The Dream are back in the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013, but they still need a home court for Games 3, 4 and 6.
The Atlanta Dream have a problem to solve before they can enjoy their return to the WNBA Finals: they have nowhere to play their home games. Their first trip to the championship series since 2013 pits them against the Golden State Valkyries, and the venue question is still open.
The Dream are due to host Game 3 on 22 October and Game 4 on 24 October in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 would follow on 29 October if the series goes that far. State Farm Arena, the 17,044-seat downtown home of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, is unavailable on all three dates because of scheduling conflicts.
That leaves the franchise in a bind. The Dream's regular home arena holds only about 3,500 fans, a fraction of what a Finals series demands in capacity, atmosphere and revenue. Moving a championship series into a building that small would shut out a large share of the fans who have waited over a decade for this moment.
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The league and the club now have to find a workable alternative on a tight timeline. Atlanta's fans have waited a long time to see their team on this stage, and the Dream will want a home court that does the occasion justice.
