The Fandom of The Dallas Cowboys Football 

    The hollering fans of the Dallas Cowboys are rallying as they get ready to enter the game. This NFL team with the strong support of their fans make every game extra loud. Every game is different, and you never know what is going to happen, "If there is one moment to test a fan's loyalty, it is when their team isn't performing at its best. Before the start of the NFL season, there was much written about the Cowboys, who were expected to start the season guns-a-blazing. That, much to every fan's disappointment, hasn't been the case" (1). The Cowboy's stadium is at maximum capacity with a number around 80,000 seats of all die-hard fans waiting to cheer on their team. 

Tailgating before the game 

Fans at the Tailgate 

    Nothing beats the three and a half hour tailgating party that is held before each and every game. The fans are ready to watch their team play football and are having the time of their lives playing backyard games and socializing with friends and family. The fans are getting ready to watch a win or a loss for the Cowboys but you will never know. The Cowboys "host the best tailgate party in Texas, three and a half hours before every Dallas Cowboys home game, in the shadow of the best stadium in the world! Join your fellow Cowboys fans in a pre-game celebration like no other, including open bar, Texas BBQ buffet, Cowboys Legends, prizes, games, music & more!" (2). The fans set up lots of tents and have lots of coolers and speakers to make the tailgate even more fun. There is nothing like the tailgates in Texas with the awesome people and the fun and loud activities that there are to do. You will also have something to do and food to eat. There are Dallas Cowboys football legends that are there and you can sign autographs and take pictures to ensure that you have a great time. One of the things that fans love best is that there are no porta potties and if you must use the bathroom, you can go inside to their inside facilities and use the bathroom in a clean place!

Stadium Packed with Fans 

Sitting in the Stadium 
    As fans are running into the stadium two hours before kickoff you see the parking lot get less crowded every minute. The fans are so excited, they are running into the best stadium in the NFL and able to be surrounded by an amazing atmosphere. The AT&T stadiums gives their fans a variety of different choices to sit and watch their favorite team play in a game of football. In the stadium there are four different levels that fans can sit and enjoy the game, each one getting further up from the field. In the stadium there are three different sections where you can get premium seats and tickets.  First there are the Loge seats which fans will receive comfortable cushioned seats with additional leg room, and the option of purchasing premium parking. There is club seating where "15,000 seats for Dallas Cowboys home games. These seats are located along the sidelines of the 100,200 and, 300 levels"(3). For the Hall of fame club there is a section for them which include, "comfortable cushioned seats with additional leg room, access to private furnished clubs equipped with flat screen HD television, upscale food and drinks offering, and less wait at restrooms and concessions" (3). Then there are the best seats in the house, the luxury suites. AT&T Stadium’s "luxury suites" can be leased on an individual game basis, partial season, or for an entire season. The perks for the luxury suites at AT&T Stadium include the following. Access to a climate-controlled and furnished suite equipped with marble floors, granite countertops, and flat-screen HD televisions, tickets for between 18 and 52 guests, additional standing room only tickets available for purchase, various catered food and beverage packages available, private restrooms, Wi-Fi, access to the Silver Club and Main Club, and parking provided for guests" (3). AT&T stadium offers a standing room ticket which is also called the "party pass". These tickets for the fans involve being able to have access to six decks inside the stadium, public concourses, concession areas, and outdoor plazas. "There are a few downsides to purchasing a standing room only ticket. 1) You don’t have a designated seat and if you find a great spot to stand in, you can easily lose it by going to the restroom and concessions. 2) The prices for standing room only tickets fluctuate. 3) Not every fan will be guaranteed a spot with a view of the game. Instead, most fans will be required to watch the game on the giant AT&T Stadium video board" (3). 

Gameday Rituals 

Example of an outfit that is wore everyday

    Dallas Cowboys fans have a lot of game day rituals to ensure that they play great. Which could be sitting on the same side of the couch, wearing the same socks, wearing the same jersey. During games, "It is an established fact of fanhood that everything we do while a game is on TV can have an immediate and profound impact on the game outcome. It's not even debatable. As fans, we all know that we have a direct influence on the game, and that even the smallest deviations from established protocol can have immediate and unforeseen consequences" (4). My family and I have a game day ritual just like every other fans. My dad has to sit in the basement and watch the game on the Dallas Cowboys stadium chair that we have, with no Cowboy's gear on. My mom and I will watch the game in the living room but we have to have our jerseys on. My sister can't watch the game at all. Some fans make it is tradition to go to the game on Thanksgiving with their families instead of having a big gathering. Another fan has a game day ritual that involves two things, high 5s from everyone in SRO, and unrelenting optimism. (5). Every person has a different game day ritual that started when the Cowboys started playing and will continue that same ritual throughout their life. 

    Overall, the fans of the Dallas Cowboys are like no other. They strive to be the best fans and allow for the games to be loud like no other. The fans take part in so many different things to show the love and support everyone has for their team. 

Work Cited 

(1) Staff, S. (2020, October). Characteristics of a Dallas cowboys fan. Style News 

https://insidethestar.com/characteristics-of-a-dallas-cowboys-fan/ 

(2) Dallas cowboys tailgate party. (2021). Star Sports Tours. Retrieved May 1st, 2023, from 

https://www.starsportstours.com/the-cowboys-experience/dallas-cowboys-tailgate-party/ 

(3) Breakdown of AT&T stadium seating chart. (2010). From the Seats. Retrieved May 1st, 2023, from 

https://www.fromthisseat.com/970-general/19165-breakdown-of-the-at-t-stadium-seating-chart.html 

(4). What's your game-day ritual? (2012, June). Blogging the Boys. Retrieved May 2nd, 2023, from      

           https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2012/6/24/3114885/whats-your-cowboys-game-day-ritual 

(5) Dallas cowboys female fans' gameday ritual. (2015). Tongal. Retrieved May 2nd, 2023, from 

https://tongal.com/project/DallasCowboysFemaleFansGamedayRitual/#tab-awards--idea