Dallas, Texas, is home to several professional and amateur sports teams. You can watch these teams play their hearts out at many different arenas and venues in the Dallas area. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend the day, consider booking tickets to an upcoming sporting event so you can cheer on your favorite team. Here is a list of the top sporting arenas and venues in Dallas.
The Cotton Bowl Stadium
Photo by Simon Basler is licensed by the Unsplash License
The Cotton Bowl Stadium in 1932 and has been a mainstay of city life in Dallas ever since. This Stadium is most famous for football and has hosted a variety of teams over the years. College teams like the SMU Mustangs have played at the venue, and the Cotton Bowl Stadium has also hosted the annual Red River Rivalry game, during which the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma face off. The stadium also hosts the State Fair Classic Game.
Most notably, the venue was the first home of the Dallas Cowboys, the beloved NFL football team, who played there until 1971. The stadium is the original home to The Cotton Bowl, which began in 1937 but later moved to the AT&T Stadium. The Cotton Bowl Stadium is the ninth-largest stadium in the U.S., hosting all types of events, including Major League Soccer games and concerts. It can fit up to 92,100 fans and has 12,000 parking spaces available. It’s an outdoor arena, so you can enjoy the Texas sun while watching your team compete.
Location: 3750 The Midway, Dallas, Texas 75210.
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Opened in 2000, the Gerald J. Ford Stadium is the home of Southern Methodist University athletics. It has a capacity of 32,000 fans and offers a variety of club-level and luxury suite seats so you can watch the game in comfort. The stadium has undergone extensive renovations since its opening, making it a highly advanced stadium that is designed with the audience in mind. A statue of Doak Walker to honor SMU’s most notable football player can be found outside the stadium. Ford Stadium is a great place to watch a game, especially if you’re interested in college football.
Location: 5801 Bush Ave., Dallas, Texas 75205.
American Airlines Center
The American Airlines Center is an arena in downtown Dallas that is home to both the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars. The Stars are an NHL team, and the arena converts into an ice rink to accommodate ice hockey games. The Dallas Mavericks play in the NBA, so the arena reverts to a basketball court during their season. The American Airlines Center has several great food and beverage vendors, so you can enjoy great food whether courtside or by the rink. You can also shop for merchandise at the Fan Shops to rep your favorite players after the game.
If you prefer live music and entertainment over sporting events, you can view the upcoming concerts and shows on the American Airlines Center website. The arena can host up to 20,000 fans during a basketball game, with room for 18,532 during hockey matches.
Location: 2500 Victory Ave., Dallas, Texas 75219.
Moody Coliseum
The SMU Mustangs also have an arena called the Moody Coliseum, which is used for the university’s basketball and volleyball teams. This arena has hosted basketball games at SMU since 1956 and underwent renovations that were completed in 2013. The gothic-style columns in its entrance area give it a unique appearance on campus. Moody Coliseum also hosts the SMU graduation ceremonies in December and May, along with some concerts and other live events. It has capacity for up to 7,000 people.
If you’re a fan of Texas basketball, you might enjoy visiting Moody Coliseum. This venue used to host the San Antonio Spurs, first known as the Dallas Chaparrals. In 1973, the team was renamed and moved to San Antonio. In addition, you can watch college athletes play hard as they train to become professionals in their sport.
Location: 3009 Binkley Ave., Dallas, Texas 75205.
AT&T Stadium
The AT&T Stadium is located just outside of Dallas in Arlington, Texas. As the new home to the Dallas Cowboys, the AT&T Stadium has a main seating capacity of 80,000 but can host up to 105,000 fans — the highest in the NFL. While most well known for hosting the Dallas Cowboys, the stadium is also used for concerts, basketball, soccer, rodeos, motocross, and college games. The stadium has a retractable roof, so you can watch your favorite teams compete regardless of the weather.
If you’re a local, you might know the AT&T stadium as “Jerry World,” a nod to the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones. The annual Cotton Bowl Classic is now played here to draw a bigger crowd and keep the tradition alive. This stadium is well maintained and helps keep the crowd electrified during games with its buzzing atmosphere and record-breaking video display screen. Visiting this stadium may convince you to become a Cowboys fan if you aren’t one already.
Location: 1 AT&T Way, Arlington, Texas 76011.
Mesquite Arena
Located just 20 minutes outside Dallas is the Mesquite Arena. This arena is home to the Mesquite Championship Rodeo, the largest professional rodeo in the Dallas area, and it draws a crowd with all sorts of rodeo events. Some events include bull riding, barrel racing, team roping, and bronc riding. You can get tickets online for the championship rodeo, but it’s best to book ahead, as the rodeo only takes place during the summer months.
Location: 1818 Rodeo Drive, Mesquite, Texas 75149.
Dallas, Texas, is home to several exciting professional and amateur sports teams, and the venues and arenas around the city provide great atmospheres to watch your favorite teams compete. Whether you prefer college sports or the rodeo, you can enjoy an event live at one of these local sporting venues. Each venue has a unique feel that contributes to the awesome experience of going to a live sporting event. Did we forget to add a great Dallas sporting arena or venue? Feel free to contact us so we can add it to our list.
