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NASCAR makes its Dallas-area home at the Texas Motor Speedway. Photo: © Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau.
| Sports are taken seriously in Dallas. Whether it's professional basketball, college football or a raging rodeo, on any given day, you can find a spectator event that suits your particular appetite for sports. Try to hit all ten - just like a true Texan.
The Team: Known as "America's Team," the Dallas Cowboys are five-time Super Bowl champions and one of the most successful teams in the history of the NFL (and the cheerleaders aren't half bad either).
Fun Fact: The Cowboys hold the NFL league records for most consecutive winning seasons (20, from 1966 to 1985) and most seasons with at least 10 wins (24).
Famous Players: Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Roger Staubach, Mike Ditka and head coach Tom Landry
Catch the Action: Texas Stadium in Irving.
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The Team: The Dallas Mavericks joined the NBA in 1980-81 and have proven themselves as a competitive franchise ever since.
Fun Fact: Mark Cuban, the outspoken billionaire owner of the team, has amassed more than $1 million in fines for controversial behavior and statements made against the league and its referees.
Famous Players: Michael Finley, Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash.
Where they play: American Airlines Center in Dallas.
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The Team: In 1993, the Minnesota North Stars were sold to a new owner in Dallas, and became the Dallas Stars bringing hard-hitting hockey action to the warm climate of Dallas. Since then, they have become an NHL superstar team, plus they won the 1999 Stanley Cup.
Fun Fact: After moving from the hockey town of Minneapolis, the Stars went on to have more success in this warm weather climate, both on the ice and in the box office.
Famous Players: Neal Broten, Derian Hatcher and Mike Modano.
Catch the Action: American Airlines Center in Dallas.
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The Team: Take yourself out to a ballgame at Ameriquest Field in Arlington, just outside of Dallas. From April to October, watch this established Major League Baseball team play with passion in their open-air stadium complex that also features a baseball museum, children's learning center, youth ballpark and a 12-acre lake. After all, baseball is America's pastime.
Fun Fact: From 1989-1994, President George W. Bush oversaw operations of the team as managing partner until he was elected Governor of Texas.
Famous Players: Alex Rodriguez, Nolan Ryan and Juan Gonzalez.
Catch the Action: Ameriquest Field in Arlington.
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The Team: Formerly the Dallas Burn, the FC Dallas (which stands for Futbol Club) has been a consistent powerhouse throughout its nine years of play. Along with the name change, this Major League Soccer team moved its home turf in 2005 to Pizza Hut Park. And with a new field, colors and mascot, they plan to be even more of a force.
Fun Fact: The first large-scale facility of its kind in the United States, Pizza Hut Park combines a 21,193 state-of-the-art pro soccer stadium with 17 championship quality soccer fields located just north of the stadium. The 117-acre complex is bustling 300 days a year, hosting Major League Soccer games, U.S. Men's and Women's National Team soccer matches, major concerts, international soccer and High School football.
Catch the Action: Pizza Hut Park in Frisco.
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The Team: The Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League (AFL) have been an exciting addition to the Dallas professional sports line-up. Come watch this form of football at its fastest pace - a mix of athletics and entertainment that's affordable and family-oriented.
Fun Fact: Voted "Best Entertainment Experience" by D Magazine, the Dallas Desperado Dancers have been wowing audiences with their kicks and moves since 2002.
Catch the Action: American Airlines Center in Dallas.
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Additional Sporting-Event Highlights
The Rundown: Texans loves NASCAR. It's hard not to when you're at the Texas Motor Speedway - recognized as one of the world's most modern speedways. Located in north Fort Worth, it's one of the largest sports and entertainment facilities in the United States, with the capacity for more than 200,000 spectators at any one event. Be sure to catch one of the annual races including the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch Series, Craftsman Truck Series and the Indy Racing League.
Catch the Action: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
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The Rundown: Every Friday and Saturday from April through September, Texans don their finest Western wear and mosey over to the Mesquite Rodeo. Located just a 15-minute drive from Dallas at the Resistol Arena, come watch this showdown of world-famous bronc and bull riders, team ropers, barrel racers and many more.
Catch the Action: Resistol Arena in Mesquite.
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Red River Rivalry
What It's All About: Every year throngs of fanatic fans, half clad in orange, the other half in red, descend upon Dallas for the annual Red River Rivalry. At this raucous sporting event, the University of Texas Longhorns go head to head with their biggest rival, the Oklahoma Sooners. Why Dallas? Well, it's between the two campuses (three hours from Austin, three from Norman), which makes for an even playing field - in more ways than one.
Catch the Action: The Cotton Bowl, located in Dallas' Fair Park.
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The Rundown: Each New Years Day, two of college football's best teams duke it out in the annual AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. Year-in and year-out, the Cotton Bowl is a Texas spectator tradition.
Catch the Action: The Cotton Bowl, located in Dallas' Fair Park.
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