The Dallas Wings could move to downtown Dallas if the WNBA approves of a 15-year deal worth $19 million in incentives passed by the city council Wednesday.
If approved, the Dallas Wings will move from College Park Center in Arlington to the Dallas Memorial Auditorium, part of Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, starting in their 2026 season.
Dallas City Council voted and approved the Wings for a 15-year resident use at Wednesday's council meeting.
"It comes at an incredible time for women's sports, generally, but particularly for women's basketball," Mayor Eric Johnson said about the agreement.
The vote to move the Dallas Wings into Dallas comes at a time when women's basketball has seen a spike in interest across the country. Caitlin Clark, selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft, made headlines this year after becoming the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer and bringing in millions of viewers to the sport.
Councilmember Omar Narvaez said none of the city council had a crystal ball to know how women's basketball would have "exploded" this year.
"This is the perfect time, the perfect team, the perfect partners," he said.
During their 2023 regular season, the Dallas Wings were one of the top teams in the Western Conference and in the league overall.
Greg Bibb, president and CEO of the Dallas Wings, said the team was enjoying unprecedented growth, engagement and fandom. He added the team deserved a world-class venue to train and play, and the fans deserved a best-in-class arena to call home.
"The citizens of Dallas deserve a community asset that will make them proud for years to come," he said.
The Dallas Wings have played at the University of Texas at Arlington's College Park Center since 2016. For a university with no football team, the Wings have been the main fall attraction for students and fans alike, the Shorthorn reported.
"The Wings have been a wonderful partner for UTA since 2016, providing a national platform for our state-of-the-art, 7,000-seat College Park Center," UTA spokesperson Jeff Carlton wrote in a statement. "The University and our arena staff remain focused on continuing to deliver an exceptional experience for the fans and the team for the upcoming 2024 and 2025 seasons.”
The team would still play at College Park Center for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Councilmember Paula Blackmon said she was excited about driving five minutes to watch the Wings rather than 30 minutes.
A self-proclaimed basketball mom, Blackmon has three sons who play the sport, but this year they've texted her more about women's basketball than men's.
"It's exciting when you have your boys talking about the women and the participation and the level of play, because it means a lot to a woman who didn't get the opportunities that we're seeing," she said.
As council members voted to approve the team's 2026 move to its namesake city, Narvaez proudly unbuttoned his dress shirt, brandishing a Dallas Wings T-shirt underneath.
Dallas City Hall Council Chambers erupted with applause after the agreement was approved.
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