It’s possible the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream could play the NBA Finals games at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Ga., a facility that seats just 3,500.
The WNBA Finals are shaping up to be a contrast between the two WNBAs. And these differences will be clearly expressed in brick and mortar buildings.
Games 1 and 2, and potentially 5 and 7, will be played at Chase Center, a state-of-the-art, 18,000-seat NBA-sized arena that has been filled to capacity for every home game played by the Golden State Valkyries. The experience, nicknamed “Ballhalla,” quickly became one of the most electric in all sports.
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The Atlanta Dream will host Games 3 and 4 and potentially Game 6. And because State Farm Arena, where they moved some of their regular season games and home semifinals, is already booked, that means that — as of Monday morning — the plan is for the Dream to host its games at its usual venue, Gateway Center Arena. A 3,500-seat sports hall.
That’s not a typo: 3,500 seats in total. Or half the size of the bottom bowl at Chase.
Not only does this create wildly disparate experiences for players and fans, but it’s also an embarrassing aspect for the WNBA. The league has reached new heights in popularity, revenue and relevance. Yet its flagship event will be held in a building smaller than many high school gyms.
The Dream would study contingency plans. There’s Georgia Tech in downtown Atlanta, where the Dream have played in the past and which has a capacity of 8,600. The Gas South Arena, 30 minutes from downtown, has a capacity of 13,000 people. Both would be available. But a few days before the start of the final, no other solution was proposed.
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The Dream announced last week that they will play all of their games at State Farm starting next season. But that arena, which is city-owned and operated by the NBA’s Hawks, apparently isn’t an option. There’s a Sombr concert booked for the night of Game 3. The Hawks’ home opener will be the night of Game 4, and while a day/night WNBA/NBA doubleheader would be a very cool thing, logistically it doesn’t seem possible.
The Dream were in playoff contention for most of the regular season. You would think there would already be a contingency plan in place. The fact that there is none reveals a lack of foresight, planning, or perhaps even conviction.
If the Dream hadn’t done their job, WNBA league officials should have stepped in and made sure there was an alternative arena available. This would represent a huge loss of potential revenue: not only the additional 15,000 ticket sales, but also all the concessions, merchandise and exposure that the final brings. But the league continues to show it’s not quite ready for this moment and continues to scramble to catch up amid the pressures and challenges of its new reality.
The Dream was bound by the constraints of the old WNBA. The team has been around since Atlanta was awarded an expansion franchise for the 2008 season. Like so many long-running WNBA teams, the Dream has experienced turmoil and growing pains. A strong competitor in its early years, the team then struggled and attendance dropped. The players helped force a sale in 2021 by a group that included Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler and the team has now made the playoffs four seasons in a row. The trade for Angel Reese ignited the fan base. Yet the Dream remained stuck in a tiny arena.
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The Valkyries had a completely different WNBA experience. They were made of whole cloth; their experience is one they imagined, planned and saw become reality in a matter of months. Valkyries never experienced growing pains. They were never told their goals were too ambitious, told to lower their expectations, or told to cover their seats.
Joe Lacob not only owns the city’s NBA team, but also the building in which both teams play. Chase was originally booked for the night of Game 2, along with Doja Cat. But this concert has been postponed to October 25.
Last year, the Valkyries had to move their only playoff match due to Chase’s week-long commitment in the prestigious Laver Cup. But the contingency plan was put into place relatively quickly, and the Valkyries played at the SAP Center in San Jose, also a full-size arena.
If the situation in Atlanta cannot be resolved, it will be a shame for the Dream and a terrible picture for the league. But there could be a silver lining for Atlanta: Limited inventory could keep Valkyries fans from taking over their tiny building.
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Why have the Valkyries seemingly captured the hearts of the entire Bay Area?
What makes you a fan? How long have you been a fan? Tell us why you think this team is special.
Jim Y.
Millbrae, California
12/10/26
I’ve been a fan since their inaugural season. What attracted me to the team was that they were basically a group of underdogs from the other teams. The way they play unselfishly and in essence any player can start or come off the bench without a catch. They truly care about each other and their joy reflects it. The addition of Gabby Williams gave them a true No. 1 player, but she’s so humble about it. Everyone from the owner, front desk and coaches are first class. Now, in only their second season, having a chance to make history would be icing on the cake for this franchise.
Malcolm H.
San Francisco, California
12/10/26
The diversity of the crowd. So San Francisco. Where else can you see the old guard next to the children, next to the young guard next to you, you name it?!?! And these women play basketball. And if I didn’t talk about the intensity of the coach, I would be sorry! Go to VALK!
Jerry H.
Mill Valley, California
12/10/26
Chron Sports scribe Ann Killion’s exuberant support and strong reasons for supporting the Valks piqued my interest following this season’s successful campaign. She apparently saw their success as imminent. And now they have kept that promise. Big excitement for Bay Area fans, with a good chance of winning a championship in sight. It’s hard not to get caught up in the excitement!
Rick L.
Palo Alto, California
12/10/26
Women’s tennis is the only women’s sport I pay attention to because the women’s game is often more interesting than the men’s because there are fewer short points and more strategy. Women’s basketball is experiencing a rather slow transition, players are getting by with set shots and few players know how to jump very well.
Jean-E.
Concord, California
12/10/26
The question should be, “Why did it take the Bay 30 years to build a WNBA team?” » All that pent-up enthusiasm was finally released thanks to the Valkyries of Ballhalla. And what a team! A pure joy to watch, each member of this team. I started watching a few games during their inaugural year, a little indifferent at first due to my focus on the Warriors. A few people kept urging me to take a look at the Valkyries and I saw that from their first season, they had a sparkle, a gleam in their eyes that presaged their current greatness. I love watching Tiffany Hayes go into battle. We are so proud and grateful for this team!
Gn sports
