New York Mets catching coach J.P. Arencibia’s wife, Tomi Lahren, the conservative commentator, recently gave the WNBA’s drawn-out Game 6 scheduling saga a one-word review:
“LOL.”
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Tomi Lahren posted the remark on X after ESPN reported that the location and start time of the Finals game in Atlanta were still unresolved, with negotiations involving the WNBA, the NBA, the Valkyries, the Dream and the Hawks. Replying to that report, she wrote: “Dozens of fans are on the edge of their seats.”
In a separate Instagram Story, Lahren appeared in a light blue sweatshirt with a round “VOTE” sticker on the chest and added the handwritten caption: “R all the way down the ballot baby.” Both posts appeared in the days before the Thursday afternoon tip-off.
The league settled the schedule on Monday, Oct. 26. Game 6 between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream will start at 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 29 at State Farm Arena, the Hawks’ home, instead of 8 p.m. ET at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, which seats about 3,500. State Farm Arena holds roughly 17,000.
To clear the building, the Hawks moved their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers that night to 8 p.m. ET. The Finals game stays on USA Network and Peacock, and will start at 9:30 a.m. local time in San Francisco. More than 10,000 tickets were sold in the first 90 minutes they went on sale, according to a Dream spokesperson.
“The sellout crowds and extraordinary atmosphere at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 were a tremendous success, and we’re excited to give thousands more fans the opportunity to experience Game 6 with a championship on the line,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said.
The change also drew criticism. Former ESPN host Jemele Hill took aim at the league’s leadership over the afternoon start, according to Sports Illustrated, and Dream coach Karl Smesko said he felt for fans who cannot get away from work: “I know that for some people it’s not realistic; they have jobs and won’t be able to make it.”
The Valkyries forced Game 6 by beating the Dream 67-62 on Saturday to level the best-of-seven series at 2-2. Game 5 was played Monday night in San Francisco.
J.P. Arencibia’s wife Tomi Lahren shares vacation glimpses from Eagle Beach
Away from the basketball calendar, Tomi Lahren marked a personal milestone. In an Instagram post, she captioned images from Eagle Beach: “One happy island and one happy anniversary ❤️🌴❤️”, celebrating the couple’s wedding anniversary.
Eagle Beach sits on Aruba’s northwest coast, and “One happy island” is the slogan used to promote the island.
J.P. Arencibia, a first-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007, spent six seasons in the majors, most of them in Toronto, with later stints for the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays.
Edited by Kaushani Chatterjee
