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Fever Fans Roast Atlanta Dream Owner's Excuse for Venue Upgrade

Indiana Fever fans are poking holes in the Atlanta Dream owner's suspect explanation for changing the venue of their May 22 WNBA game.
Grant Young|
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates a three-point basket Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates a three-point basket Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever's unprecedented drawing power was proven once again on Wednesday, they it was announced that the Atlanta Dream's 2025 WNBA season home opener game against the Fever on May 22 was getting moved from the team's typical Gateway Center Arena at College Park venue (which only seats 3,500 people) to State Farm Arena, which seats 16,888.

There's little doubt among fans that the massive audiences Clark and the Fever draw were the reason behind this change. However, Atlanta Dream Majority Owner Larry Gottesdiener would seemingly beg to differ, as he was quoted in a March 12 press release regarding this venue upgrade saying, “We have invested significant resources and energy into making Gateway Center Arena the most unique home-court experience in the WNBA.

"However, due to a scheduling conflict at Gateway, we saw an opportunity to bring this exciting early-season matchup to State Farm Arena, allowing even more fans to experience it. We appreciate the hospitality,” he added.

Fever fans aren't feeling convinced that a "scheduling conflict" was the real reason for this venue change, which they're making clear on social media.

Sports reporter Rachel DeMita responded to the above X post by saying, "the way I just.... "scheduling conflict" okay sir."

"they’re so pressed that they’re out there calling #DaFace a 'scheduling conflict' lmaooo," a third added along with a photo of Clark drinking out of a straw with a sly face.

Another fan hilariously pulled out the receipts, showing a screenshot of there being no current May 22 booking for Gateway Center Arena at College Park and writing, "Yet when you go to the Gateway website and click on May 22, you get this. Clark Derangement Syndrome strikes another WNBA owner."

It's worth noting that the Dream also moved both of their 2024 home games against the Fever to State Farm Arena. Perhaps there were "scheduling conflicts" on those nights, too.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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