Dream Owners Call WNBA Lunchtime Finals Move a Disrespect

The Atlanta Dream are set to play a championship game at noon on Thursday, a time slot that has sparked a public dispute between the team and the WNBA. The team faces the Golden State Valkyries at 12:30 p.m. ET on October 29 at State Farm Arena. This start time is four and a half hours earlier than originally planned. The game was initially scheduled for 8 p.m. The league changed the time to make room for an Atlanta Hawks NBA game at the same venue later that evening.

The Dream’s ownership group released an open letter to fans detailing their frustration. The owners stated that they raised concerns about potential scheduling conflicts with the NBA two months ago. They argued the league did not treat those concerns with enough urgency before finalizing the Finals schedule. The letter questioned if the WNBA fully considered the possibility that Atlanta would reach the championship series. The owners suggested the league may not have expected the Dream to advance this far. They noted the team might not have been included in the initial scheduling plans for the Finals.

The ownership group emphasized that the Dream are in the Finals regardless of the league’s expectations. "Whatever the reason, the reality is that we are here," the owners wrote in the letter. They expressed disappointment with the decision to move the game to the afternoon. The owners also acknowledged the efforts of the Hawks and State Farm Arena. They noted that the NBA team and the venue adjusted their schedules three times to accommodate the Finals. The letter thanked the partners for those changes while maintaining dissatisfaction with the final outcome.

The scheduling choice has drawn attention from figures outside the basketball world. Rapper Flavor Flav responded to the unusual weekday start by proposing a solution. He suggested that Thursday become a paid holiday so fans can watch the game. Flav shared a mock letter on social media asking employers to allow workers to take the day off. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton added her voice to the proposal. She responded to Flav’s message on social media with the words: "I endorse this message."

The Dream’s challenge to the league’s decision highlights the tension between sharing a venue with an NBA team and maximizing attendance for a women’s professional championship. The owners’ letter serves as a formal record of their prior communication with the league. It documents the timeline of when concerns were raised and how the final schedule was determined. The team is preparing to play a high-stakes game in front of a lunchtime crowd. The outcome of the series will determine the league champion, but the scheduling battle has already generated national conversation about the value and visibility of the sport.