American Airlines Center – Dallas Mavericks

Photos by Michael Davis, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14

American Airlines Center 2500 Victory Ave Dallas, TX 75219

Year Opened: 2001

Capacity: 19,200

Dallas Mavericks – American Airlines Center

American Airlines Center (AAC) is a multi-use arena located in the Victory Park area, which is just north of the historic West End in downtown Dallas. The venue is home to the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA and the Dallas Stars of the NHL. The AAC, as it is commonly referred to by local sports fans, opened its doors on July 28, 2001, with ‘An Evening with the Eagles’; the same year, the Mavericks and Stars opened their 2001 season in American Airlines Center.

The seating capacity for basketball is 19,200, or up to 21,146 including standing room. The venue is a beautiful building made of brick, limestone, and granite with signature arches, but the arena’s sweeping facades and smooth arch design can easily get lost in the Victory Park buildings.

The American Airlines Center is a primary venue for the Dallas area, hosting year-round sporting events and live entertainment. Besides the Mavericks and Stars, American Airlines Center has also hosted the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, Big 12 basketball tournament, NCAA women’s Final Four, and the 55th NHL All Star game.

Food & Beverage 5

There are an abundance of concession stands throughout the arena, including Big Dawgs + Brews, Bonanni Brothers Pizza, Fast Break, El Taco Tex, Grilled Zone, High Steaks, Hot Popped and Twisted, Bud and Burger, Zavala’s BBQ, and Woodbridge Barrel Bar. In addition, if none of the above satisfy your appetite there is also Market to Go, which offers fresh deli sandwiches, vegetarian options, tossed salads, and bottled beer. To see the incredible variety that American Airlines Center offers when it comes to food service, please visit their concessions website.

There are numerous alcohol selections inside American Airlines Center, and not just at the concession stands, but also at specialty beer bars such as Texas Craft Beer Bar, which serves Ziegenbock, St Arnold’s, Fireman’s 4, and Franconia. In addition, there is also Karbach Craft Beer Bar, which offers Karbach Brewery’s (Houston) products; as well as Modelo Beer Bar import and craft bars, which offers beers from around the world, such as Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale (OR), Goose Island (Chicago), Brooklyn Lager (NY), Alaskan Amber (AK), Kirin Iciban (Japan), and Stone Arrogant Bastard (CA). The prices all range from $12 to $14 depending on size; Woodbridge wine is also sold for $11.50 a glass. Margaritas are available for between $14 and $18.

Besides alcohol, Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper products are also offered, with prices of $6 for the regular size, or $11 for the bottomless souvenir cup.

In addition to the concession stands and specialty bars, American Airlines Center features full-service restaurants – the most popular is Modelo Gold Lion Bar & Grill, on the southwest plaza level; their food menu includes barbacoa and pastor shrimp tacos, loaded waffle fries, All-American burgers, vegan burgers and hot dogs, Texas smashburgers, chicken wings, and their signature birria grilled cheese sandwich.

On the southeast terrace level is 1933 Ranch Bar & Lounge, features a large array of local craft beers along with a variety of bratwursts; this restaurant is located outside section 305. Alternatively, platinum level seating will grant you access to another five unique bars, including Wine Press, The Zone, Yuengling Flight Club, El Taco Tex, and DBQ Barbecue.

Despite all the great options at American Airlines Center, just like any arena the best option is to eat before or after the event, as there are plenty of great restaurant options in and around Dallas.

Atmosphere 4

The atmosphere at a Mavs game begins on PNC Plaza before the doors even open – this area has games, photo opportunities with the Dirk Nowitzki statue, or you can find a spot in one of the two restaurants at Victory Plaza, Chops Sports or Hero; once inside there are plenty of food and drink options available. In addition, the main team store, Hangar Fan Shop, is open near the main entrance for fans looking to update their Mavs gear. In addition, Chris Arnold, one of the game nights hosts, is on the mic getting fans pumped up for the night’s game. There are also Mavs championship banners and retired numbers hanging from the rafters.

During timeouts, the Hoop Troop provides the crowd with free t-shirts by slinging them throughout the arena, and the Dallas Mavericks Drumline is a team of trained percussionists that beat their drums nonstop from the Michelob Ultrasound stage on the second level of AAC.

The Mavs have two mascots: Champ and Mavs Man, who entertain the crowd, but the most famously recognized entertainment during Mavs game are the Dallas Mavericks ManiAACs – the ManiAACs are an award-winning hip-hop dance troupe that have been a part of the Mavs gameday atmosphere since the team moved from their old home, Reunion Arena. The Mavs have a dance team as well, known as The D Crew.

As for the crowd, Mavs fans are also knowledgeable and at times get loud, but overall the atmosphere is a typical NBA-type crowd.

Neighborhood 5

American Airlines Center is in the Victory Park neighborhood in downtown Dallas, just a short walk from Dallas’ Historic West End. The West End area consists of a list of restaurants, such as Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse, Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse, Gator’s, TGI Friday’s, Spaghetti Warehouse, Dick’s Last Resort, and House of Blues. Besides restaurants, the area also has tourist attractions – the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas World Aquarium, and Holocaust Museum are all within the West End. In addition, Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas-Victory Park, in the heart of Victory Park, is an 8-screen, 700-seat luxury theater; this 44,000 square-foot cinema offers guests a luxury movie-going experience with auditoriums filled with fully reclining leather seats, an upscale lounge-style lobby space, and a gourmet menu with in-theater waiter service.

