Joe Lacob just did the right thing when it mattered most. The Golden State Valkyries owner stepped in and forced the WNBA to move the Atlanta Dream’s Finals games out of a tiny 3,500-seat arena. This was not a polite request. It was a demand to save the league’s image from looking bad on national television.
Per HITC, the Dream were originally set to host Games 3 and 4 at the Gateway Centre Arena. That venue holds just 3,500 fans. Meanwhile, Lacob’s own team draws sellout crowds of 18,064 at Chase Center, known as Ballhalla during Valkyries games. The contrast would have been embarrassing for the league. Lacob made sure that did not happen.
Lacob Pressured The League Hard
Lacob told The Associated Press that he pushed the commissioners to fix the problem. He knew the optics were terrible. “I put quite a bit of pressure on the commissioner of the NBA and the WNBA,” Lacob said. Look, I felt the focus isn’t truly on us but rather on the league. Having 18,000 fans at Ballhalla and 3,500 elsewhere would not look very good. That is the kind of leadership the sports world needs more of.
The WNBA agreed to move the games to State Farm Arena. That building seats 17,044 people. It is the home of the Atlanta Hawks. This change ensures the finals get the crowd they deserve. Yahoo Sports reported that the schedule shifted to make it work. Game 3 now happens on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Game 4 moves to Saturday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. ET to avoid a conflict with the Hawks’ opener.
Atlanta Gets The Stage It Needs
The Hawks organization wants the Dream to succeed. Andrew Saltzman, who serves as the Hawks’ president of business enterprise, stated they desired the Dream to occupy the larger building during its championship run. “Playing for a championship is special, and we want the Dream to feel the full support of the city during this amazing run,” Saltzman said. This move shows the NBA and WNBA can work together when the stakes are high.
Valkyries forward Kiah Stokes thinks the timing is perfect. She told The Associated Press that seeing the vision come to fruition in Year 2 is amazing. “It’s pretty special. We’re looking forward to the finals,” Stokes said. The Dream will now play in front of 17,000 fans instead of 3,500. That is a massive difference for a title chase.
One Game Left To Watch
There is still one potential snag. Game 6, if needed, is still scheduled for the small Gateway Centre Arena. But that is unlikely to be a problem. The WNBA has shown it can solve these issues quickly. The league moved two games to a bigger building in just a few days. They will find a solution for Game 6 if it comes down to it.
This story proves that owners with a big vision can change the game. Lacob could have stayed quiet. He could have let the league look small. Instead, he demanded a better standard for the finals. The fans in Atlanta will get the arena they need.
