Football: Cowboys, S.A. market camp
by Tom Orsborn
Express-News Officials with the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau are hopeful quarterback Tony Romo's Hispanic roots will result in record numbers flocking to the Dallas Cowboys' training camp this summer at the Alamodome. "That's the way I would write the story line if I could," said John Solis, the bureau's executive assistant director of sales and marketing.
"Coming down to a city with 60 percent Hispanic population, (Romo) will have a lot of people surrounding him positively," Solis added. "We are looking forward to being tied to a class act."
The Cowboys are scheduled to arrive in San Antonio on July 23. Camp will kick off the following night with a party at the Alamodome featuring a performance by Los Lonely Boys, a Grammy-winning group made up of three brothers from San Angelo.
The first practice is set for 2:30 p.m. July 25. In all, 21 workouts will be held over the span of 15 days.
Last season, Romo positioned himself to become the franchise's next great quarterback by leading the Cowboys to the playoffs with some record-breaking passing performances. He also has made headlines in the entertainment world by being romantically linked to singers Jessica Simpson and Carrie Underwood.
"It can't do anything but help," Cowboys marketing director John Hickman said of Romo's Hispanic ancestry. "But he has a lot of fans of all ethnicities. He's a hot commodity right now."
The CVB isn't just counting on Romo's popularity to drive attendance. Several cross promotions are under way, including spots on the team's radio network in markets the CVB aggressively mines for visitors.
"We're talking about markets like Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Shreveport, Little Rock, Austin and cities in the Valley," Solis said. "Basically, wherever there is a strong interest in people coming to San Antonio."
The Cowboys also plan on running full-page ads in their game-day programs. Ads also will appear on Web sites for the team and the CVB. Television spots also are planned for games on the team's Blue Star Media network.
"We want people to put San Antonio and the Cowboys as one in their minds," Solis said.
Said Hickman: "We are marketing camp aggressively and actively."
The Cowboys are committed contractually to training in San Antonio for the next five years.
The deal, which was hammered out last year by Hickman and Mayor Phil Hardberger, allows the team to use the dome rent free and calls for the city to receive revenue from parking and concessions.
The team trained in San Antonio in 2002 and 2003, when attendance sagged. A scheduling conflict prevented the team from returning in 2004 and a subsequent dispute over rent prompted the team to remain in California through 2006.
"We are looking at this as a whole different experience and relationship than what was in place before," Solis said. "We have a five-year commitment rather than a year-to-year one like before, so we have something we can really hang our hats on.
"Fortunately for us, the Cowboys want to make this a very special time. They have a destination for camp they can really be proud of and we are affiliated with America's team, so it's a win-win combination."
The members of Los Lonely Boys feel the same way, the group's manager said.
"The Boys are excited about it," Kevin Wommack said. "They are dashing in between tour dates to do it because they are huge Cowboys fans."
The members of Los Lonely Boys are brothers Henry Garza, Jojo Garza and Ringo Garza. They are best known for their hit "Heaven," which reached No. 16 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 2004.
The Garzas, who Wommack said have relatives in San Antonio, met Cowboys owner Jerry Jones last season when they performed the national anthem along with Corpus Christi native Paula DeAnda before an October game.
"They took pictures with Jerry's Super Bowl rings and they got to meet T.O.," Wommack said. "There's a mutual respect, a mutual admiration there."
* * * COWBOYS CAMP SCHEDULE At Alamodome
(Dates, times and site subject to change) Tue., July 24 6-9 p.m.
(kickoff event) Wed., July 25 2:30-4:30 p.m. Thu., July 26 9-11 a.m.
3:30-5 p.m. Fri., July 27 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sat., July 28 9-11 a.m.
3:30-5 p.m. Sun., July 29 2:30-4:30 p.m. Mon., July 30 9-11 a.m.
3:30-5 p.m. Tue., July 31 2:30-4:30 p.m. Wed., Aug. 1 9-11 a.m.
3:30-5 p.m. Thu., Aug. 2 2:30-4:30 p.m. Fri., Aug. 3 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sat., Aug. 4 9-11 a.m.
3:30-5 p.m. Sun., Aug. 5 2:30-4:30 p.m. Mon., Aug. 6 9-11 a.m.
2:30-4:30 p.m. Tue., Aug. 7 2:30-4:30 p.m. Wed., Aug. 8 2:30-4:30 p.m.
