Atlanta Dream scramble for a WNBA Finals home as State Farm Arena dates clash
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The Atlanta Dream will be hosting two games of the WNBA Finals next week, but it’s still not known where those contests will be played.
The Dream, who face the Golden State Valkyries in the best-of-seven series that begins Saturday, will host Games 3 and 4 on Oct. 22 and 24.
Atlanta would love to play those games at State Farm Arena, where the Hawks play, because it seats over 17,000 fans. But that site isn’t available because of a concert by singer Sombr the same night as Game 3 and the Hawks have their home opener the evening of Game 4.
With a 3:30 p.m. EDT start for Game 4, there wouldn’t be enough time to get the arena ready for the Hawks game. If the WNBA Finals go to six games, State Farm Arena also isn’t available for Game 6 on Oct. 29 as the Hawks have another home contest that evening.
The Dream played most of their regular season games at Gateway Center Arena which holds only 3,500 fans. Atlanta moved six regular season games and the three previous home playoff games to State Farm Arena. Atlanta will play all its games next season at State Farm Arena after signing a multi-year deal earlier this month.
Last week Dream president and chief operating officer Morgan Shaw Parker said the team was “finalizing details on their home venue and where we will be playing” for the Finals.
If the games can’t be moved, it wouldn’t be the first time that the league it championship games in a smaller venue. The Washington Mystics hosted three games in the 2019 WNBA Finals in their home, which seats just over 4,000 fans.
There are other bigger facilities in Atlanta that the Dream could potentially play in such as Georgia Tech or Gas South Arena — site of the ACC Tournament last year. The Dream hosted a Finals game there in 2013.
The Valkyries had their own conflict with Game 2 on Oct. 19 as Doja Cat had a concert that night at Chase Center. The concert was moved to Oct. 25.
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See AP’s full WNBA coverage here