Photos by Michael Davis, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
Moody Coliseum 6024 Airline Rd Dallas, TX 75205
Year Opened: 1956
Capacity: 7,000
The ACC’s Smallest Basketball Gem
Southern Methodist University’s basketball team, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, plays on campus in Moody Coliseum, located just north of downtown Dallas. Moody Coliseum originally opened on December 3, 1956 – the multi-purpose coliseum is a large part of SMU’s University Park neighborhood, housing not only SMU athletics, but also concerts and academic ceremonies, as well as basketball and volleyball camps. However, Moody Coliseum’s most famous moment could be when the coliseum served as the temporary home for the Dallas Mavericks in 1984; that game was titled “Moody Madness”, as the Mavericks came away with an upset playoff win versus the Seattle Supersonics.
Over the years, Moody Coliseum has had minor renovations, keeping the gym current with the times. However, in 2013 it was time for Moody Coliseum to undergo a major renovation project – that renovation would update the main lobby, bring in new concessions and wider concourses, improve the lighting and seating, provide luxury boxes, give the building wi-fi capability and new locker rooms, and would also bring in an LED scoreboard, LED signage around the arena, and a new floor scheme. This renovation, at a cost of $40 million, transformed the old-school gym into an updated arena for SMU basketball.
Following the renovation, Moody Coliseum re-opened on January 4, 2014 to a sellout crowd, with an upset win over the then # 4-ranked and eventual National Champion Connecticut Huskies.
Food & Beverage 3
Moody Coliseum’s concessions have been updated to having areas to pick up your items before moving to the cashier. There are plenty of these locations on both sides of the arena, but this leaves the concession menu to the basics. The menu at these stands is the typical fare of pepperoni or cheese pizza for $8, nachos for $8, or hot dogs and pretzels for $7. Other stadium fare, such as peanuts, bagged popcorn, potato chips, large cookies, and Minute Maid Italian ice cost a little less. SMU’s basketball concessions also offer Antone’s Famous Po’Boy sandwiches.
The lone concession stand that offers anything outside the basics is a local Tex-Mex eatery called Mi Cocina, which offers loaded nachos or a taco salad for $17, or quesadillas and tacos available for $14, while chips and salsa are $10.
SMU athletics serves Coca-Cola products on campus, so for a $7, 32oz souvenir cup you have a choice of Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Mr. Pibb, or Sprite. Along with the soda offerings, there is also Powerade ($6) and Dasani bottled water ($5). Beer and wine are also sold inside Moody Coliseum; the selection of domestic beer is limited to three choices, including Miller Lite, Coors Light, and Michelob Ultra for $10. There’s a local craft pilsner available as well, and in addition to beer, wine and Truly seltzer are also served.
Atmosphere 3
Moody Coliseum has all the modern accessories that fans enjoy, but what really makes Moody Coliseum special is the intimate feel of its basketball gymnasium. The arena’s 7,000 seats and great sightlines are a big part of an atmosphere that larger venues just can’t capture. The biggest asset of this type of atmosphere is that the fans can easily get involved with the game.
The coliseum has three levels of seating, the 100 level, the 200 level, and the suite level. The suite level is above the 200 level and runs along the sideline across from the team benches. In the lower 100 level, however, the seating is dominated by SMU students, leaving only the seats across from the team benches as premium seating.
The students, known as “The Stampede”, surround the baseline and bench sidelines inside the facility. They are continuously loud and energetic, and provide such an intimidating atmosphere that it contributes to Moody Coliseum having a home-court advantage for the Mustangs.
The wonderful playing of college band music is alive and well inside Moody Coliseum, as one of the best bands in college sports, the Mustang Band, is positioned in section 100 behind the baseline. In addition, the SMU cheerleaders and pom squad are positioned along the baseline on opposite sides; each group works tirelessly throughout the game to entertain the crowd. The Mustangs mascot, Peruna, also not only entertains but engages the crowd, and gets the already loud and festive student section to become even more involved throughout the game.
The atmosphere inside Moody Coliseum can become electric for games, but this hasn’t been a constant. However, SMU being in a new conference could be just what they need to bring back the Moody Magic, which once made this venue one of the most exciting atmospheres in college basketball.
Neighborhood 4
Moody Coliseum is on the beautiful campus of Southern Methodist University – the campus itself covers 243 acres with an enrollment of about 11,000 students. The neighborhood surrounding campus is called University Park, located just north of downtown Dallas off I-75. Within a short distance is Mockingbird Station, a development of shops, dining, and apartment complexes that were built around the Mockingbird DART light rail stop. Mockingbird Station has about 11 different restaurants and 18 shops – the most popular spot is the Londoner Pub. The complex also includes the Angelika Film Center, which provides an 8-screen theater (complete with stadium seating) devoted to independent and specialty films. In addition, just a short walk from Mockingbird Station is Campisi’s Restaurant, a Dallas staple since 1946.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for at Mockingbird Station, just walk a few blocks north on SMU Boulevard and you’ll find Torchy’s Tacos, Milo Butterfingers, and the Barley House. The Barley House is the perfect college bar, especially if you plan to partake in alcoholic beverages, with its large list of beers on tap from breweries around the state. Of course, the DART light rail can easily get you to plenty of other pre or postgame activities, with downtown Dallas being just a short commute south.
