Dallas Mavericks need new arena by 2031-2032 season, CEO says
Mavs rumored move to Irving | Who Cares!?
FOX 4's Steven Dial joins Jeff Kolb and Ethan Herrera to talk about the politics behind the rumored move by the Dallas Mavericks to Irving.
DALLAS - New Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts says the team will need a new arena soon.
Welts joined the Mavericks broadcast during the second quarter of the game against the Knicks on Tuesday night.
He discussed a potential move for the Mavs and the overwhelmingly negative response to the Luka Dončić trade.
New stadium coming for the Mavericks?
There have been many rumors surrounding the future of the Mavericks in recent weeks.
Some have theorized the Mavericks will move to Las Vegas, the home of Mavs governor Patrick Dumont, while others have theorized that the team will move to the old Texas Stadium site, which is owned by Dumont's Las Vegas Sands Corporation.
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The Mavericks have played in downtown Dallas for the entirety of their existence as a franchise, playing in Reunion Arena from 1980-2001 and the American Airlines Center since then.
What they're saying:
Welts said that the team has engaged with the city of Dallas about the future of the team.
"Our commitment is to find a home in Dallas. That's where we want to be. That's where the city wants us to be and we're going to pursue every single possible option to make that happen," Welts said.
When asked about the American Airlines Center, Welts said the arena is a great place to watch a basketball game, but is lacking amenities that "fans expect in 2025."
He says that steps will be taken to improve the fan experience at the AAC while they are still there.
"We're very much hoping to be able to invest significantly in the remaining time we are there. We need to be in a new arena for the 2031-2032 season. We're on the clock," Welts said.
Luka Dončić Trade
The Dallas Mavericks have struggled since trading Luka Dončić to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick.
What they're saying:
Welts previously said the organization had "underestimated" the fans' response to the Luka Dončić trade.
On Tuesday night, the Mavs CEO shared a message to fans.
"What this really proved to me was the emotional connection between our fans and this team," Welts said. "The wonderful thing about our business is these things have a scorecard, right? Time, wins and losses will tell whether the deal was a good deal or a bad deal."
Welts then made a promise to Mavericks fans.
"Whatever trust we have lost or whatever concerns they have, we're going to earn it back because we're going to do this the right way, and we're going to win championships," he said.
Welts on current Mavericks
Despite key injuries and struggles, the Mavericks are still competing for a spot in the NBA Playoffs.
The Mavs are currently the 11th seed in the West, one spot out of the play-in game.
What they're saying:
"I love everything about the way this team is playing," Welts said. "I think [head coach Jason Kidd] has done an amazing job of keeping this team connected."
Welts says the fight shown by the current shorthanded team shows the culture of the team.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Dallas Mavericks broadcast on March 25, 2025.