When news emerged that ticket prices for Game 1 of the Dream-Valkyries WNBA Finals were approaching all-time highs, it sparked considerable excitement, particularly among Dream fans. Some sections of the conversation were even quick to frame the figures as evidence of the Angel Reese effect, and comparisons with Caitlin Clark’s impact on ticket demand were not far behind.

While commanding near-record ticket prices is undeniably exciting on its face, former ESPN host Linda Cohn believes there is a significant reason to pump the brakes on the celebrations. She pointed out that the tickets had not yet gone on sale to the general public, meaning the figures circulating were secondary market listings, not actual completed purchases reflecting real demand. 

“The tickets haven’t even gone on sale to the general public yet as we speak,” Cohn said in a video she released on Thursday. “That happens tomorrow, Friday, October 16th. So, where are all these record-breaking prices coming from? The secondary market resale sites; places where sellers can list tickets at whatever price they think somebody might pay.” 

“There’s a big difference between what somebody is asking for a ticket and what somebody is actually willing to pay. You can’t declare a record-breaking ticket market based solely on resale listings before the general public has even had an opportunity to buy these tickets,” she added.

As shared by Front Office Sports on Thursday, get-in prices for Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center are listed at $214, just shy of the all-time high get-in price of $225 recorded during Game 2 of the 2024 Finals between the Lynx and Liberty at Barclays Center.

The report also noted that ticket prices for Games 2 and 5 at Chase Center are already hovering around $200, with a potential Game 7 get-in price reaching as high as $416. These figures are, however, based on secondary-market data compiled by TicketData and TickPick, exactly as Cohn cautioned.

The contrast becomes even more apparent when compared with the presale prices released for Games 3 and 4 at the Dream’s State Farm Arena. When presale tickets for those games went live on Thursday, get-in prices dropped sharply, Game 3 listing at $96 and Game 4 at $114. For Cohn, that drop simply reinforced her original point. 

“Those are reported advertised prices, not necessarily the original face value or proof of completed purchases. But doesn’t that illustrate my point?” she said.

There are claims, however, that the price drop is partly explained by the last-minute arena change surrounding those games. The Atlanta Dream had initially been forced to host Games 3 and 4 at their 3,500-capacity Gateway Center Arena, their regular-season home, because the originally scheduled dates clashed with a concert and a Hawks game, respectively, at State Farm Arena. Those dates have now been shifted, giving the Dream the opportunity to move both games back to the larger venue.

While the lower presale prices for those two games could suggest questions about the Dream’s ability to fill a much larger arena, especially at the premium price that is now circulating, it is worth noting that this is not the first time Atlanta has played at State Farm Arena this season. In fact, the Dream actually sold out that venue five of the six times they used it during the 2026 regular season, a track record that Cohn herself acknowledged.

Ultimately, for Linda Cohn, the true measure of ticket demand will only be known once the general public has had the opportunity to buy, and once the games are actually played and the seats are filled. Secondary market asking prices are a starting point for a conversation, not the conclusion of one. The Finals begin Saturday. The real numbers will follow.