Just outside the south entrance of American Airlines Center is Victory Plaza – the plaza consists of Chops Sports and Hero. In addition, there is a lobby bar called Living Room, across from the plaza inside the W Dallas-Victory lobby. Or, on the east side of the arena near the Lexus parking garage, there is Dirty Bones (Wings place) and Mio Nonno Trattoria.

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer - Dallas is also another great spot on the west side of the W hotel. Any of these restaurants are good options, if you just want to hang out outside the arena. Also, the recent trend of craft brews and breweries continues in the area – just across the interstate from AAC is Community Beer Company. The Community Beer Company is closed on Monday and Tuesday, but there is also Deep Ellum Brewing Company, open seven days a week with brewery tours.

Located in the historic and eponymous Deep Ellum section of Dallas, this brewery produces some of the locals’ favorite brews. The brewery tour here gives you samples of their fantastic craft beer, so you can decide on which brew you’ll take home, or buy in local restaurants.

Dallas has numerous lodging options around American Airlines Center, especially in the Market Center area (only 2 miles north of ACC). Some of the hotels to consider are the W Dallas Victory, Renaissance Dallas Hotel, Doubletree Market Center, Holiday Inn Dallas Market Center, and the Hilton Anatole.

Fans 5

The Dallas Mavericks usually rank among the best in the NBA. The loyal Mavs fans have always shown up at games. On Mavs gamedays there are plenty of fans with Mavs gear on, seen throughout AAC; the crowd’s enthusiasm is very good and may even become deafening depending on the circumstances of the game or the opponent.

Mavs fans loyalty especially showed up when the Mavs traded Luka Doncic to the rival Lakers – the fans have been very vocal about their displeasure with the current Mavs ownership. Despite their displeasure with the trade, there are still plenty of Mavs fans attending games. Only time will tell if this trend continues or not, but I’m willing to say the fans here will continue to be among the NBA’s best fan base.

Access 4

American Airlines Center is one of the better downtown venues when it comes to parking, with about 5,000 parking spaces available for guests. The parking lots open two hours prior to the start of a Mavericks game, and both cash and credit cards are accepted at AAC managed lots, with prices from $25 to $40.

Also, while the Lexus Garage across from the box office is primarily reserved for season ticket holders, there may be limited space there for $25. And if the parking garages are not available, there is also parking all around the arena a short walk away – the best parking option is the popular West End area, where you can enjoy a pregame meal before a short walk to the arena for $15. The best way to save money and time in attending a Mavericks game is to plan ahead using American Airlines Center’s parking website.

The most economical way to get to American Airlines Center is public transportation – the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Trinity Rail Express (TRE) both provide regular service to Victory Station, which is located on the west side of AAC. These two transportation services can get you to the arena from anywhere in the Dallas area, including DFW airport and Fort Worth.

In addition to their regular schedule, the TRE runs a special event train that leaves Victory Station 20 minutes after the end of the game, so you won’t have to miss the ending to catch the train. In addition, there are Uber pickup/drop-off locations on All Star Way and Olive Street, while taxis can best be found towards the W Hotel, at the corner of Olive Street and N. Houston.

What time the doors open at AAC depends on the event, but for the Mavericks the doors open ninety minutes prior to game time. There are four main entrances which provide quick entry into the building – the south side entrance is accessible from Victory Plaza, which is where pre-event activities take place, while the west side entrance caters to TRE and DART transportation.

The Uber pickup/drop-off spot is on the north side of AAC, and the east entrances are primarily used by patrons from the parking garage, or those who need the box office; the American Airlines Center box office is located on the northeast corner of the arena.

The concourse inside the arena is well marked and spacious, and you’ll easily notice elevators providing access to the Platinum Club, suites, and upper level seating. The stairs inside American Airlines Center are in the corners of the building, and provide access between the levels, as do the elevators.

Return on Investment 3

The Dallas Mavericks use to have the best ROI in the NBA, but since Mark Cuban sold his stake in the club, Mavs ticket prices have become similar to the rest of the NBA, with ticket prices varying based on the day of the game and the opponent.

Sometimes a third-party site can cut the cost, as season tickets holders may want to get rid of tickets for games they can’t attend. Upper level seats can cost as low as $24 per ticket, while the lower level starts around $75, but can go up to a thousand dollars per ticket depending on the opponent.

Overall, the return on investment at American Airlines Center is not good enough to keep the average fan coming back. Concessions prices are higher than can be expected compared to other NBA venues, and ticket prices are in the middle to upper half of the NBA.

The best ROI relief could be accessing the venue using public transit. However, the ROI really depends on the person – if you are a Mavs Fan for Life the ROI is high, while for everyone else it can go below average. Unfortunately for most fans it is what they have come to expect across the sports world. The best advice for a higher ROI at AAC is to find a weekday game, use public transportation, and avoid eating a meal at the concessions.

Extras 3

AAC is about to celebrate 25 years in operation, and the arena is still one of the cleanest and well-staffed venues in all of sports. The mascots, Dr Pepper Hoop Troop, and the ManiAACs compliment the Mavs entertainment inside AAC. In addition, there is plenty of history on display here of both the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars, such as banners hanging from the rafters, as well as numerous trophy cases. The downtown arena also provides plenty of restaurant and lodging options, as well as public transportation from anywhere in the DFW area.

Final Thoughts

American Airlines Center is one of the finest sports venues in America and is in a great city. The AAC is immaculate, the amenities are first class, and the event staff is one of the friendliest in the NBA. The Mavs fans and in-game production make attending a Mavs game one of the best in the NBA. If you are in the Dallas area during the NBA season, I highly recommend spending time to attend a Mavericks game in the American Airlines Center.