17,000 fans pack midday WNBA game as Dream force Finals to Game 7
The Atlanta Dream defeated the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 to resolve scheduling disputes and secure a decisive home advantage for the series finale.
By Samuel Hayes ·
A sellout crowd of 17,000 filled State Farm Arena at 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, turning a disputed midday slot into a decisive victory for the Atlanta Dream. The team beat the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 to force a Game 7 in the WNBA Finals. This result resolved the immediate pressure of playing a championship decider during a weekday lunch hour.
The schedule conflict arose because the Dream share an arena with the Atlanta Hawks. The WNBA scheduled the match to avoid overlap with an NBA game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Dream do not share an owner with the Hawks, yet they play their postseason games at the larger 19,000-seat venue because their home arena holds only 3,500 people. This arrangement became necessary after the Dream made their first Finals appearance since 2013 and generated high local interest.
Angel Reese led the Dream with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. She credited the energy of the early afternoon crowd for the team's performance. “You could definitely tell we got our swagger back,” Reese said. She also thanked the fans for showing up at 12:30 on a Thursday despite the competing demands of school and work schedules.
The Dream previously issued an open letter criticizing the league's handling of the scheduling clash. The team stated that the conflict did not receive the attention or urgency it deserved from the WNBA. This frustration highlighted a logistical gap in the league's calendar, as Valkyries fans in the Bay Area had to tune in at 9:30 a.m. PT to watch their team seek its first title.
Rhyne Howard drove the offensive surge, establishing a 20-point lead for Atlanta by halftime. Her first-half performance set the tone for the blowout. The win spared the league from the optics of crowning a champion in a weekday afternoon slot. The Finals have drawn record viewership, with an average of 2.1 million viewers tuning in for Game 1.
Howard expressed confidence that the fans would make the most of the early finish. “I had no doubt that (the fans) would show up,” she said. She added that the crowd could enjoy the rest of their day, noting that few would return to work immediately after such a high-stakes matinee.
Source: KELO
