3afan
12-12-2008, 04:50 PM
High schools could turn to Dallas Cowboys' new home
08:00 PM CST on Thursday, December 11, 2008
It will probably be the end of an era Saturday night, when the final seconds tick off in the Denton Guyer-Longview 4A state semifinal. It could be the final high school football game at Texas Stadium.
The Dallas Cowboys have the stadium booked next Saturday, although a high school game could be played the night before.
"I'd probably say 90 percent this is going to be the last weekend," stadium general manager Bruce Hardy said. "It's going to be tough. To sit here and to think of all the coaches and all the athletic directors I've come in contact with ..."
It's going to be tougher to replace Texas Stadium as a playoff venue, if not in prestige, then in sheer volume. By Saturday night, Texas Stadium will have hosted 27 playoff games in a five-week span.
The good news is the Cowboys say they intend to host high school games at the new stadium in Arlington.
Although nothing has been set, the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones plan to continue the tradition of letting high school athletes play in the same facility as NFL superstars.
"I think we anticipate continuing to do that, but it's still something we're working through from our side from an operational perspective," Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels said. "The details haven't been ironed out, but the commitment is still there."
There has been some concern that the new stadium could be too expensive to host high school games.
Daniels and Hardy shot down that theory.
"Having the high school games at Texas Stadium hasn't been about the revenues side of it," Daniels said. "It's about giving high school athletes the opportunity to live the dream of playing at Texas Stadium."
Affordability is one reason why Texas Stadium has remained such a popular playoff destination for high schools.
"You don't get rich on $500 rent," Hardy said. "It's about young people."
Logistically, the new stadium could be a different animal, but Hardy said he hasn't heard a negative word from area coaches and athletic directors about playing in Arlington.
The UIL seems interested in playing its 5A state title games next year at the new stadium. The 5A games are at Houston's Reliant Stadium this year, but next year's site has not been determined.
"We intend to take our state championships to Dallas, depending on whether or not their NFL schedule allows for it," UIL spokesperson Kim Rogers said.
Playing high school games at the Cowboys' home is important, if only because there aren't a lot of large venues available in the immediate area. Two years ago, the Southlake Carroll-Euless Trinity playoff game drew 46,339 – and that was when they stopped counting tickets at halftime.
The Cotton Bowl has been out of the high school football business for years. Its grass surface is a turnoff to most coaches because of the tricky weather in November and December. TCU's Amon Carter Stadium also has a grass surface.
SMU hopes to make Ford Stadium more of an option for high school games. It hosted one playoff game this year and had more lined up, but the teams that booked the stadium didn't advance.
Ford Stadium also hosted the Tom Landry Classic doubleheader at the start of the season.
Because it's on a college campus surrounded by a neighborhood, SMU couldn't host the volume of games Texas Stadium could. But Ford Stadium's 32,000-seat capacity, artificial turf and new facilities should make it a bigger player.
"We're trying to get the word out to make it a viable situation for all the area schools," said Tam Hollingshead, SMU's director of high school relations. "We think we could easily accommodate a game on Friday night and two on Saturday."
Once the details with the new Cowboys stadium are completed, it hopefully will not be the end of an era for high school football but the start of a new one.
Hardy recently hosted a dinner for Texas Stadium's high school clients as a sort of farewell tribute. Nearly 100 area coaches and administrators gathered for a picture on the star at the 50-yard line.
"I think that we've done a good job with high schools," Hardy said. "And they know we care."
IN THE BOOKS
Significant dates and numbers in the history of high school football at Texas Stadium:
Dec. 17, 1971: The first high school game at Texas Stadium: San Antonio Lee edges Wichita Falls, 28-27, in the Class 4A state title game.
554: The number of playoff games at Texas Stadium, including Saturday's tripleheader.
700: The approximate number of high school games, including regular-season contests, played at Texas Stadium.
