Now that the 2009 All-Star weekend has passed, the countdown to the 2010 event in DFW has begun. Dallas was named as the host last October thanks to a unique cooperative effort between Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones.
Events will be spread all over the metroplex. The 'NBA Jam Session', a self described NBA theme park, will be held at the Dallas Convention Center. All-Star Saturday Night, which includes the three point shootout and slam dunk contest, will be held at the American Airlines Center. The All-Star game itself will be played at the Cowboys yet to be named stadium in Arlington.
The game being held in Arlington not only allows all Mavericks season ticket holders the ability to attend the game, but creates an opportunity for something very special. Mark Cuban set high expectations by proclaiming at the announcement that the game will be held "in front of the largest crowd to ever see a basketball game." Even David Stern didn't shy away from hyperbole.
"Dallas is a vibrant city with a passionate sports fan base that will embrace the NBA All-Star experience," said Stern. "We appreciate the collaborative efforts of Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones on what will surely be one of the most memorable basketball events of all time."
Those claims got a potential huge boost this weekend when LeBron James announced on live television that he was preliminarily entering into the 2010 slam dunk contest.
Of course All-Star weekend is about far more than the game. In terms of it's ability to completely take over a city, NBA All-Star weekend falls just short of the Super Bowl. It's estimated that this years All-Star game will pump around $100 million into the Phoenix economy.
It will be a crazy weekend with parties hosted by players and A-list celebrities all over the city. Even Dirk is excited about the opportunity to represent Dallas.
"Maybe I'll host a big bash. You've got to. It will be fun for everyone to see what a great city Dallas is," Nowitzki said. "Everything is bigger in Texas – you know that. It should be great."
Wes Cox is a Dallas based blogger whose thoughts on the Mavs can be read daily at www.mavsmoneyball.com.
