Under the lights in Arlington, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex welcomed a new professional sports franchise to the area on Saturday.
Thousands of spectators (3,152 to be precise) braved the chill at Choctaw Stadium to witness Major League Rugby's Dallas Jackals' home debut against the Houston SaberCats.
The redesigned former baseball stadium quickly felt like home for the Jackals, with the crowd in good voice throughout this tight affair. Houston ultimately won with a last gasp try to end the game 38-33.
Dallas was confirmed as the home of the league's 13th franchise back in 2020, and Dallas Jackals President Scott Sonju is confident that DFW is an ideal landing spot for the team.
"Dallas-Fort Worth is a big market and a great sports market," Sonju told the Dallas Morning News. "We think both the U.S. and Dallas are ripe for rugby, in part because the values of the sport will resonate well here."
While watching a rugby match will be like reading a foreign language to many - something the Jackals are aware of as they explained the rules prior to kickoff - the sport is far from new in the region.
"This region is already home to more than 20 youth, amateur and collegiate rugby clubs," Sonju said. "The first — Dallas Rugby Football Club, or The Reds — was established in 1969. Two years later, the Dallas Harlequins was formed. So there is definitely a rich history of rugby here."
The result may have been slightly disappointing for fans, but the atmosphere and excitement amongst the near-capacity grandstand were palpable throughout the game. Overall, this served as a promising taste of what could be to come for DFW's newest franchise.
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