Editorial illustration. It does not depict the actual game or the ownership letter.
SPORTS NEWS
Atlanta Dream owners Larry and Robyn Gottesdiener, Suzanne Abair and Renee Montgomery published an open letter to fans on October 27 criticizing the WNBA over the schedule for Finals Game 6. The Dream trail the Golden State Valkyries 3-2 and need a win to force a seventh game. Game 6 is set for Thursday, October 29, at 12:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena.
The afternoon start replaces an originally scheduled evening tip. The change has drawn attention from fans and public figures as the teams approach a decisive point in the series. Here is what the owners said, what is known about the scheduling change and what is at stake Thursday.
What the owners said
In the letter, the owners said they raised concerns with the league two months ago, when playoff dates and times were finalized, because the schedule conflicted with NBA games at State Farm Arena. They said they repeated those concerns as the Dream advanced through the playoffs.
The owners wrote that their concerns “did not receive the attention they deserved.” They also stated: “Perhaps it was assumed that the Dream would not make it this far. Perhaps our place in the Finals was not accounted for.”
Those statements reflect the owners’ account of their discussions and their view of how the scheduling concerns were handled. The letter does not change the published Game 6 time. Yahoo Sports and USA Today reported on the letter and its account of the concerns.
The owners also described why the Finals are being played at State Farm Arena rather than Gateway Center Arena, the Dream’s regular-season venue. In the letter, they said they wanted Atlanta fans to have the opportunity to see the Finals in a larger setting. They wrote that a Thursday midday game was not what they would have chosen, while also expressing appreciation for the partners who helped make the series possible in Atlanta.
Game 6 schedule and arena adjustments
Game 6 is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET Thursday at State Farm Arena. The game was moved from its original 8 p.m. start to accommodate the Atlanta Hawks-Cleveland Cavaliers game scheduled for that evening, according to reporting by CNBC.
The owners thanked the Hawks and State Farm Arena for adjusting their schedules three times during the Finals. That count comes from the owners’ letter. The scheduling changes allowed the Dream to play the Finals at State Farm Arena while the Hawks also had games booked at the venue.
The letter’s comments about the schedule and the venue are the ownership group’s account. CBS News Atlanta and WSB-TV also reported on the owners’ concerns and the Game 6 start time.
The daytime tip means the game begins during the middle of a Thursday workday for many Atlanta residents. The time is the main practical detail for fans planning to attend or watch, while the Hawks-Cavaliers game remains scheduled for that evening.
Public reactions to the daytime tip
CNBC reported that Flavor Flav proposed making Thursday a paid holiday so fans could watch, and that he shared a mock permission slip; Hillary Clinton endorsed the idea on social media.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens separately asked employers and educators to offer flexibility so employees and students could watch or support the Dream, according to CBS News Atlanta. Those responses address the daytime timing, while the owners’ letter focused on the scheduling concerns they said they raised with the league.
What is at stake Thursday
The Dream enter Game 6 down 3-2 in the best-of-seven Finals. They must win Thursday to extend the series to Game 7. The Valkyries can secure the championship with a win, as CBS Sports reported.
For Atlanta, Thursday’s game combines a championship-series moment with a midday tip at the city’s major arena. The owners’ letter raises questions about how the schedule was handled from their perspective. The game details themselves are set: tipoff is 12:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena, with the Dream needing a win to continue the series.
This is breaking sports news with a clear immediate update for fans: Game 6 takes place Thursday afternoon, not in its original evening slot. The ownership letter and the public reactions have added to attention around the scheduling change, but the series remains 3-2 heading into play.
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Based on published reporting from CNBC, Yahoo Sports, WSB-TV, CBS News Atlanta, USA Today and CBS Sports. Atlanta Wave TV is not credentialed and is not attending. Information current as of October 28, 2026.
