AT&T Stadium

Curtain Call: When Cowboys Get Dazzled by the Sun before a Boxer Brawl!

Why did AT&T Stadium close its curtains for the Tyson vs. Paul fight? Turns out, it’s all about avoiding the sun's glare while not catching any footballs!

This past week, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the proud home of the Dallas Cowboys, made waves for its unexpected decision to close the stadium curtains ahead of the highly-anticipated fight between boxing legends Mike Tyson and YouTube star Jake Paul. The chatter surrounding the stadium’s move immediately became the talk of the town, particularly after Cowboys' wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was recently blinded by the sun during a game, leading to a much-needed shift in visibility before the bout. Fans were left scratching their heads, wondering why this wasn't done for games involving America's Team—after all, what's a little fight without seeing things clearly?

On a typical game day, fans expect a dazzling view of the field, not a blackout! However, it seems the allure of a star-studded boxing match between two big names was enough to bring up questions about how well the stadium’s facilities actually cater to the players and the fans themselves. Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones, who once touted the benefits of natural lighting for the game day experience, might just be reconsidering after contemplating how electrocuting the sun can be on a player's eyes. As if that wasn't enough, social media exploded with reactions as observers couldn't believe AT&T Stadium is capable of such transforms—making the stadium feel more like a stage for boxing than a playing field for football.

The contrasts didn't end there! As fans wondered whether AT&T Stadium planned to adopt these curtains as a permanent fixture for their Cowboys games, it drew laughter from the NFL community. The notion of changing a 100,000 seat space’s architectural features to accommodate a sun-related problem was quite the comical twist. Jerry Jones himself jumped in with a light-hearted joke about how he might need to invest in sunglasses for the next scheduled Cowboys game if they continued to face similar lighting issues. Humor and sports controversies tend to go hand in hand, and this one is no exception!

Interestingly enough, while the curtains were only temporarily installed for the big fight, the fact that AT&T is home to the largest seating capacity in the NFL emphasizes both its epic scale and the unique challenges of outdoor stadiums. Fighting events like this have garnered massive television audiences and sometimes overshadow even the biggest football games. Fun fact: Mike Tyson, despite now being in his 50s and trailing behind the fame once enjoyed, still draws massive crowds, and even the curious resurrection of his boxing career enables him to step into the ring with a younger star like Jake Paul. Boxing certainly keeps the momentum alive in the world of sports!

Speaking of curtains, it's worth noting that stadium designs and enhancements aren’t usually meant for boxing but for entertaining massive crowds during football games. The outcry surrounding the curtains at AT&T Stadium serves as a quirky reminder that even the national sport has to compete for the limelight sometimes! So next time you see a Cowboy or a boxer step under the spotlight, just remember—sometimes the sun can be a little too bright, even for legends!