The WNBA and Atlanta Dream remain without a confirmed venue for Game 6 of the Finals after the league and teams failed to resolve a scheduling conflict with the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries remain tied 2-2 in the best-of-seven series following the Valkyries’ 67-62 win in Game 5 on Saturday. Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, at 7 p.m. ET in Atlanta, but the league has not finalized where the game will be played.
State Farm Arena, the Dream’s regular-season home and the site of their playoff games, is unavailable due to a previously scheduled Atlanta Hawks game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the same time. The Hawks’ game is set to tip off at 7 p.m., one hour before the Dream-Valkyries contest.
Immediate Options Under Review
The WNBA, Dream, Valkyries, and Hawks are negotiating potential solutions, including:
- Moving the Hawks-Cavaliers game to Friday, October 30, which would create a Friday-Saturday back-to-back for both NBA teams.
- Relocating Game 6 to the Dream’s smaller regular-season venue, Gateway Center Arena, which seats 3,500 fans.
- Rescheduling Game 6 to a later date, though this would require adjustments to the series timeline.
The Valkyries have stated they would agree to any venue change the Dream prefer, according to reporting by Front Office Sports. The Dream previously sold out both Finals games at State Farm Arena, which holds approximately 17,000 spectators, and have a five-year deal to play regular-season games there.
League and Team Responses
ESPN reported Sunday that a definitive venue for Game 6 has not been confirmed, despite ongoing negotiations. The WNBA has reiterated that the game will proceed in Atlanta but has not provided further details on timing or location.
The Hawks’ schedule complicates potential solutions, as moving their game to Friday would coincide with the opening night of NBA Cup group play. Gateway Center Arena, while available, presents capacity limitations compared to State Farm Arena.
Background and Previous Adjustments
This is not the first scheduling challenge for the series. Game 3 was moved from Thursday, October 22, to Wednesday, October 21, to avoid a concert conflict, and Game 4 was shifted to an earlier afternoon start to accommodate the Hawks’ home opener against the Houston Rockets.
The league and teams continue to explore options, with no resolution confirmed as of Sunday evening.