NORMAN — Driving back from Dallas after covering the Oklahoma-Texas football game, there was plenty of time to think over the three-hour drive. The main thought that stayed in my head throughout my cruise up Interstate 35 was the sheer amount of people who came to the game. More than 96,000 OU and Texas fans showed up to the Cotton Bowl to watch one of the greatest rivalries in college football. That is 4,000 more than last year.
But what was even more impressive was the amount of money that had to have been spent over the weekend in the state of Texas and at the State Fair. It’s mindboggling to think how much Fair organizers and the state itself made just on this one game.
Every person I talked to about the rivalry told me how much it means for the OU-Texas game to be played at the Cotton Bowl during the Texas State Fair. They said that is what sets it apart from the nation’s other rivalries, who all play home-and-home series. This includes Auburn-Alabama, Michigan-Ohio State and USC-Notre Dame, which took place later in the day. Every one of their games are played on campus in front of the student body where the home team has a decisive advantage.
That is not the case for the Red River Rivalry. At least that is what we are told. Even though the ticket sales are split evenly between OU and Texas fans, the game is still held in Texas.
Part of me recognizes how unfair it is to the state of Oklahoma and its merchants and residents that they are unable to take advantage of the yearly payday that the Red River Rivalry brings about. Can you imagine how much money the state would make if the OU-Texas game was played during the Oklahoma State Fair? The taxes, the hotels, restaurants, food, gas, etc. ... The amount of money the state is missing out could be put to good use here.
According to the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, domestic spending in Oklahoma generated more than $953 million in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments in 2008. Now imagine that number if the Sooners and Longhorns had played one game in Oklahoma.
“From generating tax revenue to employing more than 76,000 Oklahomans, the travel and tourism industry is a driving economic force for our state,” said Hardy Watkins, executive director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. “Tourism’s economic impact increased by nearly $1 billion in just two years, demonstrating that the power and momentum of this industry is vital to Oklahoma’s economy.”
In a few years, the contract to hold the game at Cotton Bowl runs out. Jerry Jones has made it known he wants to play the game at his new billion dollar Cowboy Stadium. But no one seems to be talking about making it a home-and-home series or just moving it to Oklahoma for a few years, just to be fair. Why not?
OU athletic director Joe Castiglione told the Dallas Morning News that hosting the OU-Texas game would only net the school a profit of $4 million. According to some reports, OU and Texas will split almost $10 million from this year’s game at the Cotton Bowl. Except for $850,000 that the city of Dallas and other sponsors pay to the schools, the rest comes from ticket sales. And that is every year instead of every other year.
Should OU bypass tradition in order to bring some much needed funds into the state? Should that even be a concern for OU or should they just do what is best for their program and school? These are hard question that will only get harder the closer we get to the current contract being up.
I love the fact the game is played at the Cotton Bowl. It’s unique and stands out from the rest of the college football landscape.
But at some point Oklahomans are going to forget about tradition and say “just show me the money."
Community Sports
October 23, 2009
NEW: Should OU-Texas game stay in Dallas?
State missing out on much needed pay days
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