How does the new Lone Star Showdown work between the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies?
Just like the previous version, a points system will be implemented determined by on-field results over the year
HOUSTON — Before Texas officials signed the new deal with Cotton Holdings for the revived Lone Star Showdown, they had one thought. Anybody seen the old trophy?
Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte sent his top lieutenant Drew Martin on a search for the State Farm Lone Star Showdown trophy that was… somewhere.
Last anyone knew, the old trophy was shoved in a cabinet in the back of the University of Texas Club restaurant. That place was shuttered in May to undergo a renovation, and Martin said he went digging through storage. “We had to find it again,” Martin said. Alas, he did.
“Drew Martin found the trophy the other day, and we have that bad boy displayed in the office saying all right, here it is,” Del Conte said Thursday. “So we have the last trophy and we look forward to success this year on the field.”
The State Farm Lone Star Showdown was launched in 2004 to generate more interest in the Texas-Texas A&M series and promote all sports, not just football. Each year, points were awarded based on results in every competition the Longhorns and Aggies had — football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, etc. All of it.
Del Conte said the same type of points system will be put in place with the rebirth of the Lone Star Showdown. Cotton Holdings, a Houston-based company that handles disaster recovery and logistics, has signed a three-year deal, a company representative told AtoZ Sports.
Financial terms were not immediately known, but “seven figures for both sides” is expected, a UT athletic department source said.
“There’s going to be a points system. Every game will matter,” Del Conte said.
Texas A&M athletic director Trev Alberts said the workings of the deal were already in motion before his arrival in College Station in March. Both UT and A&M are signed with Learfield, the multimedia rights company that handles negotiations for both schools. That made it relatively easy. All Learfield had to do was find the right title sponsor.
“These are the types of things that I think can really enhance and advance your brand,” Alberts said.
“The rivalry games hit different. They just do,” he added. “It’s a privilege and an honor to get to play in rivalry games like this. And I’ve said it and I believe this. Give us a little time, and Texas-Texas A&M will be the best rivalry football game in college football. It has that opportunity. It has that passion.”
Cotton Holdings had already been involved with A&M athletics. Alberts said the company will get some advertising inventory, but those details were not immediately known.
The marketing component is secondary to the on-field action. The football game on Nov. 30 will simply be the highest-profile event. The SEC has scheduled the UT men’s basketball game to play the conference opener in College Station. And don’t forget about baseball after the Longhorns stole the Aggies’ successful coach Jim Schlossnagle.
“I think we’ve got enough hate in this world without teaching kids how to hate people,” longtime A&M coach R.C. Slocum said after the press conference. “Respect is a much better, stronger emotion. If somebody’s good, you respect them and because you respect them, you work hard to get ready to play the game and play the game.”
Slocum sure knew how to get the Aggies fired up to face the Horns, though. He was 16-14 against UT in all his years coaching in Aggieland.
Asked how he got A&M players fired up to face Texas, Slocum said, “To be honest, I didn’t have to do a whole lot. If I gotta do a whole lot to get you ready to play in the A&M-Texas game, I’m playing the wrong guy.”
