The Atlanta Dream will officially move to the State Farm Arena full time beginning with the 2027 season, the team announced today. That's news that feels simultaneously overdue and absolutely perfectly timed. The team is enormously popular, has a legion of devoted fans, and is barreling through the second round of this year's playoffs.
The Dream have been playing at the Gateway Center in College Park, which has a capacity of 3,500 fans. The team's new multiyear deal with the State Farm Arena means that around 17,000 fans will be able to see the Dream play their 25 home games in the heart of Atlanta. The Dream has sold out the arena eight times, and reported that they have seen a 400% growth in season ticket members over the last five years. People want to see winners play, and the Dream have proven they can win.
Dream president and COO Morgan Shaw Parker said in a statement that the move is the beginning of an "exciting new chapter" for the team, and also a "reflection" of the way the Dream play basketball.
Parker added, "Our players and our fans have transformed Gateway Center Arena into the most exciting experience in the WNBA. State Farm Arena gives us the opportunity to welcome thousands of additional fans while creating an even bigger stage for women's basketball in Atlanta. We look forward to bringing the energy, traditions and spirit of Gateway with us to the heart of our city."
The Dream deserve this upgrade
Though the Gateway Center has fostered a swath of fans who are truly invested in the Dream and have been supporting the team through thick and thin, moving to the State Farm Arena is the right call. The Dream is in the playoffs for the fourth season in a row, and the addition of head coach Karl Smesko last year and Angel Reese this year is clearly working.
The Dream are also proving that they are a championship-caliber team, no matter what happens during the playoffs this postseason. And, to be fair, a lot could happen. The Dream will face the New York Liberty for a second time on Wednesday, days after they beat the 2024 champions 92-82. The second game will be played at the State Farm Arena, and a fifth (and final) match will be played there, too — if the Dream needs to play one. Games three and four (if necessary) will be played in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center.
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