The Atlanta Dream will host the Golden State Valkyries in Game 3 and Game 4 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena, allowing for larger attendance, after the league moved one up a day and altered tipoff of the other to avoid conflicts at the venue.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series will now be Wednesday, Oct. 21. Tipoff for Game 4 on Saturday, Oct. 24 will be 1 p.m. Eastern, 2 1/2 hours before the previously scheduled start time. The series begins Saturday in California.
“I put quite a bit of pressure on the commissioner of the NBA and the WNBA. I felt, look, it’s not really about us, it’s about the league,” Warriors and Valkyries owner Joe Lacob said Tuesday in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “The look would not be too good to have Ballhalla and 18,000 fans here and 3,500 over there. I think it’s important for the league to play these games in the finals, a great championship between two very good teams, in front of the same kind of crowd in both places.”
The location of the Dream home games had been up in the air because the team wanted to play at State Farm Arena, the home of the Atlanta Hawks that seats more than 17,000 fans, as opposed to their normal home, Gateway Center Arena, which holds only 3,500. The Valkyries have sold out every game in their 18,064-seat Chase Center in San Francisco in their two seasons.
“It’s really exciting," Dream forward Angel Reese said. "I really do enjoy Gateway, so I wouldn’t have minded being here in Gateway. But I know the growth of women’s basketball, the growth of the Atlanta Dream, the support here that we have is just phenomenal and it has continued to skyrocket.
"We’re going to miss our Gateway, but I’m really excited to be able to make that happen. Everyone that did make that happen I’m really thankful for it and I’m looking forward to all the fans coming out.”
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the teams and TV networks to make the schedule adjustments.
"We are grateful for the efforts made by numerous stakeholders, including the Dream, the Valkyries, the Hawks, State Farm Arena, and NBC Sports and USA Sports," Engelbert said in a statement. "The change of venue dramatically expands the seating capacity and ensures that the Dream will be able to provide an extraordinary atmosphere for the first WNBA Finals game to be played in the Atlanta market since 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."
There were conflicts at State Farm Arena for Game 3, with a concert by singer Sombr on Oct. 22, and for Game 4, with the Hawks holding their home opener the night of Oct. 24.
“We are thrilled that we will be able to accommodate the Dream as they host Games 3 and 4 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. Playing for a championship is special, and we want the Dream to feel the full support of the city during this amazing run,” said Andrew Saltzman, president of business enterprise and chief commercial officer of the Hawks and State Farm Arena.
While the Dream played most of their regular-season games at Gateway Center Arena, they moved six regular-season games and the three previous home playoff games to State Farm Arena. They will play all their home games next season at State Farm Arena after signing a multiyear deal earlier this month.
It's unclear where a Game 6 would be held if the WNBA Finals go that long because the Hawks have another home game on Oct. 29.
The Valkyries had their own conflict with Game 2 on Oct. 19, when Doja Cat had a concert scheduled that night at Chase Center. The concert was moved to Oct. 25.
Gray's status remains uncertain for the Dream
Dream coach Karl Smesko said guard Allisha Gray is improving after missing Game 3 of the semifinal series win over the New York Liberty with a left hand injury. Even so, Smesko said he did not know if Gray, who was a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, would be available for Saturday's game.
“No word on Game 1,” Smesko said. “But it’s trending in the right direction.”
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AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco and AP freelance writer Alan Cole in Atlanta contributed to this report.
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