The Cowboys, as the NFL’s most valuable team at a whopping $5.5 billion according to Forbes magazine, are at the forefront of this issue.
Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday raised the attendance capacity for pro and college sports in Texas to 50%, effective immediately. Seating fewer fans because of social distancing protocols would hamper NFL franchises’ ability to generate the same money as in the past, especially if the league determines fans will not be allowed at all to start the season.
Forbes, which analyzed 2018 revenue figures, reported last month that if fans are not allowed in NFL stadiums, the Cowboys would lose an estimated league-high $621 million. The Cowboys generated $950 million in revenue in 2018 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, according to the magazine.