AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, dramatically raised the standard for new NFL stadiums. Nicknamed “Jerry World,” after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and known for its massive jumbotron, AT&T Stadium is a physical example of the slogan “everything’s bigger in Texas.”
Here’s some more information on AT&T Stadium.
AT&T Stadium Facts, History
Location: Arlington, Texas
While the stadium is the home of the Dallas Cowboys, AT&T Stadium is actually located in Arlington, which is roughly 21 miles and a half-hour drive west of Dallas.
Capacity: 80,000 up to 105,000
The first game at AT&T Stadium was a record-breaking one, as 105,121 fans attended the 2009 home opener between the Cowboys and NFC East rival New York Giants. Unfortunately, the Cowboys lost that game 33-31. At 80,000, AT&T Stadium’s minimum capacity ranks third in the NFL behind MetLife Stadium and Lambeau Field.
Ground breaking: September 20, 2005
Construction cost: $1.3 billion
Opening date: May 27, 2009
While $1.3 billion is nothing to sneeze at, AT&T Stadium is only the seventh-most expensive stadium ever built. The recently opened SoFi Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, cost a whopping $5.5 billion to build.
And while AT&T Stadium formally opened on May 27, the first event held was a concert by George Strait and Reba McEntire on June 6. The first sporting event hosted wasn’t even a Cowboys game. It was actually a soccer game. Costa Rica won a Gold Cup Quarterfinal game against Guadeloupe.
Cowboys record at AT&T Stadium: 58-46
A new stadium hasn’t brought quite as much success as Cowboys fans might’ve hoped. And the enormous capacity could be a double-edged sword, as it’s allowed more road fans the opportunity to travel on the road.
The Cowboys are also just 3-2 in postseason games played at AT&T Stadium and most recently just lost in last year’s Wild Card round to the San Francisco 49ers.
