The Atlanta Dream’s ownership group is making sure the WNBA knows exactly where it stands after the Finals scheduling scramble, and they did it in public.
In an open letter to Atlanta fans, Larry Gottesdiener, Robyn Gottesdiener, Suzanne Abair and Renee Montgomery said the team had already flagged the problem long before Thursday’s Game Six was pushed to 12:30 p.m. E.T. at State Farm Arena on October 29, 2026. The issue, they said, was the conflict between the WNBA Finals and NBA games in the same building.
“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. As we moved through the playoffs, we reiterated those concerns. Our concerns did not receive the attention, nor the urgency, they deserved,” excerpt from the Dream’s open letter to fans addressing the Game Six scheduling controversy.
The move left fans frustrated, especially with the Dream still trying to settle on a venue for a championship game that suddenly became an early-afternoon weekday tip. A person with direct knowledge of the situation told USA Today Sports that Atlanta was the only playoff team sharing its city with an NBA team.
The Hawks had back-to-back home games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, and they planned to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Game Six day at 8 p.m. E.T.
State Farm Arena’s size is part of the reason the situation became so messy. The building holds 17,000 fans, almost five times the capacity of Gateway Center Arena.
“Playing a midday game on a Thursday is not what we would have chosen and not what we fought for,” the Dream ownership continued in the open letter to disappointed fans.
They also suggested the schedule may have been built with less than full confidence in Atlanta getting this far.
“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.”
There was still gratitude threaded through the frustration. Gottesdiener, Gottesdiener, Abair and Montgomery thanked supporters who have stuck with the team through the shifting dates, times and venues.
“Thank you for showing up, showing out, and supporting the Atlanta Dream. Thank you for your patience, your flexibility, and your willingness to navigate all the hurdles being placed in front of us.”
They added: “This postseason has asked a lot of our fans, our partners, our players, and our city. But ATL knows how to handle adversity.
It’s what we do. And once again, the city and our fans will fill the building.
On a workday. On a school day.
In the early afternoon. We do not take that support for granted.
Thursday’s Game Six was not the first scheduling headache in this Finals run. Games Three and Four had also been moved from Gateway Center Arena, which seats 3,500, to State Farm Arena even though the Dream played most of their regular-season home games there.
Game Three had to be shifted because State Farm Arena was set to host a Sombr concert on the original date. That game was moved from October 22, 2026, to October 21, 2026.
Then Game Four had its own conflict with a Hawks game, forcing a change from its original 3:30 p.m. tipoff on October 24, 2026, to 1 p.m. E.T.
Dream coach Karl Smesko had already voiced concerns about the impact on fans, noting that school and work would keep many from attending the weekday afternoon Game Six. Fan reaction to the chaos has been divided, with some blaming WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and others criticizing the Dream for making the issue public.
At the heart of it all is the split ownership setup. The Hawks control State Farm Arena, while the Dream are tenants in a building they do not run.
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