What would it take for the Cowboys to no longer be America's Team?

Red Dragon

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The Cowboys' recent spate of futility is well-known: The team has won only three playoff games in the last 21 seasons, had three straight 5-11 seasons, three straight 8-8 seasons with no playoffs, hasn't appeared in an NFC title game since 1995, and hasn't appeared in a Super Bowl in 23 years, let alone won one. Indeed, an entire generation of Millennial Cowboys fans shares more in common with Texans, Bengals or Lions fans than with their own older Cowboy-fan elders.

This isn't like the marquee franchises of the other leagues - the Lakers and Yankees, for instance, have won five championships apiece during the same timeframe of the past 23 years when the Cowboys have failed to win one.

And yet, despite all that, the Cowboys have a very long consecutive sellout streak at home and on the road, command the highest TV ratings of any team in the league, are the world's only $5 billion sports franchise, have been the NFL's highest-valued team for twelve years running, have the most Facebook followers of any NFL team, and in all likelihood have the largest fanbase in the entire NFL.

So, hypothetically, just what would it take for the Cowboys to become Just Another Team? Would it take one whole decade of nothing but 4-12 seasons? Two decades? Or is the Cowboys brand shiny enough to withstand just about anything?
 

LandryFan

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The Cowboys' recent spate of futility is well-known: The team has won only three playoff games in the last 21 seasons, had three straight 5-11 seasons, three straight 8-8 seasons with no playoffs, hasn't appeared in an NFC title game since 1995, and hasn't appeared in a Super Bowl in 23 years, let alone won one. Indeed, an entire generation of Millennial Cowboys fans shares more in common with Texans, Bengals or Lions fans than with their own older Cowboy-fan elders.

This isn't like the marquee franchises of the other leagues - the Lakers and Yankees, for instance, have won five championships apiece during the same timeframe of the past 23 years when the Cowboys have failed to win one.

And yet, despite all that, the Cowboys have a very long consecutive sellout streak at home and on the road, command the highest TV ratings of any team in the league, are the world's only $5 billion sports franchise, have been the NFL's highest-valued team for twelve years running, have the most Facebook followers of any NFL team, and in all likelihood have the largest fanbase in the entire NFL.

So, hypothetically, just what would it take for the Cowboys to become Just Another Team? Would it take one whole decade of nothing but 4-12 seasons? Two decades? Or is the Cowboys brand shiny enough to withstand just about anything?
That won't change, IMO. Dallas (and its "America's Team" moniker) is either loved or hated by every NFL fan. There is no middle ground. That name is a part of why some fans hate the team. I don't think that even they want any of that to change. It's a permanent part of what they love to hate (and our fans love to love).
 

Xelda

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I don't think I can address this properly because there are so many variables. At some point last year, I believe, AT&T removed us from the status of America's Team. Up until then, you could ask any iPhone "who is America's Team" and it would say "pulling up the roster for the Cowboys". I don't think any team will reach the status of "media darling" that draws everyone's attention like the Cowboys, be it positive or negative. We root for the most valuable sports franchise in the world. Compare that to the rest of the world's love for soccer. Some big players in the global market that the Cowboys rank above in net worth.

I've read many articles about the Cowboys. One stated that you could show pictures of every NFL team's helmet to people outside of the US and the majority recognized the Dallas Cowboys helmet. We supposedly have the largest fan base. Our games draw more viewership which is why we have so many freaking late games. The highest ranked fan base is the Cowboys. It was stated that we are more hopeful than any other team's fans. We always believe we're on the cusp of going to the Super Bowl. We don't have as many band wagon fans according to the survey. I've also read when the Cowboys play out of town, they're greeted like rock stars. That's the gist of what I've gathered.

I think a lot of the shine has been knocked off, but there's still plenty left to go around.
 

LovinItAll

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I don't think I can address this properly because there are so many variables. At some point last year, I believe, AT&T removed us from the status of America's Team. Up until then, you could ask any iPhone "who is America's Team" and it would say "pulling up the roster for the Cowboys". I don't think any team will reach the status of "media darling" that draws everyone's attention like the Cowboys, be it positive or negative. We root for the most valuable sports franchise in the world. Compare that to the rest of the world's love for soccer. Some big players in the global market that the Cowboys rank above in net worth.

I've read many articles about the Cowboys. One stated that you could show pictures of every NFL team's helmet to people outside of the US and the majority recognized the Dallas Cowboys helmet. We supposedly have the largest fan base. Our games draw more viewership which is why we have so many freaking late games. The highest ranked fan base is the Cowboys. It was stated that we are more hopeful than any other team's fans. We always believe we're on the cusp of going to the Super Bowl. We don't have as many band wagon fans according to the survey. I've also read when the Cowboys play out of town, they're greeted like rock stars. That's the gist of what I've gathered.

I think a lot of the shine has been knocked off, but there's still plenty left to go around.

Not sure about your shoddy *** iPhone, but my phone knows who America's Team is.
 

Xelda

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Not sure about your shoddy *** iPhone, but my phone knows who America's Team is.
Agreed! I think Apple is putting the squeeze on me to upgrade, but my needs are few and I will never need a phone to tell me who America's Team is. It's a fun party trick to annoy fans of other teams though.
 

DFWJC

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Were hoping for more, but Cowboys fans can honestly say their team has gone to the playoff 3 of the last 5 seasons and has advanced one round twice.

Sounds a little better than reaching all the way back 21 seasons to maximize the negative.
 

Doomsday101

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It would take a time machine to go back in time to when NFL Films put together a piece called Americas Team.
 

JD_KaPow

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The truth is, I can't remember the last time I heard a broadcast, or anyone, refer to them as "America's Team."
 

BoltsNHorns

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I have ADD so when someone post an articles on why the Cowboys are America favorite team, I'm not able to read it. I wish someone would give me the short summary or answer why the Cowboys are America favorite team?

If its not the Cowboys, who should be America's favorite team?
 

Techsass

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Some kind of social media craze that convinces everyone that calling the country America is somehow hateful.
 

Reality

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It's very simple actually. The only way the Cowboys stop being America's Team is if the fans of all other teams who hate the Cowboys stop watching or talking about the Cowboys.

While it's true that there are a lot of Cowboys fans that are spread out over the entire country and even other countries, there are a few other teams that have widespread followings as well such as the Steelers and, more recently, the Patriots, but what makes the Cowboys special is not that they have more fans than any other team ... but instead they have more haters than any other team.
 

cowboy_ron

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So many fans from rival teams don't know the full story.......most think it was a name that the Cowboys organization gave themselves which is not true, in fact Steve Sabol of NFL films called them that and it just stuck.....granted the Cowboys just took it and ran......actually, it was and still is a good business decision.
 
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