The Golden State Valkyries are the queens of selling out Chase Center, recording more than 51 consecutive sellouts across the regular season and playoffs since their inaugural season. But in Game 5, they added an element of star power rarely seen in the WNBA, as none other than Hollywood star Zendaya cheered on her home team. With Game 6 tipping off at an unusual 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, a sold-out arena, let alone a celebrity-filled courtside, seemed unlikely. However, the Dream are making their presence felt against the Valkyries both on and off the court, with singers Usher and T-Pain arriving at State Farm Arena to witness a potential title decider.
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“Usher in the A for Game 6? YEAH!” The WNBA wrote on X. In a similar post, the league also serenaded T-Pain’s appearance. “All eyes courtside… We’ve got T-Pain in the house for Game 6 of the #2026WNBAFinals”
This is not the first time Usher has come to watch an Angel Reese game. Back in 2024, the King of R&B paid a visit to the Chicago Sky rookie’s game against the Las Vegas Aces. The Sky won 93-85, as Reese and Usher had a celebratory moment in the locker room. Reese also met Usher at the 2024 Met Gala, and their conversation had also included an invitation to attend a Sky game. “Usher, he said he’s gonna come to the game in Vegas,” Reese once admitted. Usher held his end of the bargain, and the Bayou Barbie would certainly be overwhelmed with joy after seeing him at State Farm Arena for the most important game of her and the Dream’s season.
Usher and T-Pain’s appearance in the WNBA Finals is only further proof of the league’s immense growth and popularity over the past few seasons. Their appearance also highlights the backlash against the 12:30 p.m. ET tip-off, with many questioning whether the league was doing enough to capitalize on its own momentum.
The numbers tell a similar story. Apart from the usual sky-high attendance at Chase Center, Games 3 and 4 at State Farm Arena also sold out. According to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, 10,000 tickets sold for Game 6 in the first 90 minutes of sales. However, the Dream and the WNBA paid the price, literally, after it was announced that Game 6’s timing would shift from the original 8:00 p.m. ET to 12:30 p.m. ET. According to TickPick, the get-in price for Game 6 tanked from $156 at the time of the announcement to just $23.
For WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, the schedule change and shift to State Farm Arena from the Dream’s 3,500-seat Gateway Center arena was an opportunity to accommodate more fans and deliver another championship experience in Atlanta.
“The sellout crowds and extraordinary atmosphere at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 were a tremendous success, and we’re excited to give thousands more fans the opportunity to experience Game 6 with a championship on the line. We thank the NBA, Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, State Farm Arena and USA Network for the collaboration and flexibility that made this move possible. We look forward to delivering another unforgettable Finals experience in Atlanta,” Engelbert said.
Despite the unusual tip-off time, State Farm Arena is packed to the rafters, with 11Alive reporters Maria Martin and Reggie Chatman sharing videos of the electric atmosphere on X.
The WNBA’s draw has never been higher. The crowd is there, as the occasion is too big, even for 12:30 p.m. ET. One can only wonder what the case would have been if the potential title decider took place at a normal time, let alone on a weekend. ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike called out the league with “epic fail” remarks.
“What are we doing? I’m so sorry… we had an unprecedented eight days in between the WNBA semifinals and the WNBA finals… If you are the league, how did we not get ahead of the circumstances where we’re dealing with these games one by one a few days beforehand instead of pre-planning, because the NBA said if they had a one-week heads-up, they could have accommodated to make sure that this game is in primetime and receiving the eyeballs that it so fully deserves,” Ogwumike said on First Take, per a clip on X.
Regardless, the WNBA Finals continue. With an 80-69 victory in Game 6, the Dream are not ready to give up their first championship in a fourth Finals appearance. Now, an even harder task awaits Angel Reese and company, as the series will conclude with Game 7 at Ballhalla.