The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). Knowing what time zone the Dallas Stars are in is helpful for fans to know when to watch games on TV or listen on the radio. It also assists with knowing when to attend home games at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
The Dallas Stars Are in the Central Time Zone
The Dallas Stars are in the Central Time Zone. More specifically, Dallas and the surrounding area are in the North American Central Time Zone (CT).
The Central Time Zone includes all or parts of the U.S. states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. It also includes parts of the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Nunavut, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.
The Central Time Zone is six hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-6). It is one hour behind the Eastern Time Zone and one hour ahead of the Mountain Time Zone.
During Daylight Saving Time, which occurs from mid-March to early November, the Central Time Zone shifts to five hours behind UTC (UTC-5). This is known as Central Daylight Time (CDT).
Reasons the Dallas Stars Are in the Central Time Zone
There are several key reasons why the Dallas Stars are located in the Central Time Zone:
- Dallas is geographically located in central United States.
- Texas as a state falls within the Central Time Zone.
- The city of Dallas and surrounding metropolitan area observe Central Time.
- The American Airlines Center, home of the Stars, is located in Dallas, TX.
- Being in the Central Time Zone allows for reasonable broadcast times of Stars games throughout the U.S.
- It provides convenient start times for a large portion of road games within the Western Conference.
- The NHL and teams aligned the Stars in the Central Division partially based on time zone.
The Central Time Zone covers a large geographic area in the central region of the country. Professional sports teams like the Stars locate themselves in areas that fit time-wise with the leagues and conferences they play in. The Dallas Stars were established in 1967 as part of the NHL’s geographic expansion into the southern U.S.
Benefits of the Dallas Stars Being in the Central Time Zone
There are several benefits that come with the Dallas Stars being located in the Central Time Zone:
– Games start at a reasonable time for TV viewing for a large part of the U.S. A 7:00 p.m. start time in Dallas provides 6:00 p.m. starts for those in the Mountain Time Zone and 8:00 p.m. starts for those in the Eastern Time Zone.
– Travel is easier for visiting Pacific and Central division teams who are in similar time zones. Teams from the Eastern Time Zone travel less distance when visiting Dallas.
– Most road games against Central Division opponents are in similar time zones, allowing for convenient start times. The Stars’ division includes Chicago, Colorado, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis, Winnipeg, and Arizona.
– Fans in Dallas can attend weeknight games at standard evening times and be home at a reasonable hour.
– The team’s central location makes it accessible and within a few hours travel time from many large Texas markets including Austin, San Antonio, and Houston.
Overall, the Central Time Zone provides the Dallas Stars and their fans with ideal timing in terms of game start times and travel schedules. The team’s place within the Central Division also reduces excess time zone travel that can be fatiguing for players.
Game Start Times in Dallas
Knowing the Dallas Stars are in the Central Time Zone provides insights into the typical start times for home games in Dallas:
- Weeknight (Monday-Thursday) home games typically start at 7:30 p.m. CT.
- Friday home games frequently start at 7:00 p.m. CT.
- Saturday home games often begin at 1:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., or 7:00 p.m. CT.
- Sunday home games generally start at 1:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. CT.
- Playoff games may begin at 7:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m., or 9:30 p.m. CT depending on TV scheduling.
Of course, these are general trends and individual game start times can vary. The Stars’ website and online schedule provides the most up-to-date start times for upcoming home and away games.
Knowing that Dallas is in the Central Time Zone helps fans determine when to tune in on TV or arrive in-person. Start times are subject to change for national broadcasting purposes.
Daylight Saving Time and Dallas Stars Game Times
An important point to note is that Daylight Saving Time affects Dallas Stars game times for part of the regular season:
- During Standard time from November to mid-March, game times remain as Central Time as usual.
- When Daylight Saving Time begins (mid-March), game times are shifted one hour later into Central Daylight Time.
- For example, a 7:30 p.m. standard time start becomes 8:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time.
- When Daylight Saving Time ends in November, start times shift back to Standard Central Time.
Fans should be aware of the Daylight Saving Time change when checking Dallas Stars game schedules between mid-March and early November. Start times may be one hour later than usual compared to the standard time period.
Dallas Stars Regular Season Time Zone Differences
During the regular season, the Dallas Stars play against teams from the Eastern, Central, and Pacific Time Zones. This creates some interesting start time differences.
Here are the Dallas Stars’ most common start time shifts when playing road games in other time zones:
Game Location Time Zone | Typical Start Time Adjustment |
---|---|
Eastern Time Zone | Games start 1 hour earlier (i.e. 7 p.m. CT) |
Central Time Zone (no adjustment) | Games start at regular CT times (i.e. 7:30 p.m. CT) |
Mountain Time Zone | Games start 1 hour later (i.e. 8:30 p.m. CT) |
Pacific Time Zone | Games start 2 hours later (i.e. 9:30 p.m. CT) |
As shown, Dallas’ central location means smaller time zone changes relative to the coasts. But it still results in some late night games when visiting the West coast.
Fans should take note of time adjustments when tuning into road games against Eastern Conference or Pacific Division opponents.
Impact of Time Zones on Dallas Stars Playoff Games
Time zones also play an important role in the NHL playoffs each spring. Since the playoffs feature teams across the NHL, there can be larger time zone shifts:
- Eastern Time Zone playoff games usually start 6-7 p.m. CT.
- Games against Mountain Time Zone teams start around 8:30 p.m. CT.
- Pacific Time Zone matchups typically start at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Series against Pacific teams feature more back-to-back 9:30 p.m. starts.
Playoff hockey often means late nights for Dallas Stars fans! Weeknight games on the West coast can finish close to midnight local time in Dallas.
Time zones also influence the playoff broadcast schedule. Typically the NHL programs Eastern Time series in primetime and schedules Western series later. This allows NBC and cable networks to serve fans across the U.S. despite the time differences.
No matter the matchup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs create exciting hockey. And the Dallas Stars aim to advance deep into the postseason toward the ultimate goal of bringing the Cup back to the Central Time Zone!
Conclusion
In summary, the Dallas Stars are located in the Central Time Zone along with their home city of Dallas, Texas. This provides the team with ideal timing in regards to game broadcasts and travel during the regular season. Knowing the Stars occupy the Central Time Zone makes it easy for fans across North America to tune into games at standard times. The only major time shift comes a few times per season when Dallas visits the West Coast. Overall, the Central Time Zone is a great fit for the Dallas Stars organization and their national fanbase.