Atlanta Dream release open letter over WNBA Finals venue conflicts

The Atlanta Dream ownership group released an open letter detailing frustrations that venue and scheduling concerns for Game 6 of the WNBA Finals went unheeded for months. Fox News and CNN both report that the owners said they raised the potential conflicts months ago. The Dream face the Golden State Valkyries at State Farm Arena in downtown Atlanta on Thursday. [1][4]

The game will tip off at 12:30 p.m. ET, following what Fox News described as tense negotiations over the schedule. According to the New York Post and Fox News, the arena conflict involved sharing the facility with the Atlanta Hawks. Despite the early start time on a weekday, the Washington Times reported that the Dream announced Game 6 is a sellout. [1][3][6]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Game 6 was moved to the afternoon at State Farm Arena after the team previously faced playing home postseason games at the smaller Gateway Center Arena due to arena availability conflicts. The WNBA Finals represents the annual championship series of the league. [13][17][18]

The Golden State Valkyries hold a 3-2 series lead after securing a 64-55 victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 5, according to Sky Sports and CBS Sports. CBS Sports reported that several Atlanta players downplayed the early start time and stayed focused on avoiding elimination at home. [1][5][9]