The Atlanta Dream are shifting their home games for the upcoming WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries to State Farm Arena, a move that provides a significantly larger venue for the championship series. The franchise will play Games 3 and 4 at the downtown Atlanta facility, moving away from their usual home, Gateway Center Arena in College Park, which has the league’s smallest capacity at 3,500 seats. State Farm Arena, the home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, can accommodate approximately 17,000 spectators. But the franchise just got a major assist ahead of the Finals against the Golden State Valkyries, the Atlanta Dream may have racked up a ton of steals on the court against opponents in this WNBA postseason. The home of the Valkyries, which has the fifth-largest capacity in the league at more than 18,000, the WNBA Finals begin Saturday in San Francisco at Chase Center. Both fan bases for the Dream and the Valkyries are sharing the excitement of getting to the WNBA Finals. But the two teams were dealing with vastly different circumstances on where these games will be played – as fervent Atlanta fans were worried they would have massive trouble getting a coveted ticket close to home. It’s got the makings of a blockbuster matchup in Angel Reese vs. In this case, not available, but the focus had been on the number of seats available – or. There had been a possibility the Dream wouldn’t be able to play in downtown Atlanta in a large arena used heavily for professional basketball with a championship on the line, and just like in 2013. We are pleased that thousands more fans across the Southeast region will have the opportunity to experience the ultimate WNBA action – the WNBA Finals – in person.”.
Adjustments to the schedule were necessary to facilitate this venue change. Game 3 has been moved from October 22 to October 21. Game 4 remains on October 24, though the tipoff time is set for 1 p.m. ET to accommodate the Hawks’ own season opener against the Houston Rockets that evening. The Hawks agreed to delay their own game start time to 8:30 p.m. ET to ensure the transition between events is successful.
Majority owner Larry Gottesdiener expressed appreciation for the cooperation among stakeholders that allowed for the venue shift, noting that the decision reflects what the players and fans deserve. Andrew Saltzman, president of business enterprise for the Hawks and State Farm Arena, added that the organization is thrilled to host the team and provide an atmosphere that allows the Dream to feel the city’s full support during their championship run.
The WNBA Finals, which follow a 2-2-1-1-1 format, will begin in San Francisco at Chase Center. Golden State holds the home-court advantage and will host the first two games of the series. Should the series require a Game 5 or a Game 7, those matches will also take place in San Francisco. A potential complication remains for Game 6, currently slated for October 29—the same night the Hawks are scheduled to play the Cleveland Cavaliers. No plan to resolve this conflict has been announced yet.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert praised the collaboration between the Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, and broadcast partners. She noted that the venue change significantly expands seating capacity, ensuring a larger audience can experience the first WNBA Finals hosted in Atlanta since 2013. That year, the Dream were forced to move a game to a venue in Duluth due to a scheduling conflict with a Disney On Ice production.
The Dream, an expansion team since 2008, previously played at what was then Philips Arena until 2016. While they will return to State Farm Arena permanently starting in 2027, they have spent the last six years at Gateway Center Arena. Unlike the Valkyries, who share ownership and the Chase Center venue with the Golden State Warriors, the Dream and the Hawks operate under separate ownership groups.
This championship round marks a notable milestone, as the Dream seek their first title since 2013, while the Valkyries reach the finals in only their second season. History shows that venue relocations for playoff basketball are not unprecedented; last year, the Valkyries were forced to move a first-round game to the SAP Center in San Jose because of a tennis event at their home arena.
