Home to arguably the world's most recognizable sports franchise, "Big D" loves its modern day Cowboys. Though the love for "America's Team" may not extend much beyond the Lone Star State's borders, one thing is for sure, everyone has an opinion about this NFL football franchise. Love 'em or hate 'em, it is difficult to find a sports enthusiast who sits on the fence when asked about the players or its eccentric personnel.
As one of the early expansion teams, the Dallas Cowboys have been successful pioneers in the sport both on and off the field. With the most number of Super Bowl appearances (8) and victories (5, tied with S.F. 49ers), the Cowboys' performance on the gridiron is unmatched. However, the club owes much of its notoriety and financial windfall to decisions made in corporate boardrooms, not in game-time huddles.
One of the first teams to use marketing and promotion to increase brand awareness and broaden its revenue base, the Cowboys kicked off a blitz of image enhancing strategies in the 1970's. Tex Schramm (GM 1960-1989) was the brain behind many clever entrepreneurial concepts, perhaps the most successful being the creation of the world famous Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. He also developed the largest radio broadcast network for any sports team and conceptualized the Cowboys' "Ring of Honor" which recognizes outstanding contributions from former personnel by showcasing their names around Cowboys Stadium. As Chicago Bears' fans, writing a complimentary piece on the oh so humble Cowboys is tough--but we must give credit where credit is due.
* Private label / branding options