Cowboys now worth 15.5 billion

Recall living thru that watching the local news and reading the local papers as it unfolded. It was all about our owners bankruptcy and Savings & Loan scandal not the Cowboys financial woes.

It was actually the value of the Cowboys which bailed out Bum Bright and his partners. And as soon as the Cowboys were out of their ownership all of the action against the Cowboys were lifted .

It’s important to present the accurate context in which those acts were filed as the Star Telegram did.
I completely get why it felt that way watching it on the local news back then. The banking collapse was a massive crisis and selling the team absolutely did help bail out Bum and the other owners.

But there is a big difference between a team being a “valuable asset” on paper and being a healthy business in reality.

The Cowboys were a total wreck behind the scenes. The actions against the Cowboys weren't just “lifted”when the sale happene. Jerry had to physically write checks to the feds and courts to make those problems go away.

It’s also no surprise that the news we were seeing locally slanted the story to the real estate stuff and kept the team looking good. Tex controlled the local media back then. He was a journalist before he worked in football and he wrote the book on how to squeeze (or crush) local media that didn’t bend the knee. The DMN and the Star Telegram knew what was expected.

Remember, during this entire period, Tex was trying to buy the team himself and he needed the news to keep the heat off the brand and onto the broader economic woes.

You don’t get investors if the local news is talking about how new owners are going to have to immediately write multi million dollar checks to the Feds.
 
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I completely get why it felt that way watching it on the local news back then. The banking collapse was a massive crisis and selling the team absolutely did help bail out Bum and the other owners.

But there is a big difference between a team being a “valuable asset” on paper and being a healthy business in reality.

The Cowboys were a total wreck behind the scenes. The actions against the Cowboys weren't just “lifted”when the sale happene. Jerry had to physically write checks to the feds and courts to make those problems go away.

It’s also no surprise that the news we were seeing locally slanted the story to the real estate stuff and kept the team looking good. Tex controlled the local media back then. He was a journalist before he worked in football and he wrote the book on how to squeeze (or crush) local media that didn’t bend the knee. The DMN and the Star Telegram knew what was expected.

Remember, during this entire period, Tex was trying to buy the team himself and he needed the news to keep the heat off the brand and onto the broader economic woes.

You don’t get investors if the local news is talking about how new owners are going to have to immediately write multi million dollar checks to the Feds.
I totally disagree with your narrative. The Cowboys weren’t a “total wreck” financially.

Did they have some issues. Yes, but back in those days all franchises didn’t generate a positive cash flow while their net value increased significantly.

And yes, in effect , when the sale was complete the actions were lifted. Obviously since Jethro was new owner his money cleared those actions .

But the actions are filed as a result of the owners bankruptcy not the teams. That is a crucial point .
 
I totally disagree with your narrative. The Cowboys weren’t a “total wreck” financially.

Did they have some issues. Yes, but back in those days all franchises didn’t generate a positive cash flow while their net value increased significantly.

And yes, in effect , when the sale was complete the actions were lifted. Obviously since Jethro was new owner his money cleared those actions .

But the actions are filed as a result of the owners bankruptcy not the teams. That is a crucial point .
Fair enough, let's agree to disagree.

I think we are ultimately saying the same thing in different ways. You see it as a valuable asset that just needed an injection of cash. I see a team that was a few courthouse auctions away from being dismantled by the feds and tied up in bankruptcy for years.

Either way, we can both agree that Jerry buying the team changed NFL history forever.

I'm just glad those days are over.
 
Fair enough, let's agree to disagree.

I think we are ultimately saying the same thing in different ways. You see it as a valuable asset that just needed an injection of cash. I see a team that was a few courthouse auctions away from being dismantled by the feds and tied up in bankruptcy for years.

Either way, we can both agree that Jerry buying the team changed NFL history forever.

I'm just glad those days are over.
Bottomline is those owners bankruptcy and Savings & Loan scandal placed the Cowboys in jeopardy which actually had little to do with the value or solvency of the franchise .

Unfortunately Bum Brights bankruptcy dictated selling to the lower cash bid from Jethro instead of settling for bids from Lakers and Mavs owner which would have taken time since they’d need to sell their NBA majority shares. Time Bum didn’t have .

And I’m not sure the changes forthcoming from Jethro’s influence and impact on the league have been what’s in best interest of football fans, while it obviously has been in best interest of all involved financially.

But if it had been up to Jethro his revolutionary revenue genius would have only benefited the Cowboys but the league basically mandated everyone benefitted.
 
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Jerry always knows best how to prioritize what his football team needs to spend money on to prioritize be a "winner"...


 
They are good at what they do. People talk talk about Jerry Jones as if he is a moron. He is anything but. What he wants isnt in line with what fans want.

Their profits skyrocketed following two years of missing the playoffs
Yeah. Jerry is without question a great businessman. But he is also without question a lousy builder of rosters that win playoff games.

I would add Jerry certainly deserves credit for the financial gains he has made for his team and the NFL. It’s why he’s in the HOF.

BUT…Jerry didn’t buy the Cleveland Browns. He bought themost iconic and popular NFL brand out there. Could he have made the Browns a financial juggernaught? Not like the Cowboys.

The Cowboys brand gave Jerry Jones a huge head start to success. Yes I know they were bad when he bought the team and losing money. But again it’s easier to do that when you buy a brand that is already called “America’s Team.”

To use a soda analogy - Jerry didn’t buy “RC Cola”. He bought “Coca Cola” and made it even more profitable.
 
"The Cowboys estimated operating profits for 2025 were 510 million. No other NFL team had profits over 255 million."

There is no rational reason why this would be the case. The drawing power of this franchise makes no sense.
Name me one team in all of sports that represents America better than the Star on the helmet, star on the field, and the history of Americas Team, 5 super bowls, fandon passed from generation to generation- Cowboys, Texas, wild west, American spirit, Cowboys v Indians. Some many things and so many reasons. Classic marketing!
 
Well, you never know what happens after Jethro is gone. Will the siblings squabble any on who runs the team. Will one want to buy out the others . And to prevent their children from the frustrations and or confrontations moving forward.

We’ve had many NFL ownerships over multiple generations within a family but rarely with more than one survivor involved with the team that I can recall.

We’ll see if the kids all have the same passion as their dad did to stay in the spotlight and how they all get along.

I think there’s hope they might at some point decide to sell out. Remember this was their dad’s dream to be a celebrity football guy and owner , not theirs.
Stephen is right there with him, everyday.
 
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Who else but Jerry would have dancers up on stripper poles at the new stadium? The man deserves every bit of recognition for what he has brought to the league.
 
Thread reminder

Any quotes, pertaining to what has been published by media sources, must be accompanied by an article link. Do not say what an article said without a link to it for verification.

Also, do not post links from sites requiring subscriptions (site rule #30). And never post content published by the DMN (Dallas Morning News) here on CowboysZone.
Staff member, is that a paid position? If not what is the benefit that you derive from being a member of the Staff? Thx
 
Staff member, is that a paid position? If not what is the benefit that you derive from being a member of the Staff? Thx
These questions are totally out of left field. I shall not be answering them. Thank you.
 
You missed it as well
what I was talking about was those claiming Jethro was not making deals because he could not come up with cash to do them]
that they are making HALF A BILLION A YEAR IN PROFITS shows how stupid that is
To clarify, Jerry isn't making high priced deals to just anyone because of salary cap restraints... Did that clear it up for you?
 
Hmmmmmmmmm......so, Would I rather have my favorite team win playoff games and an occasional championship?? or Be the richest franchise in sports adding to the wealth of the owners??

Easy questions with very easy answers.

That is where we are currently.
 

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