The Massive 12 championship trophy is displayed on the opening of the Massive 12 soccer media days in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman through AP
Massive 12 mascots and cheerleaders pose for a bunch picture on the NCAA faculty soccer Massive 12 media days in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. LM Otero, Related Press
ARLINGTON, Texas — Shock and awe.
BYU quarterback Kedon Slovis had the identical look on his face as I did whereas strolling round AT&T Stadium. The house of the Dallas Cowboys and Massive 12 media days is a building surprise and general jaw dropper.
“I’ve by no means performed in an NFL stadium like this earlier than,” Slovis stated whereas giving his eyes a tour of the place. “That is wonderful.”
Slovis and the Pittsburgh Panthers beat Miami 42-16 final November at Exhausting Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, which the Hurricanes share with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, however AT&T Stadium, by typical Texas requirements, is a chief minimize above.
For Slovis to play right here, the place Taylor Swift shattered the stadium attendance document over three nights in early April, he might want to lead his Cougars to the Massive 12 championship sport in December.
The vastness of the ability is consuming, however not misplaced within the bigness is the eye to smallness. Even the tiniest particulars loom giant for commissioner Brett Yormark.
Massive 12 cheerleaders greeted media members on the entrance door. As soon as contained in the venue, a bevy of picture ops with the league helmets, uniforms, mascots (sure, Cosmo was dancing along with his new buddies), and the CFP championship and Massive 12 championship trophies triggered a flurry of social media posts.
However probably the most obvious attraction is the truth that the Dallas Cowboys play right here and Yormark is savvy sufficient to incorporate it in his gross sales pitch.
In line with Forbes, the Cowboys, as soon as hailed as “America’s Group,” are price $7.6 billion — probably the most valued sporting model on the planet. Even with Texas leaving for the SEC subsequent yr, the Massive 12 is holding its wagon hitched to the Cowboys star.
Standing tall on a stage suited to a rock band and positioned strategically on the star at midfield, the 5-foot-7 Yormark introduced an extension of the Massive 12 championship sport with AT&T Stadium by means of 2030.
“I need to thank the (Jerry) Jones household and the Cowboys for his or her dedication to the Massive 12,” Yormark stated. “It is a world-class venue. Most likely the nicest venue in America. This place could be very aspirational.”
Promoting the Massive 12 with the Cowboys didn’t cease there.
The convention put radio row within the north finish zone and a 30-yard buffet within the south — each on prime of the Cowboys logos. Print media had been positioned on area with the Cowboys famed Ring of Honor hovering above. Even the water cups had been stamped, not with the Massive 12 emblem, however with the Cowboys.
BYU has a quick historical past in AT&T Stadium. It was right here in 2009 within the south finish zone the place Max Corridor threw a landing move to McKay Jacobsen to upset No. 3 Oklahoma 14-13. Within the north finish zone, in 2011, Riley Nelson transformed a two-point conversion on the objective line towards TCU and gave the referee a high-five on nationwide tv.
Outdoors of media days this week, how quickly BYU updates its private profile at AT&T Stadium is as much as them. Picked eleventh by the media, the Cougars can present their very own “shock and awe” by returning in December to play for the title.
Massive 12 mascots and cheerleaders pose for a bunch picture on the NCAA faculty soccer Massive 12 media days in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
LM Otero, Related Press
Dave McCann is a contributor to the Deseret Information and is the studio host for “BYU Sports activities Nation Sport Day,” “The Put up Sport Present,” “After Additional Evaluation,” and play-by-play announcer for BYUtv. He's additionally co-host of “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com.