A Sun Belt hockey success story
The Stars moved to Dallas from Minnesota in 1993, and many people wondered whether hockey could work in Texas. It did. The team won the Stanley Cup in 1999, rinks sprang up across the Metroplex and youth hockey grew year after year. Today North Texas has a real hockey culture, with players who grew up in Plano and Frisco reaching college and pro hockey. Dallas is one of the clearest examples of how the sport has grown across the American South.
American Airlines Center
The Stars play at the American Airlines Center in Victory Park, just north of downtown Dallas. The Mavericks share the building. DART light rail stops at Victory Station next to the arena, and the Trinity Railway Express from Fort Worth stops there too, which makes it possible to get to a game without a car. Drivers can use garages in Victory Park and nearby.
Before a game, Victory Park and the nearby Uptown neighborhood have plenty of restaurants and bars. After a game, the same area stays lively, and the Katy Trail is close for a walk on a mild evening.
Practice rinks and public skating
The Stars practice at the Comerica Center in Frisco, which also hosts public skating and community programs. Rinks across the Metroplex, from Fort Worth to McKinney, offer public sessions, adult leagues and learn-to-skate programs. Many rinks stay busy all summer because the ice is one of the coolest places to be when it is 100 degrees outside.
Skating at the Galleria
The Galleria Dallas shopping center has a well-known indoor rink under a glass roof. It is a fun and unusual date spot, especially during the holidays when a giant tree goes up in the middle of the ice. You can skate, then grab dinner in the mall.
Minor league hockey in Texas
Texas has several minor league teams. The Texas Stars, the Dallas Stars' AHL affiliate, play in Cedar Park near Austin. The Allen Americans play in the ECHL in Allen, north of Dallas. Minor league games are cheaper than the NHL and make great date nights.
Old roots and new fans
Many Stars fans moved to Texas from colder states and brought their love of hockey with them. Others discovered the sport through the Stars and never looked back. The mix means you will meet longtime fans and newer ones, and both groups are enthusiastic. Some older Minnesotans still hold a grudge about the North Stars leaving, which can be a fun topic if you are dating someone from up north.
Rivalries
The Stars have a long rivalry with the St. Louis Blues in the Central Division, and playoff battles with the Colorado Avalanche and others. Dating a Blues or Avalanche fan? See our rival-fan guide.
Getting home safely
DART light rail runs late on game nights, but check the schedule. The Metroplex is huge, and many people drive. If you are drinking, plan a ride home in advance. Summer heat can be dangerous, so drink plenty of water if you are tailgating or walking outside before a game. Our safety guide covers meeting up across a metro this spread out.
Profile ideas for North Texas fans
- Say where you are from. Many Stars fans moved to Texas, and the story is a great conversation starter.
- Name your rink. Adult leagues are spread across the Metroplex.
- Share your other teams. Many Stars fans also follow the Cowboys, Rangers or Mavericks.
- Embrace the heat. A summer skate at an indoor rink is a perfect date.
Date ideas around Dallas
- Dinner in Uptown, then a Stars game at American Airlines Center.
- Skating at the Galleria Dallas rink.
- Public skating at the Comerica Center in Frisco.
- An Allen Americans game.
- A walk on the Katy Trail on a mild evening.
Find more ideas on our hockey date ideas page.
Rink life in a hot climate
Hockey in Dallas runs on a different calendar. Summers are brutally hot, so rinks become social hubs where kids and adults escape the heat. Many adult leagues run year-round, and summer tournaments draw teams from across Texas. If you play, mention it; a summer date at a rink is cooler than almost anything else in July.
Fort Worth and the wider Metroplex
The Metroplex covers a huge area, from Fort Worth in the west to McKinney and Allen in the north. Hockey fans are spread across all of it. If you live in Fort Worth, the Trinity Railway Express can take you to Victory Station for Stars games. If you live in the northern suburbs, rinks in Frisco, Plano and Allen may be closer than downtown.
Sun Belt hockey on the rise
Dallas is part of a broader story. Over the past three decades, NHL teams in Tampa, Raleigh, Nashville, Las Vegas and Sunrise have built loyal followings in places where winter is mild or barely exists. Many of those markets have won Cups or reached the Final. Texas has followed the same path: kids who learned to skate at suburban rinks in the 1990s now coach their own children. If you meet a Texan who plays, ask where they learned. Their answer may surprise you.
Game day in Victory Park
On a game night, Victory Park fills with fans in green. Plaza screens, restaurants and bars around the arena create a festival feel, especially in the playoffs. Meeting your date at the plaza outside the arena gives you an easy landmark, plenty of people around and a few minutes to talk before heading inside.
Questions to ask a Stars fan
Where did you watch the 1999 Cup clinch, if you were around? Who is the best player you have seen in green? Did you grow up skating here or somewhere colder? Do you follow the Texas Stars in Cedar Park too? Any of these will get a real conversation going, and the answers tell you whether you are talking to a lifelong fan or a recent convert. Both are welcome.
A note for Fort Worth daters
Fort Worth fans often feel overlooked in a metro named for its bigger neighbor, but they show up for the Stars all the same.
Your Texas hockey story starts here
Tell matches how you became a Stars fan, which rink you skate at and whether you were around for the 1999 Cup, then Signup Here. Stars fans who already registered can sign in. Want to see where the team came from? Our Twin Cities guide explains. Denver and eight more metros sit on our cities page too.