ATLANTA -- In an open letter addressed to the city, the Dream said concerns they had over the availability of a properly sized venue for WNBA Finals games in Atlanta went unheeded and that the solution of moving Game 6 up to 12:30 p.m. ET was "not what we fought for."
Game 6 between the Dream and Golden State Valkyries will be played Thursday at 12:30 p.m. as opposed to the originally scheduled 8 p.m. The shift in timing was a result of the game being moved to State Farm Arena, the home of the Atlanta Hawks.
The Dream have played all their home games this postseason at State Farm Arena, which seats roughly 17,000 fans. Their home court, Gateway Center, fits just 3,500.
To accommodate Game 6, the Hawks' home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers that night will move back one hour to 8 p.m. To accommodate Game 4 at State Farm Arena, the Hawks' home game this past Saturday was moved to 8:30 p.m. All three Finals games in Atlanta have required hurried adjustments to the schedule.
"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."
In the letter, the Dream said they brought up concerns involving potential playoff scheduling and dates that overlapped with NBA games at the arena two months ago. The organization said that while it reiterated the issues as the playoffs went on, "our concerns did not receive the attention, nor the urgency that they deserved."
Sources told ESPN's Alexa Philippou that the dates for the 2026 playoffs were sent internally to teams on Dec. 4, 2025.
Negotiations between the WNBA, Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, NBA and broadcast partners took place over the weekend to figure out the best course of action for all parties involved.
The NBA and WNBA explored options to keep Game 6 in primetime, ESPN's Ramona Shelbourne reported. However, the Hawks and Cavaliers both play Wednesday night, so they could not play their game in the earlier time slot Thursday.
"I hope everyone gets to see it somehow, and I know for some people it's not realistic -- they have jobs and won't be able to make it," Dream coach Karl Smesko said ahead of Game 5 in San Francisco. "I'm disappointed for that, but I'm hopeful as many people as possible can see the game."
In a statement Monday, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert added: "The sellout crowds and extraordinary atmosphere at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 were a tremendous success, and we're excited to give thousands more fans the opportunity to experience Game 6 with a championship on the line. We thank the NBA, Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, State Farm Arena and USA Network for the collaboration and flexibility that made this move possible. We look forward to delivering another unforgettable Finals experience in Atlanta."
Valkyries players Kiah Stokes and Veronica Burton encouraged fans in the Bay Area to call in sick to watch the game, while their coach, Natalie Nakase, expressed confidence that Golden State fans would tune in from wherever they had to despite the 9:30 a.m. tipoff in California.
Dream players including Allisha Gray, Jordin Canada and Angel Reese brushed aside the game time as a nonfactor.
"It's the Finals," Gray said. "We just got to do what we've got to do. We are locked in on winning Game 6 whether it's 8 a.m., 10 p.m., midnight. We got a championship to win."