Dream sell out State Farm Arena ahead of hosting Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever

ATLANTA, Ga. (WTOC) - It’s not a fever dream – there will be basketball played at State Farm Arena in Atlanta Friday night, but it won’t involve the venue’s usual home team, the Hawks. Instead, the WNBA’s Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream are taking over.

Close to 20,000 fans will be in attendance, with the game expected to sell out and the team releasing standing-room only tickets Friday morning. It’s a significantly larger crowd than the Dream normally play in front of -- Gateway Center Arena, their typical home court, seats just 3,500. Of course, a big part of the reason for the increased interest is due to the fact that they’re hosting the Fever and phenom Caitlin Clark for the first time this season.

“We’re super excited to host Indy in the Dream’s territory, even though it’s at State Farm,” said Dream President Morgan Shaw Parker. “It’s going to feel like a completely Dream home game. But we’re also going to have people there to see Caitlin Clark, and we think that’s great and say, ‘Welcome to the ‘W’’.”

Prior to Friday night, the largest crowd for a Dream game was 11,609 in 2008 when they played their inaugural game. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m