Dallas Earns Nationwide Honor as Top Sports Business City

Dallas has been ranked as the best American city for conducting sports business, which is not surprising given the range of resources available, from top-tier senior leadership to grassroots initiatives that develop the next generation of sports fans and executives.

The Sports Business Journal’s list of the best U.S. cities for the business of sports was unveiled Rolando Blackman, a former Maverick, was among the legendary figures who gathered at American Airlines Center on Monday to celebrate the achievement.

“As we say in Dallas, another big win,” said Executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission, Monica Paul. “I don’t think it gets any better for someone (whose) job it is to promote Dallas as a premier sports destination while also bringing sporting events to the city. Definitely a collective effort.”

which centers on the Mavericks. They have a practice facility and business offices in the shadow of downtown Dallas in addition to their home, the American Airlines Center.

In addition, the Mavericks have been a champion of diversity and inclusion, something the organization takes very seriously and which was a theme during the announcement of the SBJ rankings.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to show the depth of what Dallas brings, not only for the staffing and teams that are here, but for the people and different communities that support so many different sports,” Blackman said. “Sports are a very diverse activity that frequently brings a lot of people together.

“Diversity and leadership are everywhere. And it’s wonderful to see how everyone unites from various backgrounds and collaborates because they are experts in their fields and are qualified.”

Starting from the top down, at the grass roots level, is where the path to having qualified people run sports franchises begins.

Owners and governors, like the Mavericks’ Mark Cuban, the Cowboys’ Jerry Jones and the others in our area, have learned the value in funding not only strong front-office leadership on the business side of their franchises, but also the need to build a pipeline to the future.

The sustainability of major sports growth in Dallas depends on initiatives like the camps offered by the Mavericks Academy and GEM (Girls Empowered by Mavericks).

The Sports Business Journal ranked 50 major cities, including Dallas, at the top of their list, and there are many reasons why they believe Dallas should be at the top of the list. For instance:

“Dallas was awarded 15 championships during the NCAAs most recent round of bidding,” the magazine said.

The PGA of America (from Florida) and the Pro Bull Riders (from Las Vegas), as well as the American Athletic Conference (from Providence, R.I.), are among the numerous sports-related businesses that have recently relocated to Dallas.)

The Dallas area is home to 64 brands that have at least four sports sponsorships and/or a major league jersey patch deal. Los Angeles (73) and New York (129) have more.

And, of course, no geographic region can compete with the area’s top-notch facilities, which range from AT&T Stadium in Arlington to Toyota Stadium in Frisco. A lower cost of living and the absence of a state income tax, along with Texas’ reputation as a business-friendly state, are additional benefits.

“I’m with Governor (Greg) Abbott in that this is the best place to be able to bring a business and bring it all together,” said Blackman, who spent 11 seasons as a Maverick and has remained with the team throughout Cuban’s ownership in a variety of capacities, is currently vice president of corporate relations. “He is fully aware of the benefits Texas offers in terms of being able to create the groundwork for new businesses and to accept expansion. The surroundings are right here.

“There is a migration here. the cost of living, diversity and growth opportunities, and the various industries. Actually, this place is growing a lot.”

The Environment, Opportunity, and Insight categories were examined by the Sports Business Journal when researching the top sports cities in America.

The only city to place in the top five in each of the three categories is Dallas.

They surpassed No. in the overall report. 2 New York. Charlotte, Minneapolis and Atlanta rounded out the top five.

As Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts said: “Dallas is now the only place in this country where anyone working in the sports or entertainment industry can conduct business.”

The work of a franchise’s business operations is always made simpler by successful teams. Even then, though, success often depends on luck as well as strategy, vision, and intelligence.

In that regard, it is comparable to what athletes strive to achieve. And having the right leadership is necessary to be world-class.

“There has to be a dedication to excellence,” Paul said. “As well as the ability to form partnerships and the awareness that there are others outside of their organization who are doing good deeds in the neighborhood, whether it be through events or making sure that top leadership is in place, you have staffing, and you have the vision to be somewhat more than yourself.

“Yes, we want to succeed on the court, field, or pitch, but we also want to give our neighbors more opportunities, leave enduring legacies, and give the youth and children who will one day run our city and organizations a chance to succeed.”

In that regard, she commended all the expert organizations working admirably with children, such as the Mavericks’ youth camps.

“It’s very important to start that strong early,” she said. “One of the reasons the Mavs participate in the Mayor’s Youth Sports Ticket Program, which we established with the mayor, is to give those kids the chance to attend sporting events, camps, or clinics that they otherwise might not have the chance to do given their current circumstances.

“Kids need to learn a variety of lifelong skills, and sports can teach them many of them at a young age.”

Dallas is the best city in America to hone those skills, as demonstrated by Monday’s announcement.

Dan Hunt, president of FC Dallas and chairman of the World Cup bid for 2026, claimed that Dallas’ ambitions to host a semifinal or final game that year as well as a significant role in the 2031 women’s World Cup serve as further evidence of the city’s diversity in the sporting world.

“We have first-class facilities throughout the Metroplex,” he said. “Dallas is truly unique because of this community, how it works together, the local politicians, the investment from our partners, and the dedication to excellence. This is a fabulous commercial for what Dallas can do in 2026.”

Also at the announcement was Rodd Newhouse, owner of the new Dallas Jackals rugby team and Greg Bibb, president and CEO of the Dallas Wings, who noted that “When Dallas hosts the 2023 NCAA women’s Final Four, it will become the epicenter of women’s basketball once more.”

According to Delanie Foley, senior director of event booking for the Cowboys and AT&T Stadium, the distinction of being America’s top sports business city will have a ripple effect.

“Dallas is ranked as the No. 1 sports business city for a reason, whether you’re a fan in our market, a corporate executive, a manager of a team, or a restaurant owner. All of these groups and individuals contribute to our success. 1,” she said.

Reference: www.mavs.com