Jerry Jones: Cowboys will continue to increase attendance at home games
Jerry Jones made it clear in comments this week that the Dallas Cowboys will continue efforts to increase allowed attendance at AT&T Stadium during upcoming home games despite a concerning surge of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Cowboys have incrementally increased the number of fans allowed to attend home game as the season has progressed. COVID-19 cases continue to dangerously spike both in Texas and across the country, however, and the exponential growth of infections and deaths is currently at alarming levels.
The question was posed to Jones Tuesday whether the Cowboys may elect to pump the brakes on attendance a bit in the hopes to limit potential coronavirus transmission. The Cowboys owner, appearing on 105.3 The Fan, showed no inclination whatsoever to go that route.
RIGHT NOW on @1053TheFan — Jerry Jones says his plan was to increase the attendance at AT&T Stadium as the season progressed … and he continues to do so
— T̷R̷O̷Y̷ ̷H̷U̷G̷H̷E̷S̷ (@TommySledge) November 17, 2020
“We’ve literally had no one report that they’ve had a contact with COVID that have attended one of our games” #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/72v1semp58
Jones went on to say that AT&T Stadium is interestingly “suited for airness, openness and air circulation.” The Cowboys owner’s complete comments defending the team’s reluctance to limit attendance — as well as evidence of how attendance figures continue on an upward trend — were relayed via Twitter by Jon Machota of The Athletic.
The Dallas Cowboys have had increased attendance at their home games this season and Jerry Jones expects that to continue.
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 17, 2020
Week 2 vs. Falcons: 21,708
Week 4 vs. Browns: 25,021
Week 5 vs. Giants: 25,147
Week 6 vs. Cardinals: 25,174
Week 9 vs. Steelers: 31,700 pic.twitter.com/5gCwh45v5Z
Jones stated that he’s “very proud” over how the Cowboys are increasing attendance “safely” and that there’s no reason to stall the “continued aggressive approach” to having more fans inside AT&T Stadium.
It merits noting that the Cowboys are following NFL protocols which allow teams to make determinations on fan attendance based on local governmental guidelines, which the team is indeed doing.
As things stand, the Cowboys presumably will have more than 31,700 fans — the number allowed in Week 9 for a showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers — in attendance when the team hosts the Washington Football team on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26).
Following that divisional holiday matchup, the Cowboys have two remaining home games on its regular-season schedule: against the San Francisco 49ers (Dec. 20) and Philadelphia Eagles (Dec. 27).
