DALLAS, Texas – The Sports Business Journal named Dallas top of its “50 Best Sports Business Cities” list which used data, interviews and sentiment analysis to rank the best sports cities across the U.S.
FC Dallas president Dan Hunt was joined by executives from the Dallas Sports Commission, the Dallas Cowboys, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Stars, the Texas Rangers, the Dallas Wings and the Dallas Jackals at a press conference at the American Airlines Center to discuss the city’s new recognition and what it means for its sports community.
“This is a commercial that says Dallas truly is the best at this and the best sports city,” Hunt said. “It’s such a unique environment here…This just reaffirms where Dallas is in the sports landscape.”
“This is a very, very exciting day. As we say in Dallas, it’s another big win,” said Monica Paul, Executive Director for the Dallas Sports Commission. “As someone whose job is it to not only bring big sporting events into the city, but to position Dallas as a premier sports destination, I don’t think it can get any better than this. It’s truly a community effort.”
Hunt and Paul worked together on Dallas’ successful host city bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup awarded last June. Both executives mentioned they hoped FIFA would take note of the Sports Business Journal’s study as Dallas is still vying to host the World Cup’s most meaningful matches in three years’ time.
“We are striving with our partners the Dallas Cowboys and AT&T Stadium to host either a semifinal or final. That’s the ultimate goal,” Hunt said. “The investment that this community makes in sports and facilities is truly what makes Dallas so unique. We’re so thankful for this honor and we hope FIFA is paying attention because this is a fabulous commercial for what Dallas can do for World Cup 2026.”
“If FIFA is listening, these are other executives who’ve worked with all of our teams and communities, and all of us come together for major events or initiatives,” Paul said, referencing the SBJ's study that interviewed industry veterans as part of the ranking process. “Knowing what FIFA’s goals and objectives are, we’re here to ensure that we can meet those objectives and take it to another level so everyone can shine.”
Hunt also explained his vision for a fan park around AT&T Stadium once the tournament is underway: “We have the great fortune of having Globe Life Field and Choctaw Stadium adjacent, along with Texas Live. My vision for that is having a ticketed event for hundreds of thousands, which would be the first time something like that could happen.”
For Hunt, the existence of other the sports facilities around the metroplex make Dallas a prime location to serve as base camps for the visiting national teams during their month-long stay in 2026.
“We also have other great venues around the metroplex. Toyota Stadium could be a training center, same with the Cotton Bowl or UTD or SMU. We have first-class facilities, and this (ranking) is part of recognizing that.”
