WNBA Finals decider set for midday slot at State Farm Arena
Game 6 between the Dream and Valkyries will tip off at 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday to accommodate a later NBA game in the same building.
By Yasmin Kovalenko ·
The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries will play the decisive Game 6 of the WNBA Finals at 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 29, at State Farm Arena. The league announced the venue and time just hours before the tipoff of Game 5 on Monday night. The midday slot places the championship-clinching potential for East Coast fans during typical lunch hours and for West Coast fans during breakfast.
The scheduling conflict arose because a regular-season NBA game between the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers is already booked for that evening at State Farm Arena. The NBA game was moved from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. to allow time for the arena conversion. If the Dream or Valkyries win the championship in Game 6, the on-court celebration and media availability will need to conclude quickly to prepare the floor for the men's game. Reports indicate discussions are underway to move the celebration to a practice facility to avoid cutting the event short.
The Dream have used State Farm Arena, a 17,000-seat venue, for marquee games this season following the trade of Angel Reese to Atlanta in April. The team played five regular-season games and the first two playoff rounds there. Next year, State Farm Arena will become the Dream's permanent home. The league previously adjusted the schedule for this series, moving Game 3 to avoid a concert and setting Game 4 for 1 p.m. to fit around the Hawks' home opener against the Houston Rockets. Both of those games sold out.
Valkyries owner Joe Lacob commented on the logistics after the earlier schedule changes. The league and team owners faced a choice between holding the final game at the Dream's regular 3,500-seat Gateway Center at 8 p.m. or accepting the midday slot at the larger arena. Decision-makers chose the larger venue, likely to maximize media exposure, despite the logistical friction.
The 2026 season marks the 30th year of the WNBA and features the first new collective bargaining agreement. The final series pits the Dream, led by the emergence of Reese, against the Valkyries, a second-year expansion team that has drawn strong fan support. The series stands tied 2-2 entering Game 5.
Game 5 takes place Monday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The outcome will determine whether a champion is crowned in Atlanta on Thursday or if the series proceeds to a Game 7.
Source: CBS Sports
