Home Field Disadvantage

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The sports world has taken note that AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, appears to have become the go-to place for fans of the other teams.  In two of the Cowboys’ first three games this season, the fans of the opposing team seemingly outnumbered the Cowboys’ fans.  Things got so bad in last Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans that the home team had to utilize a silent count to overcome the roar of the Texan fans.   

Quarterback Tony Romo addressed the problem in his post-game comments, “That was every bit as loud as going to St. Louis or Tennessee,” Romo said.  “We need to understand that we lose a lot of our ability to do some things at the line of scrimmage that gives us big advantages, from my perspective.  We have  got to make sure going forward that we have a lot more percentage of Cowboy fans.”

Just how the Cowboys expect to do that is the big question.  Owner Jerry Jones has made AT&T Stadium a destination unto itself, a must-see venue for sports fans around the country.  When given a choice of what away game to attend, many fans of the other teams will jump at the chance to visit Jerry World.

As for Cowboys fans, season ticket holders are dumping their seats in record numbers, many trying to recoup some of the exorbitant fees paid to the club.  With sideline seats having a face value price of $340 and PSL fees ranging from $16,000 to $150,000, having the opportunity to sell those tickets for a profit is an appealing prospect.  Unfortunately for the Cowboys, fans traveling to the game as a vacation or road trip are the ones willing to spend the money for the tickets.   When the price of 2 season tickets for only 8 regular season home games approaches the price of sending a kid to college for a year, many fans begin to question just how much their team loyalty is worth.

Many local fans are also fed up with the team’s inability to win, or even play in, the postseason.  The Cowboys live off a tradition that includes 5 Super Bowl Championships, yet the current generation knows a team that is mired in mediocrity.  They are simply tired of being charged for prime rib, and then being given a turkey sandwich.

Until the Cowboys show they are worth the price, AT&T Stadium will continue to be a very friendly place for other teams to visit.

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