Atlanta Dream leaving smallest arena for full-time State Farm Arena move next season
The Atlanta Dream are leaving the WNBA's smallest arena for a full-time home at State Farm Arena next season, according to sports.yahoo.com.
The Dream reached a multiyear deal with the venue to play all home games there. The specific length and financial terms of the deal are not confirmed.
The move ends the team's run at Gateway Center Arena, a roughly 3,500-seat venue in College Park, Georgia. That building was the smallest in the league.
Now the Dream are set to play in the same building as the Atlanta Hawks, a venue that holds roughly 17,000 fans.
WHAT HAPPENED
The Dream will play all 25 of their home games at State Farm Arena next season, part of the expanded 50-game WNBA slate coming next summer. That full-season commitment follows a steady build toward the larger building.
The team has sold out every game at Gateway Center Arena over the past three seasons, and according to the team, they have sold out State Farm Arena eight different times. This season alone, the Dream sold out five of six regular season home games at State Farm Arena, including two against the Las Vegas Aces and two against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
The demand was already there. The move simply makes State Farm Arena the permanent stage rather than a special occasion.
THE NUMBERS
State Farm Arena holds roughly 17,000 fans, more than four times the capacity of the 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena the Dream are leaving behind. That is the scale of the stage the franchise is stepping onto.
The growth behind the move is steep. The Dream say they have seen more than 400% growth in season ticket members over the past five years, and they have sold out every game at Gateway Center Arena for three straight seasons. The demand outgrew the building.
On the court, the numbers back up the shift in venue. The Dream made the playoffs for a fourth straight season this fall, and for the first time since 2018 they advanced out of the opening round, sweeping the Washington Mystics.
That postseason run is happening in the same building they will now call home full time. The Dream are hosting their WNBA semifinal games at State Farm Arena, though they are only selling lower bowl seats for those games due to what the team called a "quick turnaround to sell all tickets." The lower bowl seats about 8,800.
The regular season already hinted at what a full slate in the bigger building could look like. The Dream sold out five of six regular season home games at State Farm Arena this season, including two against the Las Vegas Aces and two against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. Eight total sellouts at the arena so far.
THE REACTION
Dream president and COO Morgan Shaw Parker framed the move as the natural result of what the franchise has built. "This is an exciting next chapter for the Atlanta Dream, and a direct reflection of the exciting style of play that is Dream basketball, the passion of our fans and the incredible growth of this franchise," Parker said in a statement.
Parker pointed to the atmosphere the team created in its old home. "Our players and our fans have transformed Gateway Center Arena into the most exciting experience in the WNBA," she said. "State Farm Arena gives us the opportunity to welcome thousands of additional fans while creating an even bigger stage for women's basketball in Atlanta."
She closed with a promise to carry the identity of the smaller venue into the bigger one. "We look forward to bringing the energy, traditions and spirit of Gateway with us to the heart of our city," Parker said.
The leadership's confidence is anchored in numbers the team has already posted. The Dream have sold out every game at Gateway Center Arena over the past three seasons, and they have sold out State Farm Arena eight different times. Season ticket membership has grown more than 400% over the past five years, according to the team.
The immediate test comes in the building they are adopting. The Dream beat the New York Liberty 92-82 in Game 1 of their semifinals series on Sunday at State Farm Arena, and they will host again on Wednesday. A return for Game 5 would follow next week if necessary, and a trip to the WNBA Finals would bring Games 3, 4 and 6 to their new home.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
The Dream will host the Liberty again on Wednesday at State Farm Arena, then would return for Game 5 next week if necessary. The team is selling only lower bowl seats for these semifinals home games, citing a "quick turnaround to sell all tickets," according to the team. That lower bowl seats about 8,800.
The outcome of the semifinals series is not yet determined, nor is any Finals appearance. Should the Dream advance, they would host Games 3, 4 and 6 of the WNBA Finals in their new full-time home.
Their current run is already testing the building's bigger stage. The Dream beat the New York Liberty 92-82 in Game 1 on Sunday, a result that gives them an early edge in a best-of-five series. A win Wednesday would send them to the brink of the Finals; a loss would force the series back to New York.
Either way, the arena transition is already underway. The Dream have sold out State Farm Arena eight different times, and sold out five of six regular season home games there this season, per the team. The full move next season brings all 25 home games to the 17,000-seat venue, part of the WNBA's expanded 50-game slate.
For now, the focus stays on the semifinals. Wednesday's game is the next concrete step, with a potential Game 5 looming next week and Finals dates already mapped out.
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