On Feb. 25, 1989 – 30 years ago Monday – the sports world changed forever, both in Dallas-Fort Worth and across the country.
It was the day Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys. And I don’t think any of us knew what the next 30 years would be like.
I was at that press conference at Valley Ranch that Saturday night, and Jones was talking about “socks and jocks” and “winning is the name of the game.”
But what I’ll never forget is former Cowboys president Tex Schramm standing against a wall, because he didn’t have a seat at the table anymore.
Schramm built the Cowboys brand. It was Schramm, Tom Landry and Gil Brandt for 29 years. And since that night in February, the Cowboys have had seven head coaches, because winning back-to-back Super Bowls wasn’t enough to keep Jimmy Johnson around.
Jones is a marketing genius who has turned his $140 million investment into a nearly $5 billion enterprise, along the way pioneering new ventures in TV deals and advertising partnerships, and he’s in the Hall of Fame for it.
AT&T Stadium is still the gold standard, and the shiny new Star in Frisco has “redefined the purpose of a team’s training venue,” according to Sports Business Journal, which in December ranked Jones the second-most influential owner in all of pro sports.
Jones also has as much power as any owner in the game, and has played a major role in the relocation of two franchises.
But his team hasn’t won anything in 23 years now, and Jones will never be remembered for the owner he could’ve been.
It’s been a great ride these last 30 years. But it could’ve been so much better.
Landon Haaf contributed to this article.