Cotton Bowl keeps Texas-OU rivalry through 2036

Dave Wilson, ESPN Staff WriterDec 6, 2023

, 03:26 PM ET Close Dave Wilson is an editor for ESPN.com given that 2010. He formerly worked at The Dallas Early Morning News, San Diego Union-Tribune and Las Vegas Sun.Texas and Oklahoma have accepted extend their historical competition game at the Cotton Bowl through 2036, the 2 schools revealed Wednesday.As part of the offer, the city of Dallas has actually agreed to an estimated $140 million remodelling of the aging arena, which opened in 1930. The Longhorns and Sooners initially satisfied at a neutral site at the State Fair of Texas in 1929 and have played every game in the Cotton Bowl given that it opened the next year. The competition game started in 1900 and the two groups played for the 119th time this season.In recent years, as groups around the country have actually dipped into neutral sites in contemporary NFL arenas, there have been concerns if Texas and Oklahoma ought to think about a comparable plan. But both schools have constantly specified they intended to remain at the Cotton Bowl in the middle of the state reasonable, among the most special settings in college football.”The relationship in between the storied Allstate Red River Competition and the age-old Cotton Bowl is one-of-kind regardless of sport,”Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione stated in a statement.” Our new arrangement guarantees this historic legacy of the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas at the State Fair of Texas will stretch into a 2nd century. Countless fans throughout the years have actually cheered, in-person, for the Sooners or Longhorns on what’s ended up being almost sacred ground. “Texas and Oklahoma have actually agreed to extend their contract with the Cotton Bowl through 2036, with Dallas agreeing to $140 million in renovations, including in the 1930 stadium’s cramped concourses, with this rendering of the expected changes. pic.twitter.com/bvTYB48U9p!.?.!— Dave Wilson (@dwil)December 6, 2023 His equivalent at Texas shared similar sentiments.” There is absolutely nothing like the Allstate Red River Competition game, and with all of its history, tradition and pageantry, it requires to stayin the Cotton Bowl,”Texas ‘Chris Del Conte said.”A lot of memories have actually been made by generations of fans at the iconic arena

surrounded by the phenomenon that is the State Fair of Texas, and we’re thrilled to be continuing that long into the future.”As part of the contract, the Dallas Sports Commission and Dallas Tourist Public Improvement District will be increasing the payment to each school. Terms were not divulged, however as part of their present agreement that ends in 2025, each school received $500,000

. Dallas has hired Overland Partners to deal with the stadium’s redesign, which is anticipated to include”sweeping improvements,”including widening concourses, adding escalators and restorations to concessions and toilets. The very first stage of renovations to the

west side of the arena is to be finished by Sept. 2026. The city is also arranged to end up a second stage of significant renovations to the east side of the stadium by September 2034.