Jerryworld Gets Big 12 Title Games

NT80 · May 25, 2007

Arlington to host Big 12 title games

08:53 PM CDT on Thursday, May 24, 2007

By CHIP BROWN / The Dallas Morning News

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- If you build a $1 billion stadium, they will come.

First, the 2010 Cotton Bowl. Then the 2011 Super Bowl. Now, the Big 12 football championship game.

Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg announced Thursday the Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington will host the Big 12 football title games in 2009 and 2010.

“We see the potential for that facility as a revenue enhancer for the conference. Again, all of this is subject to finishing some negotiations. But hopefully we can finish those in a satisfactory way.”

Weiberg said the negotiations would include things like the stadium rental fee and other enhancements the Cowboys’ could provide to the league.

The bid from the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association and Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Sports Commission was based on an 80,000-seat configuration in the Cowboys’ new stadium. Weiberg said the league stands to generate additional revenue from the Cowboys’ multitude of suites and club seats.

“We had a great experience hosting their championship game at Texas Stadium in 2001 and look forward to this new opportunity in 2009 and 2010,” said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. “I think this week what an asset our new stadium in Arlington is going to be for all of north Texas.”

Championship sites were announced in football and basketball for three academic years – 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11. League officials could have awarded sites for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years but chose to hold off until they see how the Cowboys’ new stadium works for football and how the new Sprint Center in Kansas City works for basketball.

Kansas City will host the 2008 football title game at Arrowhead Stadium, and the $276 million Sprint Center will host the 2010 and 2011 conference basketball tournaments.

Oklahoma City was awarded the 2009 Big 12 basketball tournament, when the men’s and women’s formats will change.

Beginning in 2009, the men will start on Wednesday and finish on Saturday, with the men’s final aired on ESPN, most likely between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., before the Big East final.

The women will begin on Thursday and finish on Sunday. In the past, the women began on Tuesday and finished on Saturday with a day off on Friday. The off day will go away.

Previously, the men started on Thursday and finished Sunday. The men’s coaches pushed for a Saturday finish to allow teams playing in the final an extra day of rest leading up to the NCAA Tournament.

Coaches hope an earlier finish will lead to more accurate NCAA Tournament seedings. The NCAA’s Selection Committee is usually done with its work by the time the Big 12 basketball final is completed late Sunday afternoon.

“If (the Big 12 basketball tournament) is going to reside somewhere, we think Oklahoma City is the place,” said Tim Brassfield, executive director of the Oklahoma City All-Sports Association. “We’re the epicenter of the conference as far as the fans. Our arenas are 58 steps from each other.”

The Big 12 women’s tournament in Oklahoma City generated $300,000 more in ticket revenue than any other Big 12 women’s tournament in league history.

Thursday’s announcements mean Dallas won’t host the Big 12 basketball tournament for the next four years. The planned demolition of Reunion Arena probably hurts Dallas.

A proposal to host the men’s event at American Airlines Center and the women’s event at SMU’s Moody Coliseum was rejected. Weiberg said school administrators don’t want the women’s event being played at a non-member school.

Edited May 25, 2007 by NT80

UNT_playmaker · May 25, 2007

Wow Laura Miller really screwed DALLAS

adman · May 25, 2007

Wow Laura Miller really screwed DALLAS

Too many people launder their sexism through Laura Millers mayoral term.

Laura Miller is one of 15. She didn't screw Dallas. Do you think all of the people going to the BIG 12 championship game are going to spend all their time and money in Arlington? Hardly. Have you read why the NFL picked Dallas over Indy for #45? Partly due to the fact that there are so many 5 Star hotels and Suites in DALLAS for owners and VIP to stay for the game. Crescent Court and The Mansion being two. Also the Dallas convention center will be hosting the NFL media center etc. 2 MILLION square feet of the Convention center will be used for Super Bowl related activities. Now where do you think all of those people, media and others, will be staying, dining, drinking and shopping? Arlington or dowtown where the convention center is? Guess how many millions of dollars Dallas residents had to pay Jerry Jones to reap that? Nada.

Let Arlington residents pay to make Jerry Jones richer. Dallas will reap the benifits for free.

Edited May 25, 2007 by adman

Harry · May 25, 2007

Adman has a point.

STE · May 25, 2007

Adman has a point.

Good points regarding the revenue. Still though - there is something to be said for having the game in Dallas with the skyline in the background every time they break for commercial. There is also something to be said about keeping sport venues in and around the downtown area. It’s just too bad JJ wanted too much for his stadium.

Go_UTA · May 25, 2007

For all the big events at the new stadium, money is going to be spent all over the metroplex...from Fort Worth to Dallas.

Here is a pretty interesting - and intelligent, I think - column by O.K. Carter on Laura Miller.

A few points I'd make, too:

1) Dallas didn't have the financial flexibility that Arlington did.

2) Dallas' ego is badly bruised, but financially they come out well.

3) The stadium is giving a great civic lift to Arlington, and I believe, will finally create the synergy with the Ballpark to spur other economic development. We are already seeing this with Glorypark (mixed-use) finally moving forward, and new brownstones...Johnson Creek is getting beautified, art work is being installed, etc. More will come.

4) When Arlington voted on the deal, it was a $1 for $1 deal for a $650 million project: Cowboys to put in half; city to put in half. Later, Jerry expanded the project with his own (or Cowboys) money. It is now a $2 for $1 deal: Cowboys put in $2 for every $1 that Arlington puts in. So, now we have an incredible $1 billion project. This is a much biggger and more desirable deal than what the Arlington voters approved.

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/columnis...ory/112817.html