The Dallas Stars are an established team with a good fan base. So why do people keep saying Dallas isn’t a hockey town?
There is a rumor going around that Dallas is not a hockey town. Sure, it is a non-traditional hockey market, but that does not mean the Dallas Stars are outcasts in the city. Hockey belongs here.
People like to redirect blame. If redirected enough, those people will get cornered and say something stupid. It is similar to a trail of lies. You only get further from the truth when you cover a lie with a lie and so on. Sometimes people just allow themselves to be tricked by the redirects or the lies. There does come a point where people will say something to set the lies straight.
Does Dallas Have a Fan Base?
When people say Dallas in sports, they really mean the DFW metroplex. Fort Worth is a top 20 city for population in America. In Dallas and Tarrant counties, there are three of the largest cities in America (Arlington being the third). Much of the population is not originally from the area which is a good thing. Of the 10 fastest gaining counties in America, four are in the metroplex. All of the fastest shrinking counties are north of the Mason-Dixon line. Where are all of the Yankees going?
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Well, there is a good chance to Dallas. That means Dallas is not a traditional southern city so it cannot be categorized as such. If it was traditional, it could not become a hockey town. Population-wise, Dallas has enough potential fans. Migrating hockey fans do bring with them past loyalties, but assimilation does occur frequently. One issue the Stars do have to face is competition from the other sports.
Where Are The Fans On Game Night?
Dallas is a sports city. It has a team in all five major sports leagues. Just because the Stars are not the most popular does not mean is does not belong.
Typically when teams lose, they lose their fans. The Stars have their struggles, but even so attendance has jumped to the highest its been since the early 2000’s. The fans are loyal. Not only do they have loyalty, they have intelligence.
Jim Nill is doing something in Dallas that the fans are certainly taking notice of. He has created hope for the fans. Expect the arrival of Monty to create only more excitement and to draw more people.
Can Hockey Ever Be Football In Dallas?
No.
Unless global climate change does something radical, football is fairly safe at number one in DFW, but even commie sports like soccer are growing. DFW has one of the strongest youth soccer programs in the nation. FC Dallas has several youth teams per age group. If the Stars want to draw the youth’s attention more, youth programs associated with their franchise or with the Texas Stars is the way to go.
Adults are a harder audience to draw. They know what they like because that’s what they grew up with. The atmosphere at the games themselves is the key to bringing in grown ups. How do the Stars do that? I’m not a marketer, so I don’t have to know that.
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Winning droughts are tough on teams, management, and fans, but what the management accomplished for the franchise during these rough waters has been remarkable. Growth in the hard times is the best growth. The Stars have created a long term fan base. Enough talk about Dallas not being a hockey town. Just watch the game.