With the Golden State Valkyries leading the Finals series 3-2, Thursday’s afternoon tipoff could be the Atlanta Dream’s answer to whether they lose it all or force Game 7. Such a stage, needless to say, is supposed to be the ultimate showcase for the league, its players, and the fans who have followed the journey all season. But the Dream has been stuck in a limbo.

Of course, no Dream fan was happy about only having 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena for a Finals game when the opponents played at an 18,000-seat Chase Center. From the outside, we saw that the team had to raise an urgent request for State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 as the dates collided with a Sombr’s concert and the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks’ home opener. We almost believed that the team never expected to reach the Finals. But the actual truth had been different all along, as we also predicted earlier this week. And now, the Dream management has come forward itself, pointing fingers where they actually belong.

“Two months ago, when the WNBA finalized playoff dates and times, we raised concerns that the W Finals schedule conflicted with NBA games at State Farm Arena,” an open letter from the Dream’s ownership stated. “As we moved through the playoffs, we reiterated those concerns. Our concerns did not receive the attention, nor the urgency that they deserved.

“Perhaps it was assumed that the Dream would not make it this far. Perhaps, our place in the Finals was not accounted for. Whatever the reason, the reality is that we are here. We earned our place in the Finals, and our city deserves the opportunity to show up for its team.

“Playing a midday game on a Thursday is not what we would have chosen and not what we fought for. And as much as we have great affection and nostalgia for Gateway Center Arena, we believed that our fans and the city wanted the opportunity to be a part of this historic series, and to see it played on a world-class stage. That meant State Farm Arena. We are grateful to everyone who helped make that possible, especially our partners – the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena – who stepped up by adjusting their schedule on the fly, not once, but three times.

“This is what Atlanta supporting Atlanta looks like.”

As we reported in our previous edition, the Dream had prepared for this very moment since this offseason. Its roster was strong and balanced, but a defensive presence was a gap, which was filled by Angel Reese’s trade with the Chicago Sky. Expectedly, the team’s trajectory has never looked better. So, while a Finals appearance could’ve looked like a pipe dream at the start of the regular season, it changed into a confirmation by the end of it. A historic postseason run with no losses until Game 1 of the Finals only added to that belief. The question was no longer about the team. It was about where they would host.

Everyone came along to make the ‘Dream’ work, yet one thing was amiss

The Dream have played all their postseason games this year at State Farm Arena, with the Atlanta fans showing up and showing out for their WNBA team. But the Finals became contentious, including a last-minute venue change in Games 3 and 4.

Those issues were resolved before the series tipped off, but the site of Game 6 was still in question.

The Hawks had their home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers set to tip off at 7 pm ET on October 29, which would clash with the Finals game. Ultimately, just a few days before Game 6 rolled around, all parties involved came to a solution, moving the WNBA game to earlier in the day, at 12:30 pm ET, while the Hawks game was set to begin an hour later than originally expected.

Everything worked out in the end, right? Wrong!

Unfortunately for fans, that means the game is during work hours. For the children, who adore the Dream players, with Angel Reese being one of the primary idols, the game was during school hours. Even Atlanta head coach Karl Smesko lamented after the timing was announced.

“I hope everyone gets to see it somehow, and I know for some people it’s not realistic — they have jobs and won’t be able to make it,” he said before Game 5. “I’m disappointed for that, but I’m hopeful as many people as possible can see the game.”

The Dream only hoped this wouldn’t be repeated, as they noted in their statement:

“We have built something special here, powered by our players, our fans, our partners, and a city that believes in what we are doing. We intend to keep building. We intend to keep winning. And we expect the opportunities, planning, and consideration afforded to us to reflect the level at which we compete.”

Atlanta has, indeed, shown up for Atlanta. The team statement, acknowledging what actually went wrong, only sparked the emotions on social media.

WNBA Fans Turn on League Management After Atlanta Dream’s Open Letter

Although the letter stops short of saying the league deliberately overlooked Atlanta, the wording of the announcement struck a nerve with fans who already felt that the team had not been given the attention it deserved.

“So…..the WNBA’s ‘plan’ was to hope the Dream got eliminated? I love this league so much!!!” one fan wrote.

Another user connected this incident to the continuing criticism of Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who is set to retire at the end of 2026. But may I take you back to the 2024 WNBA Finals moment that also brought a similar feeling?

If you remember, in the fifth and final game of the series between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx, despite the latter being the favorites, the Liberty showed up and won the WNBA title. While all that was fine, what really took away everyone’s attention was Engelbert’s dress.

She had a Brooklyn skyline print on her dress that also matched the Liberty’s black and white aesthetic and their ‘Explorer’ jersey for the night. Now, it could’ve been that she wore it because the game was being played at New York’s Barclays Center, but the coincidence was too uncanny. Fans didn’t mind calling her out then. They didn’t mind calling her out now.

“This is exactly why Cathy needs to go 😭😭😭🫠 SMHHHH,” they wrote.

For many fans, the issue went beyond that of a simple scheduling issue.

“This open letter is @AtlantaDream recognizing #WNBA has been trying to SABOTAGE & trying to humiliate them by making a SPECTACLE of the arena issue,” one such fan wrote.

Another user accused the league of trying to take attention away from Atlanta and credited Angel Reese with bringing the team national attention.

“Been knew the WNBA don’t care about the dream they thought they wouldn’t make the finals shout out Angel Reese for making this sh– happen sh– just exposing the wnba only care about certain teams they trying to turn this sh– to the nba,” they wrote.

One fan summed up the frustration by questioning the decision to hold a Finals game during the working day.

“What a joke the @WNBA has become to have its final game on a Thursday during lunchtime. #WNBAPlayoffs #WNBAjoke.”

Whether a sold-out house or not, the Dream will have to turn their focus back to the court. With the Valkyries leading the series 3-2, Atlanta needs a win to keep its championship hopes alive, even if the scheduling conflict threatens to overshadow everything.