Craig Carton Criticizes WNBA Finals Scheduling Issues

Craig Carton, during Monday’s episode of “The Craig Carton Show,” criticized the WNBA’s handling of the Finals scheduling and venue issues involving the Atlanta Dream. Carton highlighted how scheduling conflicts at State Farm Arena forced championship games into a smaller venue.

Carton stated, “The WNBA Finals won’t take place at State Farm Arena when games are held in Atlanta.” This occurred because the arena management decided to book other events instead of holding dates for the potential WNBA Finals.

Carton pointed out that the Dream were displaced by a concert from “Sombr,” an artist unfamiliar to many, but who draws in significant crowds. “Sombr averages about 10,000 to 12,000 attendees per show. It’s notable since this crowd size still doesn’t fill the arena,” Carton said.

The Atlanta Dream is scheduled to play at Gateway Center Arena for the Finals. Carton deemed this venue a “glorified high school gym,” with a capacity of 3,500. He mentioned that alternatives within 30 miles could accommodate more fans.

Carton criticized the WNBA’s focus on creating narratives over fostering star players. He noted, “The league wants someone other than Caitlin Clark or Sophie Cunningham to be central. The recent games saw only about half a million viewers.”

Game 1 of the WNBA Finals is set for Saturday, Oct. 17.