The Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream in Game 4 to tie the WNBA Finals at 2-2, but State Farm Arena is booked for a Hawks-Cavaliers game that day.
The Valkyries topped the Dream on Saturday to even the WNBA Finals at 2-2, setting up a Game 6 back in Atlanta. The catch: nobody knows yet where or when it will actually be played.
State Farm Arena, where the Dream have hosted all five of their home playoff games this postseason, is already booked that day for a game between the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers. That leaves the WNBA scrambling to sort out a scheduling conflict with the Finals on the line.
A Dream spokesperson told Front Office Sports that, barring a schedule change from the league, the team will instead host Game 6 at Gateway Center Arena, which seats 3,500 compared to State Farm's 17,000. The team says it is waiting on the league to make a final call. One source described the situation as "status quo" for now, while another confirmed the league has not yet decided on scheduling or venue.
It is an awkward problem for a league riding high on a Finals that has gone the distance, and it leaves fans uncertain whether they will be watching from a massive arena or a much smaller room. A decision from the WNBA is expected before Game 6 tips off.