Dream say finals scheduling warnings ignored before Game 6 decider

The Atlanta Dream say they warned the WNBA months in advance that a scheduling clash loomed over the finals, only for those concerns to go unaddressed as Game 6 against the Golden State Valkyries was fixed for a 12.30pm EDT start on Thursday.

Golden State lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 after a 64-55 win in Game 5 on Monday, a victory built on sustained defensive pressure with Kiah Stokes and Veronica Burton among the leading scorers.

The Dream's regular home, Gateway Center Arena, holds roughly 3,500 fans. For the finals they have instead played at the Atlanta Hawks' State Farm Arena, which seats more than 17,000.

That switch created the problem now facing both franchises. The Hawks host the Cleveland Cavaliers at the same venue on Thursday night, leaving no option but to schedule the potentially series-deciding Game 6 for the early afternoon instead.

The timing means Valkyries supporters back in California will be watching at 9.30am local time if the clash goes ahead as planned.

In an open letter to fans published on Tuesday, the Dream said the issue had been flagged well before it became unavoidable. “Two months ago, when the WNBA finalized playoff dates and times, we raised concerns that the W Finals schedule conflicted with NBA games at State Farm Arena,” the club wrote, adding: “As we moved through the playoffs, we reiterated those concerns. Our concerns did not receive the attention, nor the urgency that they deserved.”

The letter did not specify precisely what had been raised or with whom at the league, but the Dream framed the episode as evidence of their rising standing. “This incredible run by our players has … made something else abundantly clear: the Atlanta Dream has earned the right to be taken seriously,” they wrote.

ESPN has reported that WNBA clubs were informed of this season's playoff dates as far back as December 2025, well before the scheduling conflict became public.

The WNBA, the NBA, the Dream, the Valkyries and the finals' broadcast partners held talks over the weekend to try to resolve the venue clash.

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

The unusual tip-off time has not dampened appetite for the game. Valkyries players Stokes and Burton have publicly urged supporters to skip work to watch their team attempt to clinch the title in only the franchise's second WNBA season.

Atlanta expects a crowd as committed as any it has produced this postseason, with fans prepared to miss work and school to back Angel Reese and her teammates as the Dream try to force a decisive Game 7.

Golden State need just one more win to complete the job; Atlanta must find the offensive improvement Yahoo Sports suggested was missing in Game 5 to keep their title hopes alive into a seventh match.