The Dallas Stars on Wednesday asked an appellate court to undo a trial judge’s decision that handed the Dallas Mavericks control of American Airlines Center, a move first reported to The Dallas Morning News and now headed to the Texas 15th Court of Appeals. The dispute stopped short of the Texas Business Court trial that had been set for May after a string of pretrial losses for the Stars. Key names in the fight include Joshua Sandler of Winstead PC and former Texas Supreme Court chief justice Wallace B. Jefferson, while Judge Whitehill’s 94-page opinion sits at the center of the legal arguments.
The case never made it to the scheduled trial because the Mavericks won multiple critical pretrial rulings, including three decisions this month that tilted momentum in their favor. Those rulings knocked down many of the Stars’ objections and left the court record stacked for an appeal rather than a courtroom showdown. With the trial off the calendar, the legal contest has essentially moved up the ladder to appellate review.
On the Stars’ side, Joshua Sandler is steering the appellate effort for Winstead PC and the team’s lawyers emphasize that the club has not been idle in higher courts. Sandler’s squad includes Wallace B. Jefferson, who brings the experience of a former Texas Supreme Court chief justice to the strategy and courtroom briefs. The Stars have scored wins on appeal before, including at least one matter that reached the Texas Supreme Court and was affirmed, which the team points to as part of its push to keep fighting.
The Stars did not immediately respond to The News’ request for comment. The Mavericks responded to the decision in a statement to The News, saying, “The Mavericks respect the Stars’ right to appeal, but we are confident the appellate court will not find any error in Judge Whitehill’s rulings, including his meticulous 94-page opinion.” That comment underscores how the Mavericks plan to defend the lower-court findings and keep control of the arena’s operations.
What’s at stake is more than bragging rights between two Dallas franchises: control of American Airlines Center dictates who sets the calendar, who handles major venue deals and who collects the bulk of non-ticket revenue from concerts, shows and premium events. For fans, the dispute could ripple into scheduling and the in-arena experience if long-term management changes hands. For both teams, the outcome affects financial leverage and partnership talks with promoters and sponsors around Dallas.
Legally, this appeal will test whether the Texas Business Court and Judge Whitehill applied the correct standards when resolving a complex tangle of contracts, governance rights and venue control. The Mavericks’ recent pretrial victories convinced the lower court to issue a detailed ruling, but the Stars now ask the 15th Court of Appeals to review whether any legal mistakes were made. Appellate judges will parse the record, the statutory framework and Judge Whitehill’s reasoning to decide if a reversal or remand is warranted.
The back-and-forth has also revealed how sports organizations use appellate work as part of a broader tactic: win or lose at the trial level, smartly timed appeals can reshape the battleground or buy time. Both clubs have positioned seasoned lawyers and heavyweight names to argue nuanced questions about ownership, rights and equitable relief. However the appeals court rules, the result will likely prompt further filings or strategic adjustments from one side or the other as they jockey for practical control of a major Dallas venue.
