Atlanta Dream shift matchups with Fever to NBA arena, giving more fans opportunity to watch Caitlin Clark
The Dream have not shared an arena with the Hawks since the 2019 season
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Atlanta Dream are scheduled to host Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever two times later this season.
The Dream currently play home games at the smallest arena in the WNBA. The franchise's leadership did not appear confident that the Gateway Center Arena had the capacity to meet the demand that Clark will likely bring when she visits Atlanta in the summer.
On Thursday, the Dream announced plans to move back to its former home – State Farm Arena – when the team hosts the Fever on June 21 and Aug. 26. The Dream originally shared the arena with the Atlanta Hawks, but began playing at their current home in 2021.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark drives on Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray in Indianapolis, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Gateway Center Arena seats an estimated 3.500 fans for Dream games, while State Farm Arena can easily accommodate more than 17,000.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Atlanta Dream fans are the best in the WNBA," Dream President and COO Morgan Shaw Parker said in a statement. "Their passion and excitement led us to the most sellouts in the league over the last two years and has created a demand for tickets that far outpaces the supply inside our current arena, which is why we wanted to find a way to give more fans access to experience these two games. We’re thrilled to work with State Farm Arena and the Atlanta Hawks to create a truly special environment."
Clark led the Iowa Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship game appearances, losing to LSU in 2023 and South Carolina in April. She finished her college basketball career as the NCAA Division I's all-time leading scorer and was a two-time Naismith College Player of the Year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}State Farm Arena on Jan. 1, 2021, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Clark was the top overall pick in last month's WNBA Draft. The Dream's matchup with the Fever will feature three of the league's last No. 1 overall draft picks.
Former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston was the first player selected in the 2023 WNBA Draft, while the Dream picked Rhyne Howard at the top of the 2022 draft.
The Atlanta Dream logo appears at a New York Liberty game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 13, 2023. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Dream head coach Tanisha Wright expressed excitement about fans having the opportunity to watch the team in a different environment.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We are excited to welcome our loyal Dream fan base, along with new fans, to State Farm Arena," Dream coach Tanisha Wright said in a statement. "We want to create the ultimate home court advantage and pack the house with red and blue as we work toward another playoff push this year."
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Last month, the Dream became just the second team in league history to sell out its season ticket allotment.
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