Contentious The WNBA owner that made the Caitlin Clark-Indiana Fever choice is referred to as a “liar.”
Larry Gottesdiener, the majority owner of the Atlanta Dream, has come under fire after the team’s WNBA game against Indiana Fever was relocated due to a “scheduling conflict.”
The face-off, which marks the Dream’s home opener on May 22, was slated to unfold at the Gateway Center Arena at College Park – a venue with room for 3,500 fans. In a twist, they’ll now play at the larger NBA-sized State Farm Arena – capable of hosting a whopping 16,888 attendees – instead.
Caitlin Clark, the rookie sensation, is the true draw, experts believe, as the venue switch mirrors last season’s trend where games featuring the Fever star were upgraded venue-wise to cash in on fervent ticket-buyers keen to catch the rising prodigy on the court.
The 23-year-old phenom didn’t just play ball last year – she smashed records left and right, boosting viewer stats on screens and packing stadiums, becoming a golden ticket for team coffers, while Gottesdiener sticks to his scheduling story.
“We have invested significant resources and energy into making Gateway Center Arena the most unique home-court experience in the WNBA,” he said in a press release Wednesday. “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.”
But not all fans are buying Gottesdiener’s story – they headed straight to X to spill their unfiltered thoughts. They didn’t hold back, with some directly accusing the majority owner of “lies.”
One fan was quick to comment: “It’s called The Caitlin Clark Effect.” In agreement, another stated: “Never trust someone who lies for no reason.” Yet another chimed in: “It’s was about making MORE MONEY… who y’all trying to fool.”
Notably, sports commentator Robin Lundberg also had something to say, remarking: “Very inconvenient for the Dream to have to sell 15,000 more tickets due to a scheduling conflict just as Caitlin Clark and the Fever come to town.”
In the previous season, the Dream saw an average crowd of 3,315 from 18 games held at the Gateway Center Arena. Interestingly, their two regular-season home matches against the Fever on June 21 and August 26 were relocated to the State Farm Arena, pulling in crowds of 17,575 and 17,608, respectively.