Right after the Atlanta Dream swept the New York Liberty, Angel Reese went straight to her mother, knowing this was the moment she deserved all this time; this was the moment she had manifested. But more than that, it was the team planning for this exact moment – beginning in 2021.

Owner Larry Gottesdiener brought in general manager Dan Padover from the Las Vegas Aces and gave him full freedom to build the team however he liked. “Treat it like an expansion team,” he said. They hit the rock over the next few years, but in 2025, observing the then-new head coach Karl Smesko’s style, the missing piece of the puzzle just clicked for Padover in the team’s seventh game – they needed a defensive anchor. In 2026, they found that in Reese, and now, they are entering their first finals in 13 years. Unfortunately, they did not prepare for one major aspect of a finals appearance, despite an official agreement recently signed — a big enough arena.

“This is a bummer. The Dream (and their fans) deserve better,” wrote WNBA journalist Myles Ehrlich on X.

The string started when WNBA reporter Zach Klein tweeted that sources told him the Dream will be playing Games 3 and 4 (and 6 if necessary) of the WNBA Finals at Gateway Center Arena. The problem is that it only has a capacity of 3,500, a number that represents just a fraction of the fans who would want to watch a Finals game at home. The eyebrow-raising fact is the team’s latest deal.

On October 6, the Dream announced a new multi-year agreement with State Farm Arena to play all home games at the venue beginning with the 2027 season. Considering the schedule is also expanding to 50 games, the Dream will host their fans and opponents in 25 home games at the award-winning arena that can host up to 17,000 spectators.

“The move to State Farm Arena reflects the unprecedented growth of the franchise, increasing ticket demand and overall excitement for the entire Dream fan experience,” a press release by the Dream stated.

However, that deal won’t help them in these playoffs when they will be welcoming the Golden State Valkyries.

Where Atlanta’s Finals dream plan failed and how the Valkyries found a solution to their own problem

Even though the Dream was planning all along to reach the Finals, they didn’t necessarily believe in it. But due to a Sombr concert on October 22 (same as Game 3), the Dream is left stranded. Adding to this is the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks playing at home on October 24 against the Houston Rockets (Game 4) and on October 29 (a potential Game 6), the Hawks host the Cavaliers. But precedent can still provide a possibility.

ESPN and many reports mention that while there are very few chances of the Dream playing their Finals home games at State Farm Arena, they are not nil. We have seen concerts being moved, and an NBA team could understand what their counterpart playing at such a big stage means. If not that, the Finals’ dates could move. It all comes down to last-minute discussions now because Atlanta has, in fact, played there before.

Atlanta Dream have already played six regular-season and three postseason games there this season. Meanwhile, the Valkyries’ home court, Chase Center, has a capacity of 18,064, creating a stark difference in the home advantage. However, they also faced a similar logistical challenge.

The Valkyries will play Game 1 of the Finals on October 17 and Game 2 on October 19. Game 2 was clashing with a Doja Cat concert, which has now been moved to October 25 after the Valkyries clinched the Finals spot. In fact, team president Jess Smith made it clear that the “Balhalla” will be there behind their team in this postseason.

“We will not play a game outside of Chase Center this postseason,” Smith said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “Our ownership group [has] been committed to that … Things get booked in arenas with contingency dates. That’s standard operating procedure. It’s happened for decades. It’s not a headline. Yes, it’s a concert, but we understand the prioritization.”

We can expect something similar for the Atlanta fans. After all, they’ve been standing tall behind the Dream throughout the season.

What led to the Dream shaking hands with State Farm Arena

Interestingly, the Atlanta Dream has witnessed a 400% increase in season ticket sales in the last five years. Chief Operating Officer Morgan Shaw Parker reflected on what this State Farm Arena deal means for the franchise.

“This is an exciting next chapter for the Atlanta Dream, and a direct reflection of the exciting style of play that is Dream basketball, the passion of our fans, and the incredible growth of this franchise,” Parker said. “Our players and our fans have transformed Gateway Center Arena into the most exciting experience in the WNBA.”

Financials aside, Atlanta players also realize that having a sizable presence of their supporters behind them can have an impact on any game’s result.

“We didn’t have playoff games [at State Farm Arena] last year … but we had a couple of games there, and they felt like playoff games,” Rhyne Howard said, per USA Today. “So I think for us to have had those during the season and have the outcome that we had, I think it helps us get ready for this environment.”

Atlanta fans will only hope that they are able to witness many more postseason and Finals games in the years to come. For now, they will take a title win, even if it possibly means that fewer fans are able to attend the Finals games.