The Dallas Experiment: Assessing the Damage

In the midst of being sued in a class action lawsuit for the 400 fans who were displaced at Super Bowl XLV, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has admitted full responsibility for the ticket fiasco that caused a large number of fans to be relocated or lose their seats during the biggest game of the year. The NFL has offered compensation to these fans, including multiple options that vary from a future Super Bowl ticket of their choosing to a full refund and limited covered expenses. The new Cowboys Stadium, one of the holiest cathedrals in pro football, was often criticized throughout Super Bowl week, due to the unfortunate winter ice storm that caused confusion around the stadium, as well as the temporary seating assignments that caused hundreds of fans to miss watching the game from a seat they paid for. In many aspects, the Super Bowl experience in Dallas was tainted from the multiple failures the NFL and Cowboys did not take into account. Some even speculate that the disappointing Cowboys season (after much preseason hype) translated to a disappointing presentation by the Cowboys organization on Super Bowl Sunday.

In turn, several venues still vie for the chance to host the coveted Super Bowl L, a momentous milestone that celebrates fifty years of Super Bowl history in the NFL. Obviously, Jerry Jones and Co. would like the Super Bowl to return to Cowboys Stadium, in part to make up for the "accident" the ruined Super Bowl XLV. But do the Cowboys deserve to host one of the NFL's biggest anniversary games? It remains to be seen. Can Jerry Jones do right and fix up the problems that plagued this year's game? Obvious other candidates would include the usual stadiums in Miami, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans, with facilities already established and enshrined in Super Bowl lore. Other possibilities include relatively newer facilities like Houston's Reliant Stadium or Atlanta's new stadium (if it's built in time). One intriguing possibility, however, is the Los Angeles Coliseum. Site of the first ever NFL-AFL Championship (Super Bowl I), the stadium has a lot of historic value in the fact that the game would return to the stadium for the first time since Super Bowl VII (or more recently, the 1993 season, when the Raiders left for Oakland). The Coliseum, although not quite built to host an NFL team year-round, could be a viable venue to host the big game in 5 years. Many other options remain available, but the most recent Super Bowl experience could certainly diminish the chances of the big game returning to The House That Jerry Built anytime soon.