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“Bittersweet Moment”: Angel Reese Makes Feelings Clear After Atlanta Dream Moves Finals Venue to the State Farm Arena

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese expressed mixed emotions as the team announced plans to relocate its WNBA Finals home games from Gateway Arena to the larger State Farm Arena. The shift, necessitated by the need for additional seating capacity—Gateway holds just 3,500 fans compared to State Farm’s 17,000—aims to accommodate the Dream’s surging fanbase during their championship run.

Reese, who has grown attached to Gateway’s intimate setting, acknowledged the emotional weight of the change, noting the arena’s unique atmosphere and the community gatherings that have defined her time there. Despite the bittersweet nature of leaving Gateway, she welcomed the opportunity to host Finals games in a venue capable of drawing bigger crowds, including high-profile supporters and celebrities.

Logistical hurdles initially threatened to derail the move, as scheduling conflicts with a Sombr concert and NBA games at State Farm forced adjustments. The Dream ultimately secured Games 3 and 4 at the arena, with dates and times shifted to avoid clashes—Game 3 now set for October 21 and Game 4 moved to an earlier start time.

Team president Morgan Shaw Parker led efforts to finalize the venue, exploring alternatives like Gas South Arena and Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion before settling on State Farm after negotiations with stakeholders resolved the scheduling issues.

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