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New stadium sure to tempt rivalry game

 
By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist
Published: 6/22/2008  2:11 AM
Last Modified: 6/22/2008  3:20 AM

Ready to vote? Click here to go to the U Decide vote page.


The Oklahoma-Texas game remains at the Cotton Bowl, but everyone from the NFL to colleges and bowl games are lining up to play at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

The Sooners and Longhorns have agreed to keep their annual October game at the Cotton Bowl through 2015, but one has to wonder if the lure to play in what some are calling "the greatest stadium in the world" will take OU and Texas west to Arlington.

The only stumbling block to a move would appear to be the historic significance of playing the game during the State Fair of Texas. Corny dogs and cotton candy are among the cornerstones of the Red River Rivalry.

"I think the OU-Texas game is a different deal than us," said Cotton Bowl executive director Rick Baker, who is preparing to move his game from the namesake Cotton Bowl Stadium to Dallas Cowboys Stadium in 2010. "We've said that the move for us was an easy choice but a hard decision.

"It was a hard decision because of the emotion involved. There's so much emotion involved with the OU-Texas game."

Yet, the lure of what is being built between Dallas and Fort Worth has to be tempting to the Sooners and Longhorns, no matter how much you love midway games and rides.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is making sure nothing is being overlooked in the construction of what will be the most elaborate athletic facility on Earth.

Costs of the stadium have soared to about $1.2 billion. Architects said capacity will be up to about 100,000, although the actual number of seats promised to the NFL for the 2011 Super Bowl is 93,000. There will be 304 luxury suites and 15,000 club level seats.

Jones has had no lack of interest in what has been labeled "The Taj Mahal" of stadiums.

Arkansas and Texas A&M announced earlier this year that they have signed a 10-year contract to play a game every October in the stadium. The contract has four five-year options, which means it is likely a 30-year deal.

Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are close to announcing a deal that would move their annual Big 12 Conference game to the stadium.

Notre Dame and Arizona State have a signed deal to play at the stadium in 2013.

The Cotton Bowl's deal in Arlington is for 10 years with 25 years in options. Many believe the deal will eventually help the Cotton Bowl put itself back in the BCS picture alongside the Orange, Sugar, Fiesta and Rose Bowls.

The Super Bowl has already signed up for a game in Arlington, too.

And, of course, the Dallas Cowboys, one of the most valuable pro sports franchises in the world, will call the stadium home.

If the decision about OU-Texas was only about money, then the series could easily become a home-and-home. It would allow all season ticket holders, instead of only half, to see the game at least every other year.

Yet, if it were about nothing more than history and tradition, then the Cotton Bowl should continue to be the home.

But if you put money, history, tradition and modern convenience together, then it would appear the Dallas Cowboys Stadium would be a perfect home.

Yes, you would lose the location at Fair Park. However, it wouldn't take much to move a few rides, games and your favorite corn dog stand to the convenient parking lots surrounding the new stadium.

And, by keeping the game in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, it would continue the tradition of playing the game halfway between Norman and Austin, a tradition since 1929.

The new stadium will be larger than either the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman or the Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin (both about 85,000).

So, a move to the new stadium would keep alive the tradition of a trip to Dallas on the first Saturday in October.

However, a move to Arlington would allow the game to be played in a state-of-the-art facility in a historic location with as many traditions (the stadium split right down the middle for fans) maintained as possible.

It should be, and is, a very tempting option for OU and Texas.

The Cotton Bowl is hopeful that its move, as painful as it was for many of its board members, will be a huge boost.

"Again, OU-Texas is different because they own that game," said Baker. "We, on the other hand, are in a very competitive business. There is only one OU-Texas. There are a lot of bowls, and we have to compete for teams, fans, television, everything. So, we have to do what helps give us the best competitive advantage.

"A lot of our decision was based on the stadium and weather. The OU-Texas game is played in early October. They very seldom have any weather issues. That's not true for our game on Jan. 1."

Actually, very few Cotton Bowls have been hampered by weather.

"However, some of the classics in our game have been played in awful weather," said Baker. "So, as a result, there is a perception out there that we have terrible weather."

So, playing in a retractable roof stadium takes weather out of the equation.

No weather concerns, coupled with 100,000 tickets for a game that has an excellent reputation in college football, may land the Cotton Bowl back in the BCS mix.

Leaving the Cotton Bowl, regardless of how much money is thrown at the stadium, will still come down to emotions.

Moving to Arlington would seem to be an easy choice, just as Baker said.

However, that doesn't make the decision any easier.



Let us know what you think



You can vote every day on any of the questions we’ve asked this summer. They’re at www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra. We’ll have election results in our college football preview section Aug. 24.

Here are questions we’ve asked so far:

Who is the best quarterback in OU history?

Josh Heupel
Jamelle Holieway
Jimmy Harris
Jack Mildren
Jason White

Who is the best quarterback in OSU history?

Josh Fields
Mike Gundy
Rusty Hilger
Zac Robinson
Dick Soergel

Who is the best quarterback in TU history?

Paul Smith
T.J. Rubley
Jerry Rhome
Glenn Dobbs
Jeb Blount

Should there be a college football playoff Vote to keep the current system or on one of the World's three playo? proposals.

Keep the current system: Rankings determine the top two teams after the regular season. They meet for the national title.

Plus-one format proposal: Teams are ranked after the bowl games, and No. 1 faces No. 2 for the national title.

Four-team bracket proposal: The top four teams are seeded after the regular season. It’s a two-round playoY for the national title.

Eight-team bracket proposal: The top eight teams are seeded after the regular season, and the playoYs begin.

By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist

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2 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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JED, Tulsa (6/23/2008 9:45:31 AM)
Why does the media keep driving the issue of changing the location of the game? The alumni, fans, and both universities are happy with the Cotton Bowl. The Cotton Bowl is currently being expanded and renovated and will hold over 92,000 fans starting this year. This is one tradition that this OU alumnus, and season ticket holder will fight to keep to the bitter end.
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Tbone, (6/23/2008 6:07:43 PM)
Jed I agree, if they don't keep it in the Cotton Bowl, move it to a home and home series. I heard that Texas wanted out after this year but OU threatened to play the game every other year in the Cotton Bowl and only giving Texas the 5000 they would be allotted in Norman. Can you imagine how furious Texas would be having to be the Visitors in Dallas!
 

 
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