Cowboys fans get to see game in new stadium

ARLINGTON, Texas — Nearly two hours before kickoff of the Dallas Cowboys' first game in their new nearly $1.2 billion stadium, Jon Thompson and his wife stood along the rail with an unobstructed view of the field.

"At first take, it's breathtaking," said Thompson, of Fort Worth. "The stadium is unbelievable."

The lifelong Cowboys fan and his wife, Brittany, were on one of the plaza decks where they purchased $29 party passes, one of the many unique features of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' extravagant showpiece. And they had no plans to give up their spots Friday night.

"I'll be getting the beer, she'll keep the seats," Thompson said.

Jimmy Larson and his buddies, who paid $60 to park about a mile away, stood nearby. They pondered whether to stay there instead of going way up to their seats in one of the stadium's highest sections while sending pictures on their cell phones for others to see.

"I had to post some pics on Facebook. Where we live, it's 300 people, a little town in Michigan (Ewen)," said Larson, a transplanted Detroit Lions fan. "This is pretty impressive."

There have been international soccer matches and concerts in the stadium, but the preseason home opener for Dallas against the Tennessee Titans was the first event in Cowboys Stadium for the namesake tenant. The Cowboys had played in Texas Stadium since 1971.

The famed star logo in the middle of the field was missing, and the team's Ring of Honor was not yet installed in the building that opened in June. Both are expected to be in place for the regular season home opener Sept. 20 against the New York Giants.

Hanging over the center of the field are a pair of 75-foot high video boards, high-definition screens that stretch from 20-yard line to 20-yard line.

Christian Breedveld of Austin said her two sons, both wearing No. 9 Romo jerseys, were "so excited to see the biggest TV in the world."

Titans punters Craig Hentrich and A.J. Trapasso kicked balls attempting successfully to hit the screen that hangs about 90 feet above the field. Three minutes into the game, Hentrich's first punt — the first that counted in the new stadium — went under the screens.

When they are not kicking targets, the screens — that will have to be raised 25 feet to accommodate the stage for a U2 concert in October — provide larger-than-life images.