As we are all richly aware, the Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowl in 25 years. They haven't even advanced beyond the divisional playoffs since then. They haven't won a road playoff game in 27 years. There is an entire generation of Cowboys fans that now shares more in common with Bengals or Lions fans than with their own Cowboys elders.
And yet the Cowboys are consistently among the world's richest teams, usually
are the NFL's most-watched team, command the highest-ratings, draw the most revenue, sell out all the time.
Is it really just the momentum of those 5 Lombardis? Granted, the Cowboys were already dubbed America's Team in the 1970s, so it's more than that.
Several factors, IMHO:
- The Cowboys have one of the best uniforms in the league, aesthetically speaking.
- The Cowboys are always scheduled in on Thanksgiving, so there's always at least one nationally-televised game.
- At a certain point, momentum begets itself. The Cowboys are popular, so they get high TV ratings and the best nationally-televised slots, which then in turn continues their popularity, and then ensures that they get great primetime games, etc. etc.
- The Cowboys used to host their summer training camp in California, so that ensures a big following in the nation's most populous state.
- Jerry is a terrible GM, but still great owner-wise in terms of getting publicity and marketing things.
- There has only been one season in the past ten years in which the Cowboys were truly bad - the 2015 season. In every other season from 2011-2019, the Cowboys either made the playoffs, or fell short on the very doorstep of the playoffs. That ensured compelling relevancy, and TV-viewership, throughout the season.
- The Cowboys have the biggest and best stadium in the league.
- The Cowboys' cheerleaders are better known than most other NFL cheerleaders.
