ATLANTA – Basketball fans across the city are packing local establishments this weekend as the Atlanta Dream prepares to launch into Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday afternoon.
Atlanta Dream watch parties
What we know:
The Atlanta Dream released a list of official watch party locations on Friday to help fans rally together across the city. A dozen local venues will host supporters cheering on the team as the WNBA Finals begin.
Participating locations include Jolene Jolene, the city’s first bar dedicated to showing women’s sports. The venue plans to hand out rally towels and other team merchandise throughout Saturday’s game.
Excitement is also taking over major city landmarks ahead of the series. The Atlanta airport and the World Congress Center will light up blue on Friday night to celebrate the team.
Unannounced playoff game details
What we don’t know:
Officials have not yet released the complete list naming the other 11 watch party locations across the Atlanta area.
Team representatives also have not confirmed ticket availability or pricing for games 3 and 4 in Atlanta.
Local fans share excitement
What they’re saying:
Business leaders say the postseason run has energized the local hospitality scene. Jolene Jolene General Manager Kelsey Numun noted the playoff berth allowed her team to live out their dream.
“We are so so so excited that our girls are having this great of a season,” Numun said.
A steady lunch crowd arrived Friday afternoon, but Numun expects an even bigger turnout on Saturday. “Playoff run has been a lot of fun here,” Numun said.
“We get great turnouts for all our games, even before they got into the playoffs,” Numun said. “People come here to watch the dream.”
“We are doing everything we can to make sure that we’re giving these people here the best experience that they can have here, making it close as we can get to being in the arena while they’re away,” Numun said.
The energy is attracting fans from outside the state to join local watch parties. Lena Abdoli, an Atlanta Dream fan visiting from Birmingham, Alabama, said the city’s enthusiasm is obvious.
“Sitting here, I’m in Jolene, and I see the Atlanta Dream,” Abdoli said. “There’s three people looking at me right now, representing their jersey.”
“So it’s a it’s an energy that you just is palpable,” Abdoli said.
Abdoli added that she hopes to land tickets when the championship series comes to Atlanta for games 3 and 4. “. The first chance that we can get tickets, we’re getting them,” Abdoli said.
“We’re gonna get them today,” Abdoli said. “We’re gonna come back next week and enjoy it.”
Historic women sports bar
The backstory:
Jolene Jolene opened earlier this year as the first bar in Atlanta dedicated specifically to broadcasting women’s sports. The team’s historic season has provided major momentum to the young business.
“Just been really great as far as community, as far as us as a new business being able to build and gain this great crowd right away,” Numun said. “So we’ve been having a lot of fun with the season in general, and especially with the playoff run.”
WNBA Finals tipoff schedule
What’s next:
Game 1 of the WNBA Finals tips off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Fans planning to attend watch parties can visit Jolene Jolene and other local gathering spots ahead of tipoff.
The finals will shift to Atlanta for games 3 and 4 next week. Supporters are already preparing to buy tickets as soon as sales open to welcome the team back home.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Hernan Gutierrez, who visited Jolene Jolene in Atlanta to interview General Manager Kelsey Numun and patron Lena Abdoli, as well as official announcements from the Atlanta Dream.