World's game, not America's Team, to star in 1st event in new Cowboys stadium
By Diego Aparicio
Al Dma via The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS — The first sporting event at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium will be a futbol match rather than a football game.
The $1.1 billion stadium will be the site of a CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal doubleheader on July 19, it was announced Monday.
"It's great to make that happen," CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer said. "I know we will have a great time there at that great stadium."
The 12-country biennial tournament to crown a champion of the North and Central America and Caribbean region will be contested in 13 U.S. cities July 3-26.
The Cowboys stadium will have a capacity of 78,000 for the Gold Cup doubleheader. Blazer said Arlington, Texas, facility's capacity gave it an edge over Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.
"Obviously, we would love to have every soccer match in the metroplex at PHP," FC Dallas general manager Michael Hitchcock said. "Based on special circumstances, it makes a lot of sense for CONCACAF to host this doubleheader at the Cowboys' new stadium."
CONCACAF will seed the Gold Cup's three groups in the next 40 days, Blazer said.
The top two teams from each group and the two best third-place teams will advance to the quarterfinals.
A quarterfinal match between the U.S. and Mexico would be a desirable draw.
The top attendance for a Gold Cup match in the U.S. was the 1998 championship between the U.S and Mexico, which drew 91,255 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Houston's Reliant Stadium, which averaged the largest attendances for Gold Cup play in 2005 and 2007, will be the site of a first-round match July 9.
"We are hopeful (of) being able to sell out (the new Cowboys stadium) as we've sold out Houston's Reliant Stadium in the past," Blazer said.
The stadium in Arlington will be among four venues that will have a synthetic surface. Grass will be placed over the existing surface at Giants Stadium for the Gold Cup final July 26.
The July 19 quarterfinal date will not conflict with FC Dallas, which has a bye-week.
Cowboys' spokesperson Brett Daniels said there have been talks about hosting more soccer matches at the stadium this year.
A concert June 6 featuring George Strait and Reba McEntire will be the first public event at the new stadium.
