Stephen A Smith blasts WNBA for Dream arena situation

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The Atlanta Dream had run into a crossroads regarding Games 3 and 4 of the WNBA Finals as scheduling conflicts with the Atlanta Hawks had forced them back to Gateway Center Arena rather than the larger State Farm Arena. Following ongoing discussions, the Hawks and Dream organizations reached an agreement for the Dream to host Games 3 and 4 at State Farm. For some, like ESPN analyst Stephen A Smith, the entire ordeal was a failure on behalf of the WNBA itself.

“It’s the WNBA Finals, and we’re congratulating you cause you got an arena for the Atlanta Dream to play. You’ve got to be kidding me,” Smith said. “That’s a dereliction of duty … somebody wasn’t prepared, and I ain’t blaming the Atlanta Dream either.”

The Dream have played their home games at Gateway Center Arena, where the Hawks’ G League team, the College Park Skyhawks, also play their home games. They had hosted both regular season and playoff games at State Farm Arena this year, but due to the Hawks beginning the 2026-27 NBA season, the dates for the WNBA Finals had already occupied.

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Beginning with the 2027 WNBA season, the Dream will play all of their homes games at State Farm Arena.

This is the Dream’s first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013. From 2010-2013, the Dream made three Finals appearances but failed to win a championship. This year, the team defeated the Washington Mystics in the opening round of the playoffs, and then swept the New York Liberty in the semifinals to reach their fourth Finals appearance in franchise history.

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Related: WNBA Finals home games will be at State Farm Arena after all, with help from Hawks