Game 6 of the WNBA Finals between the Dream and the Valkyries is set up to be an epic showdown between two battle-tested groups of warriors. While that sounds like a made-for-cable movie plot, that's not the reason why the game will be shown on the Syfy channel.
The big story heading into Game 6 sadly hasn’t involved the two teams playing in the game. Instead, the focus has been redirected on the venue after the Dream decided to move the location from the Gateway Center to State Farm Arena. That change resulted in an increase from 3,500 seats to over 17,000. But it came at the cost of moving the start time up from 8 p.m. ET to 12:30 p.m. ET, corresponding to a 9:30 a.m. PT for Valkyries fans in the Bay Area.
That will obviously make the game significantly more difficult to watch on television, as will USA Sports’ decision to simulcast the game on E! and the Syfy channel rather than the standard CNBC.
The change has led to much-deserved criticism. Both the league and the Dream had better choices that they could have made. Instead, they picked the worst of several bad options.
MORE: Your guide to Thursday's WNBA/NBA doubleheader in Atlanta
Moving Game 6 start time for the WNBA Finals was a mistake
After receiving harsh backlash for their decision, the Dream offered up an explanation for the inconvenient start time for Game 6 via a statement released on Monday night. In it, they pointed their finger at the league.
“Two months ago, when the WNBA finalized playoff dates and times, we raised concerns that the W Finals schedule conflicted with NBA games at State Farm Arena,” their statement read. “As we moved through the playoffs, we reiterated those concerns. Our concerns did not receive the attention, nor the urgency that they deserved.”
The league would likely tell a different story. According to reporting by The Athletic’s Annie Costable, the W sent out playoff hold dates even earlier, on Dec. 4, 2025. Whether the date was two months ago or 10, the responsibility for this mess lies primarily with the Dream. It is impossible for the league to coordinate Finals dates that work perfectly for all 15 of its teams.
The Dream had more than enough time to secure a different arena if Gateway Center’s seating was deemed inadequate and State Farm was unavailable. Atlanta is one of the largest cities in the country. Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and Gas South Arena were all viable alternative locations to host a game. Other sports arenas in nearby Athens, Macon, or Columbus could also have been looked at.
Instead, the Dream seemed fixated on playing the Finals specifically at State Farm, despite the fact that it was booked for an Atlanta Hawks game at 7 p.m. that NBA league rules prohibited from moving up earlier in the day.
“Playing a midday game on a Thursday is not what we would have chosen and not what we fought for,” the Dream’s statement read. “And 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. That meant State Farm Arena.”
There were only three groups of people who actually cared where the Dream played their home games during the Finals: ownership, who wanted the extra gate revenue; media members, who are obsessed with viewership numbers; and bad-faith actors, who would have loved to dunk on the league for hosting in such a small venue.
None of those people should have been the priority. The fans should have. You know, the ones who have been supporting the product all year and simply wanted to watch some high-level basketball.
Those fans have been doing their part. Per FOS’ Colin Salao, this was set up to be the most-watched Finals ever, with the first three games averaging about 1.7 million viewers. There have been compelling storylines, from Angel Reese's emergence as a superstar player to Kiah Stokes shutting down Reese later in the series and showing why she should have won the Defensive Player of the Year award over Reese. The series has swung back and forth, and it is anyone's to win heading into a crucial Game 6.
For the hundreds of thousands of people that can no longer watch live on TV, the time change is a slap in the face. It is also a short-sighted approach that is an own-goal from a long-term perspective. The league has missed out on a major opportunity for growth. One source told Salao that data suggests the time shift could cut 40 to 60 percent of the TV viewing audience.
Gateway Center is a viable arena to host the Finals
Given the choice of playing at the Gateway Center at 8 p.m. ET or State Farm at 12:30 p.m. ET, the later time slot was the layup.
Would it have been better if the Gateway Center held more than 3,500 fans? Sure. The demand was certainly there. The Dream have sold out every game during their last three seasons, and Gateway is the smallest arena in the WNBA. But Gateway Center isn’t some bush league gym, as Warriors coach Steve Kerr ignorantly compared it to on Monday evening.
Kerr, who has probably never stepped foot inside the gym, defended the time shift. He commented that it was "better than, you know, having it at the YMCA that night in front of 75 people."
I have been to playoff games at State Farm Arena. I’ve been to the NBA Finals, NCAA championship games, and dozens of other basketball arenas throughout the country. I’ve also attended regular season Dream games at the Gateway Center. It’s one of my favorite places to watch a game.
The crowds are smaller at Gateway Center, but there isn’t a bad view in the house. Every fan is locked in. The atmosphere is loud and electric. With respect to the Hawks and other NBA teams, it’s a better fan experience than any NBA games I’ve been to.
State Farm is also a great arena. State Farm at 12:30 p.m. on a Thursday? We will have to see, but I am skeptical it will match the pressure cooker environment of a packed Gateway Center at 8 p.m. And given the awkward time and short turnaround, there is a very real chance that State Farm won't be full. Get-in ticket prices for Game 6 have been plummeting per ticketdata.com, from an opening price of around $166 on Monday evening to $35 as of Wednesday morning.
The situation is even uglier for the Valkyries. The role of the league is to be a caretaker for the fans. Rather than highlighting their product, they’ve set up a situation where if Golden State wins, the celebration may be rushed or even moved to a practice court. Bay Area fans will have to watch the festivities during their lunch break.
Many Valkyries and Dream fans will figure out a way to watch anyway. The mayor of Atlanta has even urged employers and educators to allow the community to “show a little love and extend a little grace…whether they’re at the game or catching a few moments on their devices.”
Viewers should never have been put in this situation. They should always be the priority. Instead, they'll be calling in sick to watch daytime television. What should have been a premier event is being bumped into the regular time slot for Law & Order SVU. There will be no sense of justice for WNBA fans.
