The 2024 NFL season hasn’t been kind to the Dallas Cowboys. They head into the last game of the season with a 7-9 record that sees them in the bottom half of the league table for the first time in a long while. It’s been a season marked by minor mistakes compounded by more significant issues with injuries and underperforming young players.
This hasn’t dampened fans’ love for the team, though. They know that weathering a bad season or two from time to time is all part of being devoted to any team. These ardent fans aren’t just in the Dallas-Fort Worth area or Texas.
The Dallas Cowboys have been affectionately dubbed America’s Team since the 1970s. The name might have come from just how many of their games were broadcast nationwide before the days of 24/7 sports coverage on dedicated channels. However, the name has come to mean so much more and reflects the widespread popularity of the team.
This article will sneak a peek behind the veil of the popularity of the Dallas Cowboys fanbase to look at how the team built their brand, who the devoted fans are, and what it’s like to be a Dallas Cowboys fan.
The Stadium
Tracing the evolution of the Dallas Cowboys stadiums gives us insight into how the franchise has developed over the decades. The Cowboys started out playing at the Cotton Bowl. This outdoor stadium was built in 1930 and has a lot of charm. It initially held 45,000 spectators but was steadily expanded over the years to an eventual capacity of 92,000.
By the late 1960s, the Cowboys owner felt that the team – and the fans – deserved a better space in a better location. In 1971, Texas Stadium in Irving became the Cowboys’ new home. It seated 65,000 and was designed with the fan experience and luxury options in mind. The stadium was known for its open roof, a mistake that became a feature after plans for a retractable roof were scrapped. This stadium suited the team’s needs, but it was still lacking.
In 2005, the Cowboys moved to their current home – the AT&T Stadium in Arlington. This 80,000-seat stadium is a multi-use venue that brings excellent value to the local community. With nicknames like the Cowboy Cathedral and the Palace in Dallas, it’s clear that this stadium is unique. This stadium reflects the Cowboys’ position as one of the NFL’s biggest and most popular teams, and possibly in American sports in general.
The widespread appeal
Many would argue that the Cowboys can be America’s Team because they feel less rooted in a location. Teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers (supposedly initially offered the title) and the Green Bay Packers have deep connections with the local community, and residents feel they can identify with the team.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, have the gloss of a corporate creation. They have had a fantastic PR and marketing team since the 1970s, and that machine has worked overtime to make the team a recognizable entity. This makes it easy for people from all over the country to feel like they can call the Cowboys their team.
It’s a different approach to creating a team identity; there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not as if NFL players are all local boys who made it big any more. Texans care deeply about college football and don’t identify as strongly with the Cowboys or the Texans as they do with the Aggies or the Longhorns.
The USA is made up of transplants and immigrants. People move all over the country for school or work or to be closer to people and things they love. Supporting a team like the Cowboys is a good way to fit in when you’ve moved somewhere new. No matter where you live, you’ll always be able to find a few Cowboys fans.
Also, everyone knows what a cowboy is and can recognize and understand the imagery. The same can’t be said for other NFL teams. Is a sea hawk even a real bird? How many people from out of state understand the historical contexts of the 49ers or the Steelers? Cowboys are a classic part of American imagery.
Being a Cowboys Fan
Being a Cowboys fan means being a part of one of the largest and most vocal NFL fanbases. It means more than wearing silver and dark blue on game days – but that matters, too! Cowboys fans are known for their unwavering belief in their team’s ability to win the Super Bowl and their willingness to be vocal about it when the team lets them down.
For some strange reason, Cowboys fans are excessively disliked by fans of other franchises. Maybe it’s the Texas swagger, the unbridled optimism, or just a bit of simple jealousy since the Cowboys remain one of the winningest teams in NFL history.
Whatever it is, being a Cowboys fan is a unique experience.
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