WNBA Finals Game 6 Set for Noon Thursday
Scheduling conflicts with the Atlanta Hawks forced the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream to play at 12:30 p.m. ET, a time the Dream's owners criticized.
By Harper Collins ·
Game 6 of the 2026 WNBA Finals will tip off at 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday at State Farm Arena. The Golden State Valkyries lead the series 3-2 and seek their first franchise title against the Atlanta Dream, who need a win to stay alive. This midday start marks the first 12:30 p.m. game in the history of the expanded best-of-seven Finals format.
The unusual start time stems from scheduling conflicts at State Farm Arena, the primary home of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. The Dream are not yet the primary tenants at the 17,000-seat venue. They announced a multi-year deal to move their home games there starting in the 2027 season, but for the current 2026 season, their primary home remains Gateway Center Arena. Gateway Center holds 3,500 people and is the smallest arena in the WNBA.
Logistical complications arose because the Dream and the Hawks are owned by different groups. The Dream are owned by Larry and Robyn Gottesdiener, Suzanne Abair, and Renee Montgomery. The Hawks are owned by a group led by Tony Ressler. Although the franchises have collaborated, the separate ownership structures contributed to the scheduling challenges during this playoff run.
The league faced limited options for the date and time of Game 6. The Hawks play at home on both Wednesday and Thursday and are off on Friday. The WNBA could not move Game 6 to Wednesday because the Hawks host the Miami Heat that evening. Moving the Hawks' Thursday game against the Cleveland Cavaliers to the afternoon was blocked by the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, which requires teams to have at least 22 hours of rest between games.
Shifting the Hawks' Thursday game to Friday was technically possible but would have disrupted broadcast partners and teams. It would also have placed a non-NBA Cup game on a night reserved exclusively for Cup play. The league chose the Thursday afternoon slot at State Farm Arena to avoid a drastic reshuffling of the Finals schedule. The alternative options were playing at Gateway Center on Thursday night or moving Game 6 to Friday and Game 7 to Nov. 3.
The Dream's ownership group expressed dissatisfaction with the final decision in a letter sent to the city of Atlanta and fans on Tuesday. The owners stated that they raised concerns about potential arena conflicts months ago but felt the issues did not receive sufficient urgency. They noted that playing a midday game on a Thursday was not their preferred choice.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert defended the decision in a press release. She cited the sellout crowds and atmosphere at State Farm Arena during Games 3 and 4 as a success. Engelbert said the league is excited to give thousands more fans the opportunity to experience the title-deciding game. She thanked the NBA, both teams, the Hawks, the arena, and USA Network for their collaboration.
The Dream announced on Wednesday that Game 6 is a sellout. The ownership group wrote in their letter that the league may have assumed the Dream would not reach the Finals. They stated that the team earned its place and that the city deserved the opportunity to support its team at a championship game.
