Texas Rangers reporter
A large banner on the southwest side of American Airlines Center once depicted both Dallas Stars and Dallas Mavericks players. It was replaced Saturday with one that only referenced the team still standing in its respective postseason hunt.
That was the status quo. The light post flags that circle the arena exclusively showed Stars players. The PNC Plaza — which pregame hosted a concert, a makeshift skate rink and Stars-themed cornhole — was a packed green wave. The only external proof that the Mavericks also call the arena home is Dirk Nowitzki’s statue on the front steps and the blue basketball paraphernalia inside the team shop that was visible from the street.
It looked like the 23-year-old building housed just one franchise.
It could be reality eventually.
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The Stars and Mavericks are headed toward a split after more than three decades sharing the same building. The Mavericks — whose season ended Friday night after a play-in tournament loss to the Memphis Grizzlies — have indicated a plan to build and move into a “basketball-first” facility when their lease with the city is up in 2031. The Stars, who hosted the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Saturday night, would prefer to remain in AAC.
“It would kind of be that break between the Mavs and Stars to me,” said Cole Watson, who lives in Fort Worth. “That was that time, and now it’s over, they’re in their own and they’re in their own.”
Stars fans who spoke to The Dallas Morning News before Saturday’s game were not particularly upset at the prospect of a Mavericks move. Those fans who support both teams still feel burned by the Mavericks’ decision to trade superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers more than two months ago. Said Plano’s Scott Greenberg, a Stars season ticket holder: “[The Mavs] don’t seem to care about the fans, but the Stars do.”
Stars president/chief executive officer Brad Alberts told The News that the franchise has not entertained the possibility of a new arena outside Dallas. Fans who spoke with The News see and understand the value of a suburban venue, like in Frisco or Irving, or a move to Arlington.
“I think they should be downtown for the walkup factor,” said Brett Estes of Fort Worth. “The ‘no public transit’ in our metroplex makes it hard to get to AT&T Stadium [in Arlington] so I think it’s beneficial to have it downtown.”
Said his father, Cary Estes, who was one of the thousands of fans who strolled through the pregame party out on the plaza: “Look at the atmosphere.”
The atmosphere Saturday, at least, was sparked by those who favor Mike Modano’s statue over Nowitzki’s. They may choose to keep it that way long term, too.
“I think now is the time where the Stars are the better team,” said Ryan Greenberg of Dallas. “So they deserve their own place.”
Find more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Shawn covers the Texas Rangers and other Dallas-area sports for The News. He joined The Dallas Morning News after covering UConn basketball, football and high school sports for The Hartford Courant. A Boston area native, Shawn graduated from Springfield College in 2018 and previously worked for The Boston Globe and Baseball America.