Dec. 13, 2008: Denton Guyer vs. Longview, scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday, would be the final high school game at Texas Stadium if no games are scheduled next week.
link (http://www.hsgametime.com/dfw/sharedcontent/dws/content/topstories/stories/121208dnspowhitmirecol.32c4082.html)
08:00 PM CST on Thursday, December 11, 2008
It will probably be the end of an era Saturday night, when the final seconds tick off in the Denton Guyer-Longview 4A state semifinal. It could be the final high school football game at Texas Stadium.
The Dallas Cowboys have the stadium booked next Saturday, although a high school game could be played the night before.
"I'd probably say 90 percent this is going to be the last weekend," stadium general manager Bruce Hardy said. "It's going to be tough. To sit here and to think of all the coaches and all the athletic directors I've come in contact with ..."
It's going to be tougher to replace Texas Stadium as a playoff venue, if not in prestige, then in sheer volume. By Saturday night, Texas Stadium will have hosted 27 playoff games in a five-week span.
The good news is the Cowboys say they intend to host high school games at the new stadium in Arlington.
Although nothing has been set, the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones plan to continue the tradition of letting high school athletes play in the same facility as NFL superstars.
"I think we anticipate continuing to do that, but it's still something we're working through from our side from an operational perspective," Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels said. "The details haven't been ironed out, but the commitment is still there."
There has been some concern that the new stadium could be too expensive to host high school games.
Daniels and Hardy shot down that theory.
"Having the high school games at Texas Stadium hasn't been about the revenues side of it," Daniels said. "It's about giving high school athletes the opportunity to live the dream of playing at Texas Stadium."
Affordability is one reason why Texas Stadium has remained such a popular playoff destination for high schools.
"You don't get rich on $500 rent," Hardy said. "It's about young people."
Logistically, the new stadium could be a different animal, but Hardy said he hasn't heard a negative word from area coaches and athletic directors about playing in Arlington.
The UIL seems interested in playing its 5A state title games next year at the new stadium. The 5A games are at Houston's Reliant Stadium this year, but next year's site has not been determined.
"We intend to take our state championships to Dallas, depending on whether or not their NFL schedule allows for it," UIL spokesperson Kim Rogers said.
Playing high school games at the Cowboys' home is important, if only because there aren't a lot of large venues available in the immediate area. Two years ago, the Southlake Carroll-Euless Trinity playoff game drew 46,339 – and that was when they stopped counting tickets at halftime.
The Cotton Bowl has been out of the high school football business for years. Its grass surface is a turnoff to most coaches because of the tricky weather in November and December. TCU's Amon Carter Stadium also has a grass surface.
SMU hopes to make Ford Stadium more of an option for high school games. It hosted one playoff game this year and had more lined up, but the teams that booked the stadium didn't advance.
Ford Stadium also hosted the Tom Landry Classic doubleheader at the start of the season.
Because it's on a college campus surrounded by a neighborhood, SMU couldn't host the volume of games Texas Stadium could. But Ford Stadium's 32,000-seat capacity, artificial turf and new facilities should make it a bigger player.
"We're trying to get the word out to make it a viable situation for all the area schools," said Tam Hollingshead, SMU's director of high school relations. "We think we could easily accommodate a game on Friday night and two on Saturday."
Once the details with the new Cowboys stadium are completed, it hopefully will not be the end of an era for high school football but the start of a new one.
Hardy recently hosted a dinner for Texas Stadium's high school clients as a sort of farewell tribute. Nearly 100 area coaches and administrators gathered for a picture on the star at the 50-yard line.
"I think that we've done a good job with high schools," Hardy said. "And they know we care."
IN THE BOOKS
Significant dates and numbers in the history of high school football at Texas Stadium:
Dec. 17, 1971: The first high school game at Texas Stadium: San Antonio Lee edges Wichita Falls, 28-27, in the Class 4A state title game.
554: The number of playoff games at Texas Stadium, including Saturday's tripleheader.
700: The approximate number of high school games, including regular-season contests, played at Texas Stadium.
Dec. 13, 2008: Denton Guyer vs. Longview, scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday, would be the final high school game at Texas Stadium if no games are scheduled next week.
link (http://www.hsgametime.com/dfw/sharedcontent/dws/content/topstories/stories/121208dnspowhitmirecol.32c4082.html)