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Jose Fernandez joined a national media call on Tuesday to discuss basketball. The Dallas Wings head coach instead revealed a plan not yet ready for public release. What happened next caught even his own bosses off guard.
Fernandez told reporters the Wings expect to play all 2027 home games at the American Airlines Center. Team CEO Greg Bibb confirmed talks remain ongoing.
No formal agreement between the team and the arena has been signed. The negotiations are at an advanced stage.
The Wings are moving its home games from Arlington to Dallas in 2027, HC Jose Fernandez announced 🔥
The Wings are going from about 7,000 seats at the College Park Center (current home stadium), to about 20,000 seats next year 📈
Since arriving from Tulsa before the 2016 season, the Wings have called College Park Center home. The small campus venue holds roughly 7,000 seats for basketball.
In 2025, the team averaged 7,273 per home game, per Statista. That number ranked among the lowest across the entire WNBA.
The downtown American Airlines Center holds about 20,000 for basketball. A June game against the Indiana Fever drew 20,409 there last year.
That crowd set a franchise record and marked a sellout. The figure nearly tripled the average turnout at College Park Center.
League-wide attendance rose from 9,807 per game in 2024 to 11,148 in 2025, per NPR. Fifteen games relocated to bigger arenas drew 236,670 combined that season.
An AAC agreement would likely cover only the 2027 season. Construction delays pushed the permanent move to a renovated Memorial Auditorium to 2028, per USA Today.
A 2024 deal guaranteed the Wings an AAC option if their new home was not ready, per Front Office Sports. Dallas also holds the last two No. 1 overall WNBA draft picks.
Perfect timing for Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd
The arena move aligns with the arrival of two franchise-changing players. Paige Bueckers came with a national profile built on sellout crowds and massive television audiences during her college career. Azzi Fudd brought similar star power and proven chemistry with her former teammate.
The team selected Bueckers in 2025 and Fudd in 2026. Both former UConn stars led the Huskies to the 2025 national championship.
The prospect of watching both players together is a matter of fan excitement. Season ticket inquiries spiked after each draft selection. College Park Center's limited capacity means thousands of potential fans face being turned away.
A larger venue means expanded revenue streams. More ticket sales translate to greater financial flexibility for roster construction. Building a supporting cast around Bueckers and Fudd requires resources that increased gate revenue can provide.
The Wings have never reached the WNBA Finals since moving to Dallas. With two top draft picks now in the fold, that drought feels increasingly unacceptable to a fanbase hungry for playoff success.
Whether Bueckers and Fudd can deliver that elusive first Finals appearance remains the real question. The franchise has never been better positioned to find out.
For Bueckers, who will be entering her third WNBA season in 2027 at around the time of relocation, and Fudd, her second, the timing creates opportunity. Young stars developing chemistry while playing before energized crowds in a professional venue accelerates team building.
The move to AAC represents the Dallas Wings declaring themselves serious contenders. They drafted the talent. Now they're building the infrastructure to support it.
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