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Jerry Jones, the famous and ever-present owner of the Dallas Cowboys, has not been seen at a World Cup that included nine games in his NFL team’s home stadium.
The billionaire businessman has kept pace and plans to make the final World Cup match at this year’s “Jerry World” his first: the semi-final between France and Spain on Tuesday.
“I think, first and foremost, it’s kind of a big event,” said Chad Estis, the Cowboys’ executive vice president of business operations. “He loves the NFL. He loves the Dallas Cowboys. But he has as much passion for events as anyone I know. He wanted to make sure the stadium was running well.”
Judging by the fans who eagerly anticipate seeing themselves on the giant video board hanging above midfield and under the retractable roof, and then jump and wave with joy when they do, the venue temporarily renamed Dallas Stadium by FIFA has been a success.
Spain has already had a lot to celebrate at the Dallas stadium in this World Cup, but can it continue against France with the assistance of Jerry Jones? (Image credit: Getty)
The Jones family has a suite for the World Cup and has been using it. But Jones and some members of his family often leave the country on his yacht this time of year, between the end of the Cowboys’ offseason workouts in June and the start of training camp in California in late July.
As a result, Jones was not there in person for a pair of record-breaking performances by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi. Or the Japanese fans who leave entire sections spotless by picking up after themselves, twice. Or the final World Cup game for Portuguese star and career men’s international scoring leader, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Those kinds of momentous moments were what Jones had in mind when designing and building a stadium that opened in 2009 and that in just over five years had hosted a Super Bowl and NCAA championship games in football and men’s basketball.
Jones was also thinking about the fan experience, having used his own lessons from stadium tours in Europe to include large viewing areas on three levels at each end.
An extensive art collection is enhanced by Anish Kapoor’s stainless steel sculpture called ‘mirror of heaven’ outside in the east plaza. Kapoor is the creator of a similar sculpture in Chicago nicknamed “the bean.”
To prepare for the World Cup, the Cowboys pumped another $350 million into a stadium originally priced at $1.2 billion. The video board looks the same, but there have been improvements to the background, along with new carpeting and furniture, mainly in premium areas, and an overhaul of the fan shop.
“I can’t tell you how many people come to our stadium and say, ‘I can’t believe this is 17 years old,'” Estis said. “People think it feels new. Everything has been great, but it feels like it will culminate in this phenomenal game tomorrow.”
FIFA is in charge
Jones had to turn the stadium over to FIFA, meaning the governing body had to put curtains on the huge sliding glass doors at the west end for the only match where the setting sun could have shone in the players’ eyes.
For NFL players, including the Cowboys, losing footballs in the sun has been an occasional problem each fall. Whenever the topic comes up, Jones flatly refuses to consider curtains. He prefers aesthetics and expects coaches and players to make game plans under the setting sun.
It will be too early for the sun to be a problem when Spain and France play for a spot Sunday in the World Cup final at the home of the New York Jets and Giants in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Jones wanted that final, but settled for the consolation prize of the most games, including sharing the semifinals with the home of the Atlanta Falcons, where Argentina and England play on Wednesday.
Stories related to the World Cup
“It’s just another great moment in an incredible sports legacy,” said Dan Hunt, co-chairman of the local organizing committee and son of the late Lamar Hunt, who was one of Jones’ rivals as owner of the Kansas City Chiefs.
“He’s been a world champion,” Dan Hunt said. “He’s a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s hosted Super Bowls, he’s hosted just about everything you can… And this is just another moment.”
That place in the suite
Oh, another thing Jones had to give up: his personal suite at the 50-yard line. Estis said FIFA thought it was perfect for a VIP area.
“We were like, ‘Wait a minute. Are you serious?'” Estis said with a smile. “I mean, I get it. That’s why Jerry’s suite is there. It’s the prime spot.”
Jones is giving up its prime spot for arguably the biggest global sporting event to be held at its headquarters. You will be in a different suite.
“I think I could imagine him being a little excited about it,” Estis said. “Seeing him in design meetings and his attention to detail and his care for how the stadium looked and felt to people, how it looked from different angles as they approached it. He was very involved in creating what it is.”
Jones is ready to feel the football vibe, finally.
Information from The Associated Press.
