If we asked you what big sporting event takes place during the State Fair of Texas, you’d probably say the Red River Rivalry game between the Longhorns and Sooners.
But the Cotton Bowl is soon to host the other football.
A women’s soccer match between Dallas Trinity FC and Mexico’s Club América Femenil is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18, marking the first-ever State Fair Clásico.
Dallas Trinity plays its regular-season games at the Cotton Bowl, and head coach and general manager Chris Petrucelli said they wanted to showcase their talent during the State Fair.
“We’re sort of kicked out of the Cotton Bowl for four or five weeks, and we thought, well if we can get a game in there, it would be great,” he said. “We talked to some clubs in Mexico, and we ended up settling on what is the biggest club in Mexico, Club América, and one of the most successful clubs in Mexico. We gave ’em a call, and a couple of conversations later we we agreed to play this match.”
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Dallas Trinity FC forward Allie Thornton, who is a native of Kennedale, Texas, and an SMU alum, said she has enjoyed being part of building the club’s legacy in North Texas.
“Having this team now, the first women’s professional [soccer] team in Dallas, we’re growing, we’re kind of making our mark, and I think it’s awesome that Dallas is such a successful and saturated sports market,” she said. “[This game], I think it’s just our way of saying like, you know, this is not just a moment; it’s a movement, and we’re doing our thing.”
Thornton said she attributes the rise of her team to the rise of women’s sports as a whole.
“It’s the success that we’ve witnessed from how good the WNBA has been, how good the women’s national soccer team has been, and the viewers they’ve gotten and the money they’ve brought in,” she said. “I think a lot of clubs and a lot of sports are taking advantage of the hype around those individual sports. And so it’s just kind of like they’re paving the way and we’re following in the footsteps and making a mark for ourselves.”
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Petrucelli said part of the goal of a showcase match like this one is to bring the top teams in the world to Dallas so locals can watch them play.
“Attendance is important to us. We want people to be there. We’ve sold a lot of tickets, and we’re hoping to sell a few more as we get ready for kickoff,” he said. “We’re trying to set the record for the largest crowd to watch a women’s professional game in Texas – that would be of any sport. That number’s 21,000, and we think we’re getting close. So we’re trying to get over the top there.”
The game will also be broadcast on Victory+ and Univision.
“From our team standpoint, it’s just a great opportunity to play against a great team, and it’s kind of a world famous team and to be challenged against some of the best players in the world,” Petrucelli said.
Thornton said the team’s season in the United Soccer League has been up and down this year. Her hope for Dallas Trinity FC is to continue to build on their progress in their last few games.
“I think the next phase for us is kind of putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. And so taking all of those little things that we’ve learned and putting it in one game and seeing the success that that might bring us,” she said. “We are very hard working. I think we come from a lot of different backgrounds, which adds a cool aspect of diversity. And I think if we can kind of figure out what everyone’s strengths are – because there are a lot – and use those to our advantage, then we’ll be successful.”
