The Atlanta Dream’s season has been pretty much everything the franchise could have hoped for, barring a knee injury that cost Brionna Jones all but nine games and the hand injury Allisha Gray suffered in Game 1 of the semifinals against the New York Liberty. Despite those injuries, the team is thriving and headed to the finals for the first time since 2013.
But amid all the joy of sweeping the Washington Mystics and Liberty, the Dream already face one disappointing setback. They will likely have to play their home games in a small arena with 3,500 seats—a missed opportunity, considering how many fans would love to see Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard, and company compete for a championship.
USA Today’s Meghan Hall reported that the Dream had hoped to play at State Farm Arena, but can’t because of a concert and two Atlanta Hawks regular-season games. A search for another venue that’s bigger than Gateway Center Arena has also been unsuccessful so far, according to Hall.
For Dream fans, and WNBA fans in general, this is a disappointing update, but, sadly, it is not shocking news. WNBA playoff games have had to take a backseat to other events for years, and while the players deserve to play the biggest games of their season on the biggest stage possible, it will take some time to eliminate those conflicts consistently.
The Golden State Valkyries could benefit greatly if the Dream have to host games at Gateway Center Arena. While the Dream will have to come to Golden State and try to steal a game in Ballhalla, the Valkyries would face a much smaller opposing crowd in the 3,500-seat arena.
The Valkyries have the best home-court advantage in the W
The Valkyries led the WNBA in home attendance this season, beating out the New York Liberty and Indiana Fever with an average attendance of 18,064. Since joining the league in 2025, the Valkyries have sold out every single home game at Chase Center—EVERY SINGLE ONE.
The finals shouldn’t be any different. Valkyries fans were treated to an utterly exceptional expansion team. This is just the team’s second season, and a championship is already well within reach. Fans are going to show up in droves for the finals.
Fan culture in the Bay Area has been just as exceptional as the team’s culture itself, and Ballhalla is widely recognized as one of the most difficult arenas to play in. Unsurprisingly, the Valkyries led the league in home wins this season with a 17-5 record at Chase Center.
Stealing a game at Ballhalla with the championship on the line won’t be easy, and the Valkyries’ home-court advantage will only be amplified if the Dream don’t have a similar crowd to lean on in their own home games. The Dream’s fans are dedicated and passionate, but going into an arena with over 18,000 opposing fans is just a different level than playing in front of a crowd of 3,500.
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