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ARLINGTON — This week, there was a little more breathing room for Dallas Cowboys fans to enjoy the game.
Gone was the crush of humanity that left fans at last week’s game with little room to move, much less get another beer or watch the action on the field."For us, it’s been a good night from a public safety perspective," Arlington Assistant Fire Chief Don Crowson said, estimating that 7,000 to 10,000 fans were in the Party Pass sections of Cowboys Stadium for Monday night’s game against the Carolina Panthers.At the season opener against the New York Giants, nearly 30,000 fans packed into those areas, which can comfortably hold about 15,000, and police had trouble controlling the crowd.After that game, Arlington officials urged the Cowboys to limit ticket sales. "We worked with the Cowboys to put things in place to better manage patrons," Crowson said. "The fact that fewer tickets were sold will help."At the Giants game, fans believed that a Party Pass guaranteed them a place to watch the game. But thousands were told incorrectly that the event had been oversold and to head home. There were reports of plastic beer bottles being thrown as some fans became agitated.Arlington police spokeswoman Tiara Ellis Richard said Tuesday that 20 fans were arrested, 14 for public intoxication. One of the 20, arrested for burglary of a motor vehicle, among other charges, was at the Wal-Mart across the street from the stadium. Thirty-seven people were arrested at last week's game.At kickoff Monday, fans stood two or three deep along the railing.Others who were content to watch on the giant overhead screen or the host of smaller televisions had plenty of elbow room."It’s about the spectacle," said Matt Jones of Dallas. "It’s more like watching the game at a bar. You don’t really watch it on the field. You certainly got enough televisions around to watch it."Sabra Johnson of Arlington said the Party Passes are great fun for budget-conscious fans as long as the crowds are kept to a reasonable number.Her only complaint: She wishes the Cowboys had a family section like the Texas Rangers do."I don’t want my 8-year-old having beer spilled on them in the fourth quarter out here," Johnson said. "It can get a little rowdy out here."But Johnson, who had a spot reserved near the railing on the top deck, said watching the game on the screens was not a problem."We came out here to the high school games on Labor Day weekend and kept watching the game on that giant screen," she said. "It sucks you in. You can’t help it — even when you can see the field."Despite the smaller crowds, some were content to stay outside.Andy and Lisa Rodriguez of Bedford were smoking and watching one of the big screens in the plaza just outside the doors to the party deck Monday"We like to smoke, but we’ll move around," said Andy Rodriguez.Staff writer Susan Schrock contributed to this report.BILL HANNA, 817-390-7698
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