The Atlanta Dream will battle for their first championship in franchise history, but reaching the WNBA Finals brought another challenge: securing a venue that could handle the moment.
After a hard-fought semifinal win over the New York Liberty on October 9, questions lingered about where Atlanta would host the Golden State Valkyries in the finals. Scheduling conflicts at State Farm Arena left the Dream facing the possibility of playing at the 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena, where they played most of their regular-season games, less than a quarter of the size of the larger venue.
With the rapid growth and attention on women’s basketball, some questioned whether available spaces were keeping pace with its success. On October 13, the WNBA announced that Games 3 and 4 would be played at State Farm Arena, which holds roughly 17,000 spectators.
“This is what the players and the fans deserve,” Atlanta Dream majority owner Larry Gottesdiener said in a press release. “We are grateful to all of the stakeholders who worked together to resolve the conflicts and make this happen.”
Final Battling Teams
The Atlanta Dream have dominated their play this season, sweeping the Washington Mystics in the opening round and the New York Liberty in the semifinals. The team includes Defensive Player of the Year Angel Reese, along with standout players Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard and Alysha Clark. This will be their first Finals appearance since 2013.
The Golden State Valkyries have also been impressive. They swept the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 3–0. Gabby Williams, Kayla Thornton and Kiah Stokes shone on the court, leading the team to its first WNBA Finals appearance.
“We’re definitely happy about where we are right now, but we’re not satisfied,” Dream forward Reese said about getting back to work to face their next opponent.
While Reese admires Liberty center Jonquel Jones and Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, she believes they have a competitive understanding on the court: It’s literally war.
“None of that matters when you get between those lines; I think everybody knows that on both teams, but in the end, the respect that’s given,” Reese said.
The Rise of Women’s Basketball
The Dream’s success comes during a period of increased attention for women’s basketball, as documented in The Rise: The New MoneyBall, which held a special screening at the ABFF NYC Pop Up last weekend. According to the WNBA, this year’s first-round playoff game was the most-watched opening round ever, averaging 1.3 million viewers.
For Black women such as Reese and teammate Rhyne Howard, helping lead Atlanta to the Finals also means helping shape the next chapter of a growing sport. Their championship pursuit offers fans another chance to connect with the players whose work has fueled that growth. On October 6, the Dream announced a multiyear agreement to play all home games at State Farm Arena beginning with the 2027 season, citing franchise growth and increasing ticket demand.
The Final Games
The best-of-seven Finals begin Saturday, October 17, with Golden State hosting the game at San Francisco’s Chase Center.
Accommodating this year’s Finals required schedule changes. Game 3 moved from Thursday, October 22, to Wednesday, October 21, at 8 p.m. ET. Game 4 remains on Saturday, October 24, with tipoff moved from 3:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Hawks also pushed their home opener back by 30 minutes that evening. Fans can stream the games on Peacock or watch the broadcast on NBC and USA Network.