Sports

The Metroplex is one of just twelve American metropolitan areas that has a team in each of the four major professional sports leagues. Major professional sports first came to the area in 1960, when the Dallas Cowboys began competing in the National Football League and the Dallas Texans began competing in the American Football League (the Texans would later relocate to Kansas City and become the Chiefs). In 1972, Major League Baseball's Washington Senators moved to Arlington to become the Texas Rangers. The National Basketball Association expanded into North Texas in 1980 when the Dallas Mavericks were added to the league. The fourth piece was added in 1993 when the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League became the Dallas Stars. The area is also home to many other minor-league professional teams, four colleges that compete in NCAA Division I athletics, and has played host to many premiere sports events on both an annual and one-time basis.

Major professional sports teams Club Sport Founded League Venue Dallas Cowboys Football 1960 NFL Cowboys Stadium Texas Rangers Baseball 1972^ MLB Rangers Ballpark in Arlington Dallas Mavericks Basketball 1980 NBA American Airlines Center Dallas Stars Hockey 1993^ NHL American Airlines Center FC Dallas Soccer 1996 MLS FC Dallas Stadium

^- Indicates year team relocated to the area

Other professional teams Club Sport Founded League Venue Allen Americans Hockey 2009 Central Hockey League Allen Event Center Dallas Sidekicks Indoor soccer 2012 Professional Arena Soccer League Allen Event Center Frisco RoughRiders Baseball 2003^ Texas League Dr Pepper Ballpark Fort Worth Cats Baseball 2001 NABL LaGrave Field Grand Prairie AirHogs Baseball 2007 AAIPBL QuikTrip Park Texas Legends Basketball 2011 NBA D-League Dr Pepper Arena Texas Brahmas Hockey 1997 Central Hockey League NYTEX Sports Centre Texas Revolution Arena Football 2011^ Indoor Football League Allen Event Center

^- Indicates year team relocated to the area

Division I college athletics School City Nickname Conference University of North Texas Denton Mean Green Sun Belt* University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Mavericks Western Athletic Conference& Southern Methodist University University Park Mustangs Conference USA# Texas Christian University Fort Worth Horned Frogs Big 12 Conference

(*) UNT is moving to Conference USA on July 1, 2013.

(&) UT-Arlington is moving to the Sun Belt in 2013.

(#) SMU is moving to the American Athletic Conference in 2013.

The headquarters for both the Big 12 and C-USA are located in Irving.

Sports events hosted Event Sport Year(s) Venue Red River Rivalry College Football 1912–present Cotton Bowl Battle for the Iron Skillet College Football 1915–present Cotton Bowl, Amon G. Carter Stadium, Ownby Stadium, Texas Stadium, Ford Stadium Fort Worth Classic College Football 1921 Panther Park Dixie Classic College Football 1922, 1925, 1934 Fair Park Stadium PGA Championship Golf 1927 Cedarcrest Golf Course AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic College Football 1937–present Cotton Bowl, Cowboys Stadium U.S. Open Golf 1941 Colonial Country Club Byron Nelson Golf Classic Golf 1944–present Multiple courses in Dallas Colonial National Invitational Golf 1946–present Colonial Country Club Pro Bowl Football 1973 Texas Stadium The Players Championship Golf 1975 Colonial Country Club Dallas Grand Prix Auto Racing 1984–1996 Fair Park, Addison, Reunion Arena NBA All-Star Game Basketball 1986 Reunion Arena NCAA Men's Final Four Basketball 1986, 2014 Reunion Arena, Cowboys Stadium U.S. Women's Open Golf 1991 Colonial Country Club FIFA World Cup Preliminaries Soccer 1994 Cotton Bowl MLB All-Star Game Baseball 1995 Rangers Ballpark in Arlington Samsung 500 Auto Racing 1997–present Texas Motor Speedway Bombardier Learjet 550 Auto Racing 1997–present Texas Motor Speedway Big 12 Championship Game College Football 2001, 2009, 2010 Texas Stadium, Cowboys Stadium Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl College Football 2003–present Amon G. Carter Stadium Breeders' Cup Classic Horse Racing 2004 Lone Star Park Dickies 500 Auto Racing 2005–present Texas Motor Speedway MLS Cup Soccer 2005, 2006 Pizza Hut Park NHL All-Star Game Hockey 2007 American Airlines Center CONCACAF Gold Cup Soccer 2009 Cowboys Stadium Cowboys Classic College Football 2009–present Cowboys Stadium Southwest Classic College Football 2009–2011 Cowboys Stadium NBA All-Star Game Basketball 2010 Cowboys Stadium Heart of Dallas Bowl College Football 2010–present Cotton Bowl Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito Professional Boxing November 13, 2010 Cowboys Stadium CONCACAF Gold Cup Soccer 2011 Cowboys Stadium NCAA Division I Football Championship College football 2011–2013 Pizza Hut Park Super Bowl XLV Football 2011 Cowboys Stadium Heart of Dallas Classic Football 2013 Cotton Bowl