Why the Cowboys hold training camp in Oxnard, California
There are certainly some major storylines as the Cowboys begin camp, including the status of star defensive end Micah Parsons, who is currently negotiating a new contract with the team but still arrived at training camp on Monday.
It should be an exciting few weeks as Dallas' camp gets underway in sunny *checks notes* southern California?
That's right. Every season since 2012 (with the exception of the COVID-19 season in 2020), the Cowboys have held their training camp in Oxnard, California. The team has held 18 camps overall in Oxnard since 2001 after previously holding camp in California from 1963-89.
So, why does Cowboys owner Jerry Jones opt to move his team across the country for camp? There are a few reasons.
The weather is the obvious one. Holding camp in California rather than Texas in July allows the Cowboys to practice outside and, therefore, have more fans in attendance. There are other reasons, as well, such as added revenue streams and appealing to Dallas' wide-reaching fan base. Dallas even manages to bring some star power into the building occasionally, as it did in 2022 when Jamie Foxx made an appearance at the team's facilities.
The tradition doesn't seem likely to go away any time soon, either. Earlier this month, the team agreed on a five-year deal to keep Dallas' training camp in Oxnard through 2030.
While holding your offseason training camp on the other side of the country isn't exactly typical in the NFL, it's a luxury you have when you are a brand as well-known as the Cowboys.
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