The latest AT&T Stadium ‘curtains’ development isn’t what many Dallas Cowboys fans think it is
The Dallas Cowboys have a perfect solution for the controversial sunlight problem at AT&T Stadium. The real problem is if ownership wants to actually use it.
Jerry Jones wants nothing to do with curtains when it comes to his Dallas Cowboys games. Not even after the sunlight has affected his team to the point of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (and others) complaining about it over the years.
But a recent development in AT&T Stadium (currently named Dallas Stadium for FIFA World Cup purposes) has some hopeful for a solution. To them I say, not so fast.
A curtains compromise for Cowboys?
As Nick Harris from Fort Worth Star-Telegram pointed out on social media, FIFA is using a tint over the big doors at the Cowboys’ stadium to keep the sunlight from hitting the field. On the surface, that appears to be the ideal compromise. The windows aren’t blocked by a curtain but the game isn’t affected by a blinding glare.
To this, NFL Network’s Jane Slater said “Well, well, Jerry.” My good friend RJ Ochoa speculated “a compromise maybe!?” and a fan pitched in with a “problem solved.”
Ah, June optimism never fails, does it? I don’t see Jones using this proven solution when it comes to his Cowboys. The reason being, he has told us time and time again he isn’t interested in doing so. To tell you the truth, I think he loves how the sunlight looks pouring into his stadium.
If you take away how silly it is to let it affect ballgames, it actually looks marvelous. It’s unlike any other NFL venue (which is partly why it’s built with a unique east-west orientation commonly avoided by sports venues).
Heck, it’s not like the Cowboys don’t have curtains, by the way. Different sports events at AT&T Stadium use them, including the WWE. A solution has existed for a while. I don’t think FIFA’s approach is a shock to Jones.
He probably knew all along tinted windows were a possibility. The problem isn’t a lack of potential solutions. It’s about ownership’s willingness to do something about it.