Cotton Bowl Seating Chart
The Cotton Bowl is the historic stadium at Fair Park in Dallas, home of the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma during the State Fair of Texas. It opened in 1930 as Fair Park Stadium, with about 46,000 seats. A west upper deck came in 1948, and a 2008 expansion wrapped the second deck all the way around. Fair Park puts its capacity at more than 91,000, and a $140 million renovation of the west side was finished in 2025. The Cotton Bowl Classic bowl game moved to AT&T Stadium in 2010.
Quick answer
The Cotton Bowl holds more than 91,000 people, according to Fair Park, though its own spec sheet still lists 92,100, the figure reached after the 2008 expansion. It opened in 1930 with about 46,000 seats. Seats sit in a lower bowl and an upper deck that now circles the whole stadium.
- Texas and Oklahoma split the crowd at the 50-yard line.
- The Cotton Bowl Classic moved to AT&T Stadium in 2010.
- MLK, Jr. Station on DART leads straight to Gate 6.
- The field went back to natural grass in 1993.
Sections at Cotton Bowl
The Cotton Bowl has a lower bowl and an upper deck that now wraps all the way around the field. Fair Park doesn't post a public section map, so the layout below comes from its stadium page and reporting on the renovation.
- Lower bowl — the original stadium bowl around the field
- Upper deck — the second deck, now running all the way around
- Premium seating and luxury suites — premium seating expanded and suites renovated
- South end zone — home of the newly expanded press area
Best seats at Cotton Bowl
We found no official best-seat guide or current section map. For the Red River game, tickets are split equally between the two schools, and the crowd divides at the 50-yard line. A 2013 Texas athletics article put Oklahoma fans in the south half and Texas fans in the north half, so check your school's ticket office for this year's split.
Tips before you go
Take the DART Green or Orange Line. MLK, Jr. Station gives direct access to Gate 6 and the stadium, while Fair Park Station is at the Parry Avenue entrance. Fair Park lists more than 14,000 parking spaces inside the park, with fees that vary by event. The Red River game falls during the State Fair of Texas, so expect fair crowds around the stadium on game day.
How to read the Cotton Bowl seating chart
The lower bowl is the original 1930 stadium. The upper deck started on the west side in 1948 and was finished all the way around in 2008, raising capacity past 92,000 at the time.
The west-side renovation, finished before the 2025 State Fair, expanded premium seating, renovated the luxury suites and added a press area in the south end zone. Work on the east side comes later, and its architects list 2034.
For the Red River game, each school sells its own half of the tickets. Check your ticket for the school's side as well as the section and row.
Building a seating chart for an event at Cotton Bowl
The renovation added 14 escalators, wider concourses, larger restrooms and new food stands, and it tripled the space on the upper west concourse. The City of Dallas owns the stadium, and the field went back to natural grass in 1993, ahead of the 1994 World Cup.
Hosting a private event at Cotton Bowl?
Build a seating chart for your Cotton Bowl event — banquet rounds for the dinner, rows for the program, head tables wherever the format calls for them. The maker handles layouts up to 500 seats and exports a print-ready PDF you can hand the Dallas venue's event team.
Open the seating chart generatorFrequently asked questions
- What is the capacity of the Cotton Bowl?
- The Cotton Bowl holds more than 91,000 people, according to Fair Park, though its own spec sheet still lists 92,100, the figure reached after the 2008 expansion. It opened in 1930 with about 46,000 seats. Seats sit in a lower bowl and an upper deck that now circles the whole stadium.
- What are the best seats at Cotton Bowl?
- We found no official best-seat guide or current section map. For the Red River game, tickets are