(break camp)
Express-News Officials with the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau are hopeful quarterback Tony Romo's Hispanic roots will result in record numbers flocking to the Dallas Cowboys' training camp this summer at the Alamodome. "That's the way I would write the story line if I could," said John Solis, the bureau's executive assistant director of sales and marketing.
"Coming down to a city with 60 percent Hispanic population, (Romo) will have a lot of people surrounding him positively," Solis added. "We are looking forward to being tied to a class act."
The Cowboys are scheduled to arrive in San Antonio on July 23. Camp will kick off the following night with a party at the Alamodome featuring a performance by Los Lonely Boys, a Grammy-winning group made up of three brothers from San Angelo.
The first practice is set for 2:30 p.m. July 25. In all, 21 workouts will be held over the span of 15 days.
Last season, Romo positioned himself to become the franchise's next great quarterback by leading the Cowboys to the playoffs with some record-breaking passing performances. He also has made headlines in the entertainment world by being romantically linked to singers Jessica Simpson and Carrie Underwood.
"It can't do anything but help," Cowboys marketing director John Hickman said of Romo's Hispanic ancestry. "But he has a lot of fans of all ethnicities. He's a hot commodity right now."
The CVB isn't just counting on Romo's popularity to drive attendance. Several cross promotions are under way, including spots on the team's radio network in markets the CVB aggressively mines for visitors.
"We're talking about markets like Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Shreveport, Little Rock, Austin and cities in the Valley," Solis said. "Basically, wherever there is a strong interest in people coming to San Antonio."
The Cowboys also plan on running full-page ads in their game-day programs. Ads also will appear on Web sites for the team and the CVB. Television spots also are planned for games on the team's Blue Star Media network.
"We want people to put San Antonio and the Cowboys as one in their minds," Solis said.
Said Hickman: "We are marketing camp aggressively and actively."
The Cowboys are committed contractually to training in San Antonio for the next five years.
The deal, which was hammered out last year by Hickman and Mayor Phil Hardberger, allows the team to use the dome rent free and calls for the city to receive revenue from parking and concessions.
The team trained in San Antonio in 2002 and 2003, when attendance sagged. A scheduling conflict prevented the team from returning in 2004 and a subsequent dispute over rent prompted the team to remain in California through 2006.
"We are looking at this as a whole different experience and relationship than what was in place before," Solis said. "We have a five-year commitment rather than a year-to-year one like before, so we have something we can really hang our hats on.
"Fortunately for us, the Cowboys want to make this a very special time. They have a destination for camp they can really be proud of and we are affiliated with America's team, so it's a win-win combination."
The members of Los Lonely Boys feel the same way, the group's manager said.
"The Boys are excited about it," Kevin Wommack said. "They are dashing in between tour dates to do it because they are huge Cowboys fans."
The members of Los Lonely Boys are brothers Henry Garza, Jojo Garza and Ringo Garza. They are best known for their hit "Heaven," which reached No. 16 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 2004.
The Garzas, who Wommack said have relatives in San Antonio, met Cowboys owner Jerry Jones last season when they performed the national anthem along with Corpus Christi native Paula DeAnda before an October game.
"They took pictures with Jerry's Super Bowl rings and they got to meet T.O.," Wommack said. "There's a mutual respect, a mutual admiration there."
* * * COWBOYS CAMP SCHEDULE At Alamodome
(Dates, times and site subject to change) Tue., July 24 6-9 p.m.
(kickoff event) Wed., July 25 2:30-4:30 p.m. Thu., July 26 9-11 a.m.
3:30-5 p.m. Fri., July 27 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sat., July 28 9-11 a.m.
3:30-5 p.m. Sun., July 29 2:30-4:30 p.m. Mon., July 30 9-11 a.m.
3:30-5 p.m. Tue., July 31 2:30-4:30 p.m. Wed., Aug. 1 9-11 a.m.
3:30-5 p.m. Thu., Aug. 2 2:30-4:30 p.m. Fri., Aug. 3 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sat., Aug. 4 9-11 a.m.
3:30-5 p.m. Sun., Aug. 5 2:30-4:30 p.m. Mon., Aug. 6 9-11 a.m.
2:30-4:30 p.m. Tue., Aug. 7 2:30-4:30 p.m. Wed., Aug. 8 2:30-4:30 p.m.
(break camp)
posted by The Gryphon at 10:21 PM
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