Dream says concerns about WNBA Finals have gone unheeded as teams prepare for Thursday’s 12:30 p.m. start | WNBA

The Atlanta Dream say their concerns about finding a suitable venue for the WNBA Finals have gone unheeded as they prepare to face the Golden State Valkyries in the crucial Game 6 on Thursday.

The Dream’s usual home, Gateway Center Arena, has a capacity of about 3,500. To accommodate the increased interest in the team during the Finals, the Dream have played their two home games so far at the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena, which seats more than 17,000 fans.

However, the Hawks will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night, meaning the Dream and Valkyries will play Game 6 at 12:30 p.m. EDT on the same day. This means Valkyries fans in their home state of California will watch the game at 9:30 a.m. local time. Golden State leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

In an open letter to their fans Tuesday, the Dream said they raised concerns about a possible scheduling conflict months ago, but the calls went unheeded.

“This incredible run by our players highlighted something else: the Atlanta Dream has earned the right to be taken seriously,” the Dream wrote in the letter. “Two months ago, when the WNBA finalized the dates and times for the playoffs, we raised concerns that the W Finals schedule conflicted with NBA games at State Farm Arena. As we moved forward in the playoffs, we reiterated those concerns. Our concerns were not given the attention, nor the urgency, that they deserved.”

The letter does not specify the exact concerns raised by the team, or who it raised them with at the WNBA.

According to ESPN, WNBA teams have been informed of this season’s playoff dates in December 2025.

The WNBA, NBA, Dream, Golden State and the Finals’ broadcast partners discussed the best solution to the venue problem this weekend. In Tuesday’s letter, the Dream said playing Game 6 in the afternoon was the best option available.

“As much as we have great affection and nostalgia for Gateway Center Arena, we believed our fans and the city wanted the opportunity to be a part of this historic series and see it played on a world-class stage,” the letter said. “That meant State Farm Arena.”

The Valkyries’ Kiah Stokes and Veronica Burton urged fans to call in sick to see their team potentially win the title in its second WNBA season. Meanwhile, Dream’s Allisha Gray said her main focus was on the game itself, not the start time.

“It’s the final,” Gray said. “We just have to do what we have to do. We’re determined to win Game 6, whether it’s 8 a.m., 10 p.m. or midnight. We have a championship to win.”