There is plenty of lodging around the SMU campus, with downtown Dallas being a short distance away and accessible via the DART light rail. However, if you want to stay in the area there is the Beeman Hotel on North Central Expressway, a short walk from campus near SMU Boulevard, located just across the highway from the main local attraction here, the George W. Bush Presidential Library. Besides the library there is also the Meadows Museum, just off the main boulevard on SMU’s campus, which is well worth your time to visit. The public transit and location near Dallas provide plenty of tourist attractions and a wide range of restaurants and lodging for any fan attending a game at SMU.
Fans 3
There are various levels of fandom when it comes to college sports; the fans that grew up rooting for a certain school, the alumni of the school, and of course the current students. The SMU fans and alumni combine to form a wonderful fan base, but it is the current students that are the heart and soul of Moody Coliseum, who continue to bring the arena to life game after game.
The students, known as “The Stampede”, provide the support that has helped give Moody Coliseum such a homecourt advantage. They sit courtside between the two team benches, and the bigger the game, the more those seats are full and loud. As for the rest of the fans, it depends on the visiting team and the day of the game – for Saturday games, the capacity is much higher than during weekday games.
Overall, the fans are what you would expect from a school that is just putting on their basketball shoes in a historically known basketball conference.
Access 4
Southern Methodist University is in University Park, just north of downtown Dallas. Moody Coliseum is located on the SMU campus and is accessible from I-75 near the George W. Bush Presidential Library. SMU’s campus doesn’t provide the most ideal parking situation for sporting events, but the campus is accessible via public transportation.
There are four cash parking areas around the coliseum: Moody Garage, Binkley Garage, Meadows Garage, and Westcott Surface Lot, all of which cost $25 and are close and accessible to Moody Coliseum. Otherwise, there is also free parking at Expressway Tower or at Dallas Area Rail Transportation’s Mockingbird Station. The DART light rail is a great option for fans not familiar with the Dallas traffic; Mockingbird Station is a major stop on the Red, Orange, and Blue lines, so you can reach the station from most of the DFW area, including the DFW airport.
Once you get to Moody Coliseum there is only one main entrance for the general public. After walking thru metal detectors, fans walk into the Nancy and Richard Rogers Lobby – this lobby houses the ticket office, the Mustangs Pro Shop, and other items, such as free programs. The concourse is well lit and there is plenty of signage to help you navigate around the arena. The concourse can become crowded at high-traffic points during the game, such as before the game, at halftime, and after the game.
Return on Investment 4
The recent conference realignment has put SMU back into a power 5 conference; although football is still king in Texas, entering a traditionally strong basketball conference can only improve the SMU basketball program.
SMU uses a flex system for single game ACC conference games – if you are not familiar with this, flex pricing means there are price increases or decreases depending on ticket demand. ACC conference game tickets start the season with typical ACC prices, as they range from $25 to $40 per game, except the Duke game, which is $165. By the end of the season, however, conference games are down to $17 to $23.
It is not that SMU is a bad team; it is just that the current SMU basketball demand isn’t there. You can always expect Duke and North Carolina to have premier ticket prices, but always check third party websites to compare with prices on SMU’s website – there are some great deals for tickets during the season, and free parking can also be found nearby. Concessions here have average prices compared to sports venues.
Overall, a visit to the SMU campus, along with a game inside Moody Coliseum, is well worth the price and trip for sports enthusiasts.
Extras 3
Moody Coliseum itself has been around since 1956 and continues to keep SMU athletics engaged with other college basketball teams around the country, via serving as the home court for SMU’s men’s and women’s basketball, as well as volleyball.
Moody Coliseum offers excitement for college basketball in a football-driven state and provides an atmosphere rivaling other basketball powerhouses. Former President George W. Bush is a constant presence at SMU basketball games, along with players from the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Cowboys.
The SMU Hall of Fame, located on the east side concourse, is a real tribute to the school’s history and students, with SMU student-athlete plaques depicting their athletic accomplishments, opposite a wall mural of a pre-renovated Moody Coliseum.
Final Thoughts
Although the first season in the ACC didn’t exactly take off for the Mustangs in terms of larger attendance at Moody Coliseum, being able to watch ACC basketball, in the smallest ACC arena with a high return on investment, makes this facility a basketball gem for any college basketball fan.
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