Keep Texas-OU in Dallas
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Please sign this petition to keep Texas-OU in Dallas. This game, which takes place at the Texas State Fair, is arguably the greatest regular season event in all of college football. The scene is one of a kind: cars streaming into Dallas from the North and the South, the stadium split half crimson and half burnt orange, and the backdrop of Big Tex and the Texas Star. This great tradition has been in place for over 50 years, and has brought great prestige to Texas, Oklahoma, and the City of Dallas. If we dont act now, this tradition will be lost forever.
In what has become an annual ritual in its own right, the Presidents and Athletic Directors of both Texas and Oklahoma are talking about ending this great tradition. The Presidents have some legitimate complaints. The Cotton Bowl needs to be upgraded, and the City of Dallas must step up to the plate and get this done. Although the price tag will be significant (as much as $50M), it is a worthwhile investment. By its own estimates, the City of Dallas stands to lose as much as $25M per year without Texas-OU (http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2000/08/28/focus4.html). Dallas stands to lose even more money if the Cotton Bowl (the annual bowl game, which provides as much as $120M annually to Dallas: http://www.sbccottonbowl.com/nr_news_releases_detail.asp?ID=158) also leaves Dallas -- which it surely will without the stadium upgrades. Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, specifically, must show leadership on this issue. She has stated publicly that she will not let Dallas lose Texas-OU (http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-cottonbowl_08met.ART.State.Edition1.23087ca0.html). Now she must back up those words.
Just as the Dallas needs to make a commitment to UT and OU by upgrading the Cotton Bowl, the Presidents and ADs of Texas and Oklahoma need to make a commitment to Dallas, as well as the fans of Texas and Oklahoma. These leaders need to commit to negotiate in good faith with Dallas in order to keep this tradition from dying. Despite their protestations to the contrary, the schools make a great deal of money off of this game. This is because the gate is split evenly between the schools, and there are no student discounts (http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2000/08/28/focus4.html?page=2). The take for both schools will only increase once the Cotton Bowl is expanded and upgraded. The schools also make a significant amount of money off of corporate sponsorship of the game. Finally, the City of Dallas pays the travel costs of both schools. The schools would foot the bill for these costs in a home-and-home format. In addition, it seems that some of the loudest complaints are coming from big donors of both schools -- who are upset because they cant watch the game from their luxury boxes. Others complain that the amount they must donate to get Texas-OU tickets is too high (never mind that it will be even more difficult to get tickets to an away game every other year, or that scalper tickets are available for a price that pales in comparison to the annual donations most of these people are giving). The bottom line is that the rank and file fans love the tradition of the game and want to keep it alive. Dont let the leaders and/or big donors of UT and OU take unfettered control of this decision, causing the rest of us to lose this annual experience forever. It is time for these leaders to end the yearly extortion ritual and focus on what is in the best interests of all Texas and Oklahoma fans, as well as fans of college football at large.
Please sign this petition to show that you want to keep Texas-OU in Dallas. Also, please contact the leaders involved and let them know your feelings on this issue. Thank you.
Laura Miller, Dallas Mayor: email link (http://www.ci.dallas.tx.us/forms/mcc/mayor_mail_form.htm) (214) 670-4054
Larry Faulkner, UT President: [email protected] (512) 471-1232
DeLoss Dodds, UT AD: [email protected] (512) 471-5757
David Boren, OU President: [email protected] (405) 325-3916
Joe Castiglione, OU AD: [email protected] (405) 325-8208
In what has become an annual ritual in its own right, the Presidents and Athletic Directors of both Texas and Oklahoma are talking about ending this great tradition. The Presidents have some legitimate complaints. The Cotton Bowl needs to be upgraded, and the City of Dallas must step up to the plate and get this done. Although the price tag will be significant (as much as $50M), it is a worthwhile investment. By its own estimates, the City of Dallas stands to lose as much as $25M per year without Texas-OU (http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2000/08/28/focus4.html). Dallas stands to lose even more money if the Cotton Bowl (the annual bowl game, which provides as much as $120M annually to Dallas: http://www.sbccottonbowl.com/nr_news_releases_detail.asp?ID=158) also leaves Dallas -- which it surely will without the stadium upgrades. Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, specifically, must show leadership on this issue. She has stated publicly that she will not let Dallas lose Texas-OU (http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-cottonbowl_08met.ART.State.Edition1.23087ca0.html). Now she must back up those words.
Just as the Dallas needs to make a commitment to UT and OU by upgrading the Cotton Bowl, the Presidents and ADs of Texas and Oklahoma need to make a commitment to Dallas, as well as the fans of Texas and Oklahoma. These leaders need to commit to negotiate in good faith with Dallas in order to keep this tradition from dying. Despite their protestations to the contrary, the schools make a great deal of money off of this game. This is because the gate is split evenly between the schools, and there are no student discounts (http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2000/08/28/focus4.html?page=2). The take for both schools will only increase once the Cotton Bowl is expanded and upgraded. The schools also make a significant amount of money off of corporate sponsorship of the game. Finally, the City of Dallas pays the travel costs of both schools. The schools would foot the bill for these costs in a home-and-home format. In addition, it seems that some of the loudest complaints are coming from big donors of both schools -- who are upset because they cant watch the game from their luxury boxes. Others complain that the amount they must donate to get Texas-OU tickets is too high (never mind that it will be even more difficult to get tickets to an away game every other year, or that scalper tickets are available for a price that pales in comparison to the annual donations most of these people are giving). The bottom line is that the rank and file fans love the tradition of the game and want to keep it alive. Dont let the leaders and/or big donors of UT and OU take unfettered control of this decision, causing the rest of us to lose this annual experience forever. It is time for these leaders to end the yearly extortion ritual and focus on what is in the best interests of all Texas and Oklahoma fans, as well as fans of college football at large.
Please sign this petition to show that you want to keep Texas-OU in Dallas. Also, please contact the leaders involved and let them know your feelings on this issue. Thank you.
Laura Miller, Dallas Mayor: email link (http://www.ci.dallas.tx.us/forms/mcc/mayor_mail_form.htm) (214) 670-4054
Larry Faulkner, UT President: [email protected] (512) 471-1232
DeLoss Dodds, UT AD: [email protected] (512) 471-5757
David Boren, OU President: [email protected] (405) 325-3916
Joe Castiglione, OU AD: [email protected] (405) 325-8208
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