WNBA Finals Game 6 Set for Thursday Afternoon at Atlanta's State Farm Arena
Photo: The Guardian USThe WNBA announced Monday that Game 6 of the Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries will be played Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The series is tied 2-2 after Golden State won Game 4 on Sunday, 67-62. Game 5 is Monday at 8 p.m. ET in San Francisco, and both teams are chasing a first title. Game 6 had been set for 8 p.m. at the Dream's 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena. The NBA's Hawks host the Cleveland Cavaliers at State Farm Arena that night, a game that could not be moved to another date or place, so the Hawks pushed their tip-off back an hour to 8 p.m. State Farm seats about 17,000 and hosted Games 3 and 4. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert thanked the NBA, both teams, the Hawks, the arena and USA Network. The move also keeps a potential Game 7 on Saturday.
Right-leaning outlets Fox News and the New York Post focus on the scramble. Fox opens with a mocking remark about Gateway Center, calls a weekday-afternoon finale less than ideal and suggests the league lacked a plan. The Post cites ESPN's description of "frantic discussions" and details the negotiations, including the Dream's search for other venues and a spokesperson's statement. Left-leaning outlets The Guardian and NPR are less critical. The Guardian leads with the start time, noting it is 9:30 a.m. for California fans, and quotes Dream guard Allisha Gray saying the hour does not matter, plus Engelbert's statement. NPR looks ahead to Game 5 momentum. All sides agree on the time, venue and Hawks accommodation. ESPN and CBS Sports report the same facts, and CBS adds series background.
How the sides differ Right sources stress the scheduling scramble and the awkward afternoon slot; left sources emphasize the time's effect on fans, player reaction and Game 5 stakes.
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The Guardian leads with the 12:30 p.m. start and its effect on West Coast fans, quoting Allisha Gray and Cathy Engelbert. NPR instead frames Game 5 stakes and momentum through an interview with writer Jordan Robinson.
ESPN gives a brief report of the Thursday matinee at State Farm Arena and the Hawks' later start. CBS Sports adds series context: the Game 4 score, Angel Reese's poor showing and each team's playoff path.
Fox News calls the afternoon slot less than ideal and questions the league's planning, opening with a jab at Gateway Center. The New York Post traces the negotiations, citing ESPN reporting and a Dream spokesperson.