The Atlanta Dream are not happy with the WNBA’s decision to start Game 6 on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET due to scheduling issues.
On Tuesday, the organization released a statement to fans, saying it had “raised concerns” a few months ago to the WNBA regarding potential scheduling conflicts at State Farm Arena with the Atlanta Hawks and added that a noon game “is not what we would have chosen and what we fought for.”
During the regular season, the Dream play their home games at Gateway Center Arena. But it has a capacity of about 3,500 fans, and the Dream and the WNBA naturally wanted bigger crowds for the playoffs.
The Dream played their playoff and WNBA Finals games at State Farm Arena, home of the Hawks, which seats 17,000 spectators. Scheduling conflicts with the Hawks already required Game 3 to be moved up a day, while Saturday’s Game 4 was a doubleheader between the two teams.
But Game 6 brought with it far more scheduling complications, with the WNBA and NBA having to consider various scenarios. One proposal was to move Game 6 to Friday and Game 7 to Tuesday, November 3 (which would have fallen on Election Day). Other locations in the Atlanta area were considered. Changing the date or location of the Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game on Thursday has been discussed.
But ultimately, the WNBA set out to go the morning route, and there was understandable surprise – and anger – that the league would choose to potentially hold the title-deciding game in the early afternoon on a Thursday:
There will likely be some blame to follow, especially if the Golden State Valkyries finish the series on Thursday. This is not how the WNBA would want to end a fantastic season.
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