The WNBA Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries may be played in a much smaller arena because the Dream’s preferred venue is unavailable.
The Dream are set to host Games 3, 4 and 6 (if necessary) in the Gateway Center Arena in College Park, which seats 3,500. The Valkyries will host Games 1, 2 and potentially 5 and 7 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, which holds 18,064.
Morgan Shaw Parker, the Dream’s president and COO, said the team was finalizing details on a home venue but had not yet identified a larger space. The games are scheduled for Oct. 22, 24 and 29, giving less than ten days to secure an alternative. The State Farm Arena, which has a capacity of 17,044 and was the Dream’s home from 2008–2016 and 2019–2021, is booked for a singer‑songwriter’s concert on Oct. 22 and for Atlanta Hawks games on Oct. 24 and 29. Other potential venues, such as Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion (8,600 seats) and the Gas South Arena (13,000 seats), were considered but also proved unavailable.
The prospect of holding Finals games in a venue that seats only 3,500 has drawn criticism from fans and commentators. Business owner Rachelle Morris and podcaster Jaime Lardis expressed frustration, calling the arrangement a disgrace and a step backward for the league. They urged the WNBA to relocate the Dream’s home games to a larger arena to reflect the growing popularity of women’s basketball and the league’s recent success.
