Atlanta Dream host WNBA Finals Game 3 at State Farm Arena

Game three of the WNBA finals are right in our backyard tonight at 8 p.m. The series tied one to one as the Atlanta Dream dream for the WNBA championship. Our Fox 5 Atlanta producer and go to dream expert. And I'm told I have to say our dream girl joins us now. Brandilyn Helms with all the details about what people need to know ahead of tip off tonight. I am so glad you're here, Brandilyn, because you literally know everything about the dream. Well, almost everything. Almost everything. So what you got, Tyler? What you want to chat about first? Okay. So tip-off is tonight at 8. State Farm Arena. I know for a couple weeks we were questioning where this was going to be happening if the Dream made it to the WNBA Finals. They ended up deciding that State Farm Arena was going to be playing host for Game 3 and 4. We're looking live at it right now. What should people know? Obviously, it starts at 8. Gates open or doors open at 6.30. People need to wear blue. Just give us the lay of the land. Yeah, so everything you just said, tip-off is at 8, but the team and the staff are really asking that anyone who plans to be in the arena tonight, please get there on time. We know we have to fight Atlanta traffic a lot, but if you can, ride MARTA. Take an Uber, but they want you to get there on time because they want you there loud and proud when the ball goes up in the air so you can cheer those girls on and they can get the ball rolling, no pun intended, early. and go ahead and jump that lead out are you going um i don't know yet you don't know yet no are we asking like right now live for the dream to give you a ticket or something hey i you said it not me so how are you feeling going into this game obviously the series is tied one to one uh they were able to even it up in game two so that's big news i mean the fact that they're coming home you get the home court advantage hopefully with all the cheering fans i mean how you feeling well that's the biggest thing you said it right um being at home in Atlanta it's different when your home crowd is there because you hear that and then it starts to give you momentum it starts to give you something to fight for and i think them being at State Farm Arena tonight and then they opened up the entire arena um that's from the floor all the way up to the upper deck and being able to sell that out and you just hear that crowd i think that will work to their advantage um for both games and i know we have to focus on one game at a time but i really think um they're going to pull through and they'll be fine tonight and so i'm hearing that if people are going to be at the game at State Farm Arena first and fourth quarters they're telling people to stay standing what are we in college football you have to be at the stadium standing the entire time what's that about no so they do not want you to sit down until after they score their first bucket in the first quarter so first quarter stand stand be loud cheer and as soon as we get that first basket whether it's a layup a three-point shot a free throw then we can sit down that just kind of gives them the momentum and the energy and they know that hey our fans are here and they want us to do great but it's also the same thing for the fourth quarter so first and fourth quarter remain standing until they get that first bucket of the quarter then you can sit down okay um and so i mean i would love to see the shot inside the stadium like panning across seeing everyone standing because obviously i mean golden state's going to have some people out here from california but you're the hometown stadium hometown crowd i'm sure you're going to have a lot of hometown supporters here cheering on the dream and all the girls absolutely you mentioned it earlier that so many people were in the comments um saying go dream because this of course is a historic run That win on Monday was the first win ever for the franchise in the finals. So that alone to me and to other fans has set the tone for what to expect and how they can really continue to rally on and be the first to four to win the entire thing. So obviously this is the best of six, best of seven. If we get to reach a game six, do we know where that might be played? So game six, it will be in Atlanta. If we get to six, um, But it has not been said yet what venue it will be. We just know that it will be here in the city. I'm sure that the front office, the Atlanta Dream front office, is just waiting to see if we get to that point. Fingers crossed we end it at five and don't even have to worry about a game six. But right now, we don't have an exact venue if that does get to a game six. And they found a way to be able to make State Farm Arena work, even with the Hawks playing. They're doing essentially a doubleheader dream early in the day. and the hawks later on uh for their home opener as well for the season opener for the hawks so obviously with uh tonight's game there's only a certain number of tickets a certain number of seats inside the actual stadium for you to be able to cheer them on in person but we know that there's also going to be watch parties what can you tell us about some of the watch parties that are happening and are they similar to the last couple we've seen yeah so um the Atlanta Dream have partnered with a lot of different restaurants and venues across metro Atlanta where for each game there will be a watch party um i understand that um one of them is Jolene Jolene and i do believe that we have our photojournalist Eli Jordan out there now yeah let's see if you can join us Eli i think you're at one of the places where people can go out what can you tell us about what's going to be happening tonight what should people know uh if they're planning to be out there oh well i'll tell you what it's a sold out arena tonight over at State Farm Arena so you can't get any tickets and so the next place the best place to be would be here over at Jolene Jolene a bar for women's sports and they've been watching the Dream play for the past over the weekend Saturday