Jerry Jones, the famous and ever-present owner of the Dallas Cowboys, hasn't been seen at a World Cup that included a tournament-high nine games at his NFL team's home stadium. The billionaire businessman has been keeping up, and he plans for the final World Cup game at "Jerry World" this year to be his first: the semifinal between France and Spain on Tuesday. "I think first and foremost, he’s just a big event guy," said Chad Estis, the Cowboys' executive vice president of business operations.
"He loves the NFL. He loves the Dallas Cowboys. But he has a passion for events as much as anybody that I know.
He very much wanted to ensure that the stadium was operating well." Judging by fans who eagerly anticipate seeing themselves on the giant video board that hangs above the center of the field and under the retractable roof — and then jump and wave for joy when they do — the venue temporarily renamed Dallas Stadium by FIFA has been a hit. The Jones family has a suite for the World Cup, and has been using it. But Jones and some family members often leave the country on his yacht this time of year — between the end of offseason workouts for the Cowboys in June and the start of training camp in California in late July.
As a result, Jones wasn't there in person for a pair of record-setting performances from Argentina superstar Lionel Messi. Or Japanese fans leaving entire sections spotless by picking up after themselves — twice. Or Portugal star and career men's international scoring leader Cristiano Ronaldo's final World Cup game.
Those types of seminal moments were what Jones had in mind with the design and building of a stadium that opened in 2009 and in barely more than five years had hosted a Super Bowl and NCAA championship games in football and men's basketball. Jones also was thinking about the fan experience, having used his own lessons from touring stadiums in Europe to include large standing-room viewing areas on three levels at each end. An extensive art collection is punctuated by Anish Kapoor's stainless steel sculpture dubbed "sky mirror" outside on 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 with an original price tag of $1.2 billon. The video board looks the same, but there were upgrades in the guts of that, along with new carpeting and furniture mostly in premium areas and an overhaul of the fan shop. "I cannot 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. The whole thing’s been great, but it feels like it culminates in this phenomenal match tomorrow." FIFA's in charge Jones had to turn the stadium over to FIFA, which means the governing body got to put up curtains on the huge sliding glass doors on the west end for the only game where the setting sun could have shined into the eyes of the players. NFL players, including Cowboys, losing footballs in the sun has been an occasional issue each fall.
Each time the topic comes up, Jones flatly refuses to consider curtains. He prefers the asthetics and expects coaches and players to make game plans around the setting sun. It will be too early in the day for the sun to be an issue 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 Wednesday. "It’s just another great moment in an unbelievable sports legacy," said Dan Hunt, co-chair 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 Pro Football Hall of Famer. He’s hosted Super Bowls, hosted almost everything you can … And this is just another moment." That suite spot Oh, one other 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're like, ‘Wait a minute. Are you serious?’" Estis said with a chuckle.
"I mean, I understand it. That's why Jerry's suite is there. It's the prime spot." Jones is giving up his prime spot for arguably the biggest single global sporting event to come to his venue.
He'll just be in a different suite. "I think I could imagine him being a little emotional about it," Estis said. "To see him in design meetings and his attention to detail and his care for what the stadium looked and felt like to people, what it looked like from different angles walking up to it.
He just he was so involved in the creation of what it is." Jones is set to feel the soccer vibe — finally. Reporting by The Associated Press.
