Frequently Asked Questions

History of Cotton Bowl Stadium

• Built in 1930, the first game played in the stadium was a clash between two local area high schools.
• The 1966 NFL Championship was played at Cotton Bowl Stadium, which was the 34th NFL championship game. The Packers defeated the Cowboys, 34-27 and went on to win Super Bowl I against the Kansas City Chiefs two weeks later.
• The SMU Mustangs called Cotton Bowl Stadium home on two separate occasions from 1932-78 and 1995-99.
• Each year, the stadium hosts one of the most iconic rivalry games in college football. The Red River Showdown between the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners has been played each year at the venue since 1932. Texas leads the series, 62-46-5.
• Along with the annual game between Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners, Cotton Bowl Stadium also hosts the State Fair Classic, pitting Prairie View A&M University Panthers against Grambling State University Tigers.  
• The Dallas Cowboys played their home games at Cotton Bowl Stadium from 1960-71. Prior to the Cowboys, the Dallas Texans (AFL) played from 1960-62 at the stadium.
• The stadium hosted six men's soccer matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
• The Dallas Burn/FC Dallas of the MLS played at Cotton Bowl Stadium from 1996-2002 and 2004-05.
• In 2014, Champions League powerhouses Real Madrid and A.C. Roma faced off in a match at the stadium as part of the International Champions Cup.

About the 2020 Winter Classic

• The Dallas Stars will host the 12th Winter Classic in NHL history.
• Dallas is the ninth team to play host to the game, joining Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Washington. Boston, Buffalo and Chicago are the only two-time hosts.
• Dallas is the 12th team to participate in a Winter Classic game. The Chicago Blackhawks lead all NHL clubs with four appearances in the Winter Classic Game (2009, 2015, 2017, and 2019).
• The Stars are the 24th team to participate in a Winter Classic, Stadium Series or Heritage Classic outdoor game. Only seven teams have never participated in an outdoor game: Arizona, Carolina, Columbus, Florida, Nashville, Tampa Bay and Vegas.
• Cotton Bowl Stadium is the sixth football venue to host the game and third college football venue to have a Winter Classic, joining Michigan Stadium and Notre Dame Stadium.
• Cotton Bowl Stadium will become only the third venue in the state of Texas to host a regular-season NHL contest along with American Airlines Center and Reunion Arena.

All-time Winter Classic Moments