Texas, OU Red River Rivalry Game Will Remain at Cotton Bowl Through 2025

For at least another decade, the Big 12's (and perhaps America's) greatest rivalry will remain in its customary place.

According to Tom Benning of The Dallas Morning News, Texas and Oklahoma have agreed to a five-year extension that will keep the "Red River Showdown" at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, through 2025. The previous deal ran through 2020.

"The schools appreciate the venue," said Dallas civic leader Pete Schenkel, the former chairman of the State Fair of Texas (during which the game is played). "It’s more of an event, than it is a game."

Schenkel led negotiations for the the city and the State Fair of Texas, settling on a fee of $500,000 in direct payments to each school for playing at the Cotton Bowl. They also get a split of the ticket sales.

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

This news must be considered a win for the fans—who love the spectacle of playing at the State Fair—and for the Cotton Bowl itself.

Jerry Jones negotiated a deal to move the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic away from its namesake in 2009, when it began being played in AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The Red River Showdown remains unmoved.

"There's no question that’s a nice stadium out at AT&T, but we have a nice stadium, too," Schenkel continued. "This is such a nice tradition."

There might be good news on the Classic's front as well.

According to Monday's big story in the Sports Business Journal, there has still been no word on whether AT&T will renew its terms as the Cotton Bowl's title sponsor during the College Football Playoff era:

To say the game might move back to its namesake is speculative. AT&T is a longtime sponsor of the Classic, and even if it did, for some reason, drop out, there is no guarantee it would move locales.

But it would certainly make things easier.

AT&T does, after all, have its name on the building in Arlington. It is not so fortunate to have the same on the building in Dallas.

But for now, that is looking a little too far down the road. Texas and OU will play in their proper spot every season for the next 11 years.

And that is something to celebrate.