‘WNBA has some problem solving to do’: WNBA faces a major problem before Game 6
Aug 31, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen (2) holds a ball as the WNBA logo appears on the ball and shorts before the game against the Indiana Fever at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The Golden State Valkyries’ 67-62 win over the Atlanta Dream on Saturday evened the WNBA Finals at 2-2, guaranteeing that the series will go at least six games. But that has created a major headache for the league.
Game 6 is scheduled to be played in Atlanta on Thursday night, but there’s one big problem: the Dream’s preferred arena is already booked. The Atlanta Hawks are set to play at State Farm Arena that same night, and the Hawks’ CEO has made it clear that it’s up to the WNBA to fix it, even urging fans to “write your congressman.”
Dream’s Arena Issues
The Dream’s regular home is Gateway Center Arena in College Park, which seats just 3,500 fans, the smallest venue in the league. But Atlanta has played all of its postseason home games at State Farm Arena, which it shares with the Hawks.
That arrangement has already caused some scheduling issues. Game 3 was moved up a day to avoid a concert, and Game 4 was moved to a 1 p.m. ET tip-off to make room for the Hawks’ home opener that night.
The Dream have since announced a multi-year deal to play all of their home games at State Farm Arena beginning in 2027. But that doesn’t help them this week.
‘Write Your Congressman’
Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, but its location is still listed as “TBD.” That’s because the Hawks host the Cleveland Cavaliers at State Farm Arena at 7 p.m. ET that same night, according to CBS Sports’ Jack Maloney.
Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said that the arena has offered up several other dates, but that the decision is in the league’s hands.
“Hawks CEO Steve Koonin tells @929TheGame that State Farm Arena has made multiple dates available for a potential WNBA Finals Game Six, but rescheduling that game is solely a league decision,” wrote Mike Conti of 92.9 The Game. “He encouraged fans to ‘write your congressman’ to urge a schedule change.”
After Saturday’s game, Conti added, “Game Six is now necessary, and the WNBA has some problem solving to do,” on X.
No Easy Fix
None of the options are simple. Moving Game 6 to Wednesday won’t work because the Hawks host the Miami Heat that night, and moving it to Friday would set up a back-to-back with Game 7, which is scheduled for Saturday in San Francisco.
Game 7 can’t be easily moved either, as Conti noted that the Golden State Warriors have home games on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2.
State Farm Arena is open on Friday, so the Hawks-Cavaliers game could be moved, but that would require sign-off from the NBA, both teams, and broadcast partners. The Dream could also return to Gateway Center, though its capacity is far below Finals standards.
Dream star Angel Reese made her preference clear.
“Being able to come here and play in front of the home crowd again would be amazing,” Reese said, via CBS Sports.
The WNBA doesn’t have much time to figure this out. Game 5 is Monday in San Francisco.
The post ‘WNBA has some problem solving to do’: WNBA faces a major problem before Game 6 appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.