was not good Monday was a heck of a lot better and now that we have a home game with the Golden State Valkyries coming to Atlanta and the Dream played on the home court well it's going to be crazy off the hook and all that and joining me right now is the owner of Jolene Jolene Chelsea Fisher Fishman Chelsea thanks for joining us first of all yeah thanks and so you know you couldn't have planned this more perfectly I mean you you haven't even been open to six months and you already have women's professional team in a national championship and you know you're hosting it up big time what's it been like the past couple you know game nights here uh I it's been incredible and I mean I don't want to say it's a coincidence that we're in the finals the same year that Jolene Jolene has opened but there's something there um but no the games have been incredible the community here around the Dream and in Atlanta is just it's electric now now that we have a home game uh they're coming in here and I expect you'll probably just still have such a big crowd everything but I mean does that kind of amp it up the vibe around here a little bit more because I know all these TVs are going to have you know Atlanta Dream and the Valkyries on um just tell me I mean just them playing at home amp up the vibe a little bit more for sure i mean it's a home game with the home team and we are just so excited about everything that this team has done and i mean this run has just been so exciting and it's so fun to see uh this team that we've all loved uh just hit the biggest stage that they can hit so it's an eight o'clock game what would you advise people about showing up here because i'm pretty sure it's going to be rather crowded you got a lot of space here you even got it upstairs but you know games like this it gets crowded yes it gets crowded uh i tell people if you're going to come and you want a seat to come at least two hours early. But we do have standing room, and that's equally as fun. But we will hit capacity, and at that point, you're taking your chance. So you hit capacity this past weekend, didn't you? Yes. Were you surprised about the turnout, or were you pretty much expecting it? No, it's exactly what I expected. I mean, people are so excited about this team, and being here is the next best thing to being at the game. And it's just, you know, the energy that comes from watching the game with fellow fans is really fun. And we even get some Valkyries fans, you know, trickle in, which they're very welcome to come. And it's fun to kind of have that friendly trash talk. And so is it kind of like you sit up at night thinking how great this is, you know, worked out, not even open six months. And we have like the biggest women's professional sports team in Atlanta going to the championship game. Yeah, it's pretty surreal. I mean, it's been my dream for, you know, no pun intended, but, yeah, to have a space that champions and celebrates these athletes the way they've always deserved, it feels really special. So we're having a blast. Well, it's going to get a lot more crowded as the game time approaches. Chelsea Fishman, thank you so much for your time. Thank you. And we'll be out here for the afternoon and kind of kicking up the team spirit for the Atlanta Dream hosting the Golden State Valkyries over at State Farm Arena. Sold out game, but come on down here to Jolene, Jolene, and Kirkwood, and you can watch it tonight, 8 p.m. That is going to be a great place to go if you want to be able to catch the Atlanta Dream. You can't make it inside of State Farm Arena. Eli Jordan will check in with you a little bit later on this afternoon as we learn more about the watch parties going on throughout our area. As we come back into our newsroom now, Brenna Lynn Hellams continues to stay with me here to talk about the Atlanta Dream. So we talked about the fans now. Let's talk about the players. I heard that we were able to hear from them recently just ahead of Game 3. Yeah, absolutely. Of course, Monday night, Angel Reese had a historic night, 30 points, 16 boards. But, again, the players really are excited about being at home, want you to be there loud and proud. And we spoke with Alicia Gray, and we can hear what she has to say to the fans. Home court advantage means a lot. I mean, you've seen the proof of involvement, like, when they were scoring, like, they got really loud, and, like, you could barely hear them there. So, I just know the same thing our fans are going to do for us tonight. I mean, you just feed off that energy. Like, you can be going on the run, then when the crowd is still, it just gives you a new burst of energy, and it just makes the game fun. Yeah, it's going to be, I mean, we're going to watch and see how all this goes. Hopefully, the fans give them the extra boost they need. Let's take it the series 2-1. I mean, that would be nice to get us ahead. Obviously, Game 4 is going to be here as well. any final thoughts what do you want people to know yeah i just want to remind everyone like they said before please get there on time the doors open at 6 30 so you can get there as early as then but just make sure you are in your seat at 8 p.m because they want you there as soon as the game starts to give them that energy wear blue grab the shirt that is on the seat please put the shirt on we know everyone wants to look nice for the game but put on your shirt to show the support for those ladies be loud be proud stand until they get their first bucket in the first and the fourth quarter and then when we win at the end dubs in the chat go dream but in like the blue shirt i mean just put it on i mean it can prove you were actually at game yeah you don't have to like kind of like try to Photoshop or use AI to come up with an image no you have the actual living proof that shirt uh Brandon I really appreciate you joining us I like these chats And hopefully we continue talking about the dream as they make their way, hopefully, to that WNBA championship, hold that trophy. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you, Tyler. Brandon thanks so much.