How the Luka Doncic Trade Has Affected Businesses Around the AAC

As Kyrie Irving hobbled to the free-throw line to take his last two shots of the season on Monday, March 3, the crowd at the American Airlines Center grew quiet. Yes, it was out of respect, but throw in a bit of stunned silence as well. Those two free throws felt like the proverbial nails in the Mavericks’ coffin for the season. In the third quarter, the Mavs were outscored 34-16, and fans started heading to the exits like the fire alarm was ringing. 

One fan who stayed around started yelling, “Fi-re! Ni-co!” Others chimed in throughout the arena. It’s the chant heard across Dallas ever since Luka Doncic became a Los Angeles Laker.

Later that week, the Mavs returned to the AAC on Friday night to face the Memphis Grizzlies. Thirty minutes before tip-off, almost every seat at the bar in Chop Sports Victory Park, which sits in front of the arena, was vacant. A server said the previous night, when the Stars played, every seat was taken, and standing room was shoulder to shoulder.

“Thank God we still have the Stars,” they said.

At Billy Can Can, a popular pregame dinner spot and Top 100 Restaurant, a general manager said that business is down about 15% to 20% on the nights the Mavs play. Turnout for the Stars is better, however.

Step-Back Three-Pointers

Harwood Arms is a fun English-style pub within walking distance of the AAC and is also a Top 100 Restaurant. Last May, the popular bar aired Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals when the Mavs were in Minnesota. The place was packed. Inside, all eyes were on the TVs overhead.

The Mavs were down by two points with 5 seconds left in the game, and Doncic, wearing the team’s black jersey, sank a step-back three-pointer to win it. Doncic screamed, taunting the Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert, who he had just sailed his shot over, as the bar went absolutely wild. Shoulder to shoulder, strangers were jumping up and down, screaming like … their franchise player just sunk a step-back three-pointer to win Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

Nothing beats winning. Alas.

Back to last Monday’s game – before Irving’s season-ending injury – the difference in the pub was stark and painful. Fans had their pick of seats at Harwood Arms. It was half-empty an hour before tip-off. There wasn’t the usual trail of people walking over to the game or big blobs of fans waiting at the crosswalks. Ironically, the Mavericks announced that day that season ticket prices would rise an average of 8.61% for the 2025-26 season.

Harwood Arms manager Stephanie Gaska says that she’s noticed something interesting since the Doncic trade: More people are showing up to watch Lakers games.

It’s hard to say if attendance at Mavs games is down because of third-party ticket sellers; all the tickets to every game are sold, but there’s no way to track the number of seats that are actually occupied, as far as we know.

But outside the arena, the bars and restaurants seem to be hurting. We called HERO, a restaurant located on the plaza in front of the AAC, to inquire if business is down since the Doncic trade. They hung up. Fair enough. Black Tap Craft Burgers and Beer across the street did the same.

The Lakers play the Denver Nuggets in the Mile High City this Friday, March 14. That’ll be a fun game with Nikola Jokic fresh off his no-big-deal, shrugs-it-off 30-20-20, the first in NBA history. He and Doncic will likely put on a show to make all Slavics proud.

The Mavs are out of town, playing Houston that night, so Harwood Arms could be packed.