When Ivy Awino, known around the American Airlines Center in Dallas as DJ Poizon Ivy, plays music for the 19,000-plus Mavericks fans in attendance, she understands the assignment. Every track must be timed perfectly to create a memory.
There’s no room for error, as she considers herself “the ultimate conductor” while on the clock. The arena’s her show. And every great DJ will co-sign; when playing music, you can heighten a fan’s experience or sully it.
“If you get it right, you’ll know it and feel it. It’s a very empowering feeling,” said Awino, the Mavericks’ in-arena host who also has held the title of sound director and music coordinator for the team. “A perfectly placed track is undeniable. You’ll get goose bumps if you do it right. You can anticipate it all you want, but it has to hit perfectly.”
For decades, the right song has stimulated sports fan bases globally. A sporting event can tell multiple stories. The athletes and the plays made in the venues can make for excellent stories for years.
Without music, however, there’s a missing ingredient. One that Awino knows is a must to complete the fan experience.
“It’s the icing on the cake. It’s the thread that pulls everything together,” she said. “It’s something that can be perceived by…
