 Cotton
Bowl
Dallas, TX
Known mainly for college football, the Cotton Bowl has been the
home of two NFL franchises during its existence. Throughout its
history, the
primary tenant of the stadium was the SMU Mustangs (NCAA). In
the late 1920s, the team needed a stadium for its games. A stadium near downtown Dallas was constructed in
1930 at a cost of $328,000. Named the Cotton Bowl, it had a capacity of around 45,000. The Mustangs played the first
game at the Cotton Bowl in 1932. Throughout its existence the
stadium’s seating capacity has been increased many times, the most
during the 1940s when the capacity was increased to over 60,000.
In 1960, the creation of the AFL put a team in Texas, the Texans.
The NFL also expanded into Texas creating the Cowboys. The Cowboys played their first game at the Cotton Bowl on
September 24, 1960. The Texans played at the Cotton Bowl for three
years before moving to Kansas City and becoming the Chiefs. The
Cowboys played at the Cotton Bowl until 1971 when they moved
to Texas Stadium.
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FACTS & FIGURES |
-Tenant: Dallas Cowboys
-Capacity: 68,252
-Surface: Grass
-Opened: September 24, 1960 (NFL)
-Closed: 1971
-Other Names: None
-Cost:
$328,000
-Architect: Unknown
-Demolished: Still Standing
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Cowboys
Tickets |
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Texas
Stadium Poster
by Mike Smith
Sizes Vary, Framed or Unframed |
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Today, the Cotton Bowl has no major tenant. The SMU Mustangs
played several decades at the stadium before moving to Gerald Ford
Stadium in 2000. The Cotton Bowl was also home to the Dallas Burn
(MLS) before they moved into Dragons Stadium. Currently, the stadium has a capacity
of 68,252. The lower level encloses the entire field and an upper
deck is located on both sides of the field. The Cotton Bowl, is
home to the annual Cotton Bowl football game on New Year's Day.
It also hosts the Red River Shootout between Texas and Oklahoma
each September.
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