In retrospect, it was somewhat naïve to think that the Dallas Cowboys’ bye week would pass without any drama. In Dallas, that’s just not how things unfold, especially with a two-week gap devoid of football. And now, we have our drama!
This week, a comprehensive profile on Jerry Jones and the atmosphere at the Cowboys’ facility was published by ESPN. It’s a lengthy read, but definitely worth it. The article emphasizes how Cowboys fans have unprecedented access to tour the team’s facilities, a privilege not seen in other football contexts.
While facility tours are common in the league, the piece details how much more extensive they are in Dallas, impacting player comfort and happiness. Naturally, there are also several tone-deaf quotes from Jones. Credit to ESPN for highlighting the highlights.
Dallas’ fan facility tours are making Cowboys players pretty miserable.
“The tours offer unique access to the inner workings of the team, which increases fan interest and revenue, but also subjects the players and coaches tasked with taking this team to the Super Bowl to what one player calls ‘random people’ walking through and around their office daily. The Cowboys assert that tours don’t enter players’ areas while in use, such as the locker room and meeting rooms, and most tours are scheduled when players are not practicing or in meetings. They also limit tours during the playoffs. However, several former Cowboys told ESPN that the tours are one of the biggest distractions of working in Jerry’s world and contradict Jones’ stated goal of ending the 29-year Super Bowl drought.”
It was challenging to select a quote from the article due to the wealth of notable statements. If you search for the term *zoo*, it appears three times.
Additionally, these tours reportedly generate nearly $10 million in annual revenue, reflecting Cowboys fans’ passion—if that figure is accurate.
Overall, the tours seem quite taxing for players, particularly during a losing streak. Having strangers yell at you about winning more Super Bowls while you navigate the hallway between meetings must be incredibly frustrating.
To the players’ credit, there are on-the-record comments in the article indicating that the fan tours aren’t the root cause of their playoff struggles. However, it’s clear that life in Dallas isn’t as glamorous as it might appear, which likely doesn’t surprise anyone at this point.
