Fans of the two‑year‑old Golden State Valkyries are already making plans for the early‑morning kickoff of Game 6 of the WNBA Finals. The championship‑deciding match will be played in Atlanta on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. Pacific time, a time chosen to accommodate a Hawks home game that night.
Local fans prepare for an early start
At the Chase Center, the atmosphere after Game 5 was electric. The crowd, decked out in lavender giveaway shirts, cheered the Valkyries to a 64‑55 win that gave them a 3‑2 series lead. Now, Bay Area supporters are figuring out how to be ready for a game that begins before most people’s workday.
“I will be taking time off of work that day, for sure,” said one female fan who plans to treat Thursday as a personal day. Another fan, who brings her children to games, expressed concern about the West Coast time slot but promised to make it work despite school drop‑offs.
Retirees said they will simply get up early and watch the game on television, while a couple of male fans admitted they will be tuning in from laptops at work, hoping to keep the noise level down.
Why the unusual start time?
The early start is the result of scheduling conflicts at State Farm Arena, the home of the Atlanta Hawks. The Dream, who normally play at Gateway Center Arena, have been using State Farm for playoff games because their regular venue only seats 3,500 for basketball. With a Hawks home game scheduled for the same night, league officials opted for a double‑header format, moving the WNBA Finals game to the morning.
Fans weigh in on the anthem controversy
While many fans are focused on the logistics of the early start, the national anthem walk‑out issue continues to generate discussion. “I don’t understand why we’re singing the national anthem before games to begin with,” said one female fan. “If they want to go back in the tunnel and regroup, great. We’ve been doing it for two seasons.”
Another fan argued that the players’ decision not to stand on the court does not reflect on their patriotism. “This is a non‑controversy that people are trying to make into a controversy,” he said.
Several supporters emphasized that standing for the anthem should be a personal choice. A retired military couple explained, “We stand, we put our hands on our hearts and we honor the flag. The players… are doing something to get ready for the game. If they stayed and saluted the flag during the anthem, I’d be fine with that too.”
WNBA rules do state that players should stand respectfully on the court while the anthem is played, but the league has not enforced that rule since 2017. One fan summed up the sentiment: “Maybe the national anthem means different things for different people. For me, as an American, I think about people who gave up their lives for us to be free, so that we could decide to stand or hide in the tunnel or sit down. It’s about respect.”
Game outlook
Golden State’s balanced offense featured double‑figure scoring from four players: Kiah Stokes and Veronica Burton each posted 13 points, while Tiffany Hayes and Cecilla Zandalasini contributed 12 each. Atlanta’s Angel Reese struggled offensively, scoring only seven points but pulling down 15 rebounds. Dream forward Rhyne Howard led all scorers with 20 points.
The Valkyries will look to capitalize on their momentum and close out the series on the road, while Bay Area fans hope their early‑morning dedication will help the team bring a championship home.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
