On March 28, the Dallas Mavericks traveled about 600 miles south to Monterrey, Mexico— Dallas’ sister city— to unveil two refurbished basketball courts as a gift to the city’s MFFLs.
For decades, the Mavs and Mavs Foundation have worked to grow the game of basketball through dozens of court donations across North Texas. And with support from the NBA, the Mavericks are expanding their reach to grow the game globally.
Now, with the ribbon officially cut in Mexico, the team has expanded its footprint into three countries following court dedications in Slovenia (2022) and Spain (2023).
“This was my dream when I was playing for the Mavericks— to be the team of Mexico, just like the Dallas Cowboys,” said Eduardo Nájera, a former Maverick who originally hails from Meoqui, Mexico.
“I was always rooting for the Mavericks to do these types of events. With that said, the new ownership came in and obviously they understand the importance of the growth of basketball. It is a universal sport, and I believe they’re seeing the importance of this market in Mexico.”
Mavs CEO Rick Welts said fans can expect to see the team “doubling down on the commitment to making the Mavericks Mexico’s team” during an interview with MavsTV leading up to the court dedication.
He followed the statement by saying Mexico serves as a “natural extension” of the Mavs’ presence in Dallas, and with the Monterrey-headquartered Softtek on board as the team’s official international technology sponsor, last Friday’s event marked a monumental day for Mavs fans in Monterrey.
After surveying several sites in the area, the Mavs and Softtek designated the basketball courts at Ciudad Deportiva, Monterrey’s mixed-use sports complex, for much-needed refurbishment.
“We looked at a lot of different sites here in Monterrey, and we decided on Sports City because of how it functions as a community hub for all the wonderful sports programs they host here for kids,” said Katie Edwards, the Mavs’ chief impact officer & Mavs Foundation president. “Sports City really wants to grow the game of basketball, and that’s such an important part of what we do, growing the game throughout the world.”
Using a combination of cool blues and greens, the exterior concrete court at Ciudad Deportiva was transformed into an inviting space with thoughtfully designed and hand-painted details celebrating Monterrey’s rich culture.
Within the three-point arches, an abstract design pulls inspiration from the accordion— a nod to the region’s Norteño music.
And spanning the distance of both sidelines, Monterrey’s iconic skyline— one half featuring towering skyscrapers, and the other showcasing the famed Cerro de la Silla mountain range.
The neighboring gymnasium housing the complex’s indoor playing surface was updated with a refreshing, bright white color scheme anchored by the Mavs’ primary logo at center court.
In addition to resurfacing and painting, the Mavs, with help from Softtek and UT Southwestern, also installed new baskets and bleachers, donated basketballs and equipment, and painted an exterior mural on the gymnasium.
“One of the reasons we started talking with the Mavs was really that community aspect they have, which ties in very well with Softtek,” said Ricardo Gonzalez, managing director of hospitality at Softtek. “Obviously, this is a major project for us, but I think that alignment on the values of the companies was key.”
Softtek’s director of global communications, Karen Liedl, echoed Gonzalez and added, “Having a president and CEO born and raised in the city of Monterrey makes it extra special for some of the community members, and certainly our employees.”
“It’s just very exciting to be associated with the Mavericks here in Monterrey, Mexico, and to see the before and after and everything that comes with it,” Liedl continued.
Following the dedication ceremony that brought together Monterrey city leaders, Softtek and Mavs executives, the public flooded the court for fun and games, autographs from former Mavs Nájera and Rolando Blackman, and giveaways galore.
A handful of Mavs Academy coaches also traveled south to host a free basketball clinic for young boys and girls participating in the Ciudad Deportiva recreational basketball leagues.
“The highlight for me is always meeting new people, really getting an opportunity to see the people that are invested in helping and creating opportunities for kids to be able to move forward,” said Mavs Legend Blackman who joined Nájera at the ribbon cutting ceremony and fan fest.
“Every time you have a community, you can’t just talk about change, you have to implement it. And when you talk about the Dallas Mavericks, you have an apex team, and this partnership with Softtek— you bring those two together for and on behalf of the community— it’s a fantastic value, and now the kids get to benefit and have an opportunity to enhance their lives and move themselves forward.”
The courts at Ciudad Deportiva will serve as a lasting symbol of the Dallas Mavericks’ commitment to the new and longtime fans in the City of Monterrey and across Mexico.
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