ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Demand has hit an all-time high for the Atlanta Dream as the squad sold out their season ticket allotment this spring.
Thus far this season, the Gateway Center Arena has been packed with people, with sellout crowds on hand for every home game.
This has brought joy to Jeanne Mannings, who sits in section 107.
“It’s good to see Atlanta get a product that people will buy into,” she said.
Mannings has been a season ticket holder since the Dream first arrived in Atlanta in 2008.
“This team brings a vision for young girls and women to see what Atlanta can produce and provide,” she said.
Sitting courtside each night is Markesha Henderson, who has watched the women’s game grow.
“The NBA had a 50 year head start over the WNBA,” she explained. “If you think about where the NBA was at this time, that is when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was coming into the league.”
With the WNBA’s popularity as an all-time high, Henderson believes its inspiring the next generation of women.
“In the WNBA, you see women owners, women presidents and women executives in the sports industry,” she said. “That’s also equally encouraging.”
Over in section 116, Ronnie and Sharon Fleetwood say the energy in the arena is unlike anything they’ve seen since 2009, when they first started going to games.
“The fans are excited, the city is excited and we all hungry for a winner,” Ronnie said.
This year, the Dream became only the second team in league history to sell out their season ticket allotment. The Gateway Center Arena seats 3,500 people, one of the smallest venues in the WNBA.
“People are finally realizing that we have something good here and people need to come see it,” Fleetwood concluded.
RELATED STORIES
Atlanta Dream star makes Team USA, headed to Paris for Olympic Games
Want Atlanta Dream tickets? Stay off social media and buy legit
Atlanta Dream hosting Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever at State Farm Arena
StubHub: Atlanta Dream among most popular tickets in WNBA
Ticket sales soar as Atlanta Dream host Indiana Fever at State Farm Arena
How to watch the Atlanta Dream on PeachtreeTV
Copyright 2024 WANF. All rights reserved.
Atlanta hosts its final FIFA World Cup match today as England and Argentina face off in a highly anticipated semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
While thousands of fans are expected to pack the stadium in downtown Atlanta once again, local leaders say the tournament’s impact is already being felt far beyond the pitch.
Before the World Cup began, the Metro Atlanta Chamber projected the tournament could generate more than $503 million in economic activity across Georgia. An Emory University study also estimated Decatur’s month-long WatchFest could contribute up to $142 million to the local economy.
Officials across metro Atlanta are still compiling final attendance and economic data, but early signs point to a busy tournament.
Visitors from around the world have spent weeks exploring Atlanta attractions, dining at local restaurants and attending the FIFA Fan Festival.
“It’s better than I anticipated,” said one visitor from Lagos, Nigeria. “Everyone is super nice, very friendly. The energy is … I feel like I could bottle it. I don’t want it to end.”
The tournament has also created lasting memories for local families.
Former professional baseball player Paul Byrd attended the World Cup with his son, Colby, whose passion for soccer inspired the outing.
“First of all, I’m a baseball player,” Byrd said. “Put my son in left field, he’s talking to the rabbits. He said baseball’s boring. He loves soccer. That’s why we’re here. The World Cup in Atlanta, we’re showing out. It feels like a World Series for me.”
While today’s semifinal marks Atlanta’s final match of the tournament, local leaders say the World Cup’s full impact will take time to measure as communities continue calculating attendance, tourism, and business activity generated over the past several weeks.
England and Argentina kick off Wednesday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with the winner advancing to the FIFA World Cup.
Detroit’s air quality early Thursday ranked as hazardous, worst in the world
‘It was a scene from the Titanic’: Fishermen recall rescuing passengers from sinking boat in SF Bay
Big picture takeaways from the Dallas Mavericks first week at Summer League
“We’re going to be champions”. Argentina fans in Miami Beach celebrate team’s win against England
4 Red Sox Trade Targets to Solidify Boston’s Push for a Playoff Spot
RTD considers ending Denver’s 16th Street FreeRide shuttle due to budget issues
Trump immediately fires the new court-appointed top prosecutor in Seattle | CNN Politics
Karepango San Diego Comic-Con 2026 Debuts, Merchandise
