling oversight might have been rooted in an assumption that the Atlanta Dream would not qualify for the Finals. While the team has successfully fought its way into the championship series,the report notes that the WNBA has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the ownership group's allegations. It remains unverified whether the scheduling conflict was a result of intentional oversight or simply the logistical reality of sharing a venue with the Atlanta Hawks. this follows a history of venue displacement in the league, such as when the Valkyries were forced to move a game to San Jose last year due to a tennis tournament at Chase Center.
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