The Cowboys’ practice facility is under the spotlight this week. It was perhaps naïve to expect the Dallas Cowboys’ bye week to pass without some form of controversy—after all, that’s not how things tend to go in Dallas. With two weeks off from actual games, something was bound to happen, and now, it has.
This week, ESPN published an in-depth profile on Jerry Jones and, more broadly, life at the Cowboys’ facility.
The article is lengthy but worth a read, as it explores how Cowboys fans are granted a level of access to the team’s facilities that is unparalleled in the NFL.
While facility tours are common across the league, the piece highlights how the Cowboys take it to another level, reportedly affecting player comfort and satisfaction.
Naturally, there are a few tone-deaf quotes from Jones as well. Credit to ESPN for knowing how to hit the mark.
“The tours offer unique access to the team’s inner workings, which boosts fan engagement and revenue,” the article notes.
“However, they also subject players and coaches to what one player called ‘random people’ wandering around their workplace.
While the Cowboys insist that tours avoid player areas like locker rooms and meeting rooms during active use, and they scale back tours during the playoffs, several former Cowboys told ESPN that these tours are a major distraction in the pursuit of breaking the 29-year Super Bowl drought.”
It’s telling that the word “zoo” appears three times in the article, giving insight into how chaotic these tours can be for the team. The tours reportedly generate around $10 million in annual revenue, showing the enthusiasm of Cowboys fans if the number is accurate.
From a player’s perspective, the tours sound frustrating, especially during a losing season. Dealing with random fans shouting about winning more Super Bowls while walking between meetings doesn’t sound like an ideal work environment.
To their credit, some players went on record to say the tours aren’t the reason the Cowboys struggle in the playoffs. But it’s clear that life in Dallas is far less glamorous than it might appear, which probably doesn’t surprise anyone anymore.