Sports
Atlanta Dream shift WNBA Finals home games to State Farm Arena
The Dream will host Finals Games 3 and 4 at the Hawks’ arena, which holds more than 17,000 fans, after schedule adjustments cleared conflicts with other events. Game 3 is Oct. 21; Game 4 begins at 1 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 24.
The Atlanta Dream will play Games 3 and 4 of the WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries at State Farm Arena, moving the games to the larger venue to make room for more fans.
The best-of-seven series begins Saturday in California. Game 3 in Atlanta is now scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21. Game 4 will tip off at 1 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, Oct. 24 — 2½ hours earlier than previously planned.
The Dream had sought to use State Farm Arena, home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, rather than Gateway Center Arena, their usual home, which seats about 3,500. State Farm Arena holds more than 17,000.
The scheduling changes addressed conflicts at the larger venue: a Sombr concert had been booked for Oct. 22, and the Hawks have their home opener on the evening of Oct. 24. A potential Game 6 remains uncertain because the Hawks are scheduled to play at State Farm Arena on Oct. 29.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the move will let thousands more fans in the Southeast attend the Finals and give the Dream a larger home crowd for the first Finals game in Atlanta since 2013.
The Dream played most of their regular-season games at Gateway Center Arena but moved six regular-season games and their three previous home playoff games to State Farm Arena. The team has also signed a multiyear agreement to play all its home games at State Farm Arena next season.
The Valkyries also faced a scheduling conflict in the opening games: Doja Cat’s concert at San Francisco’s Chase Center, originally set for Oct. 19, was moved to Oct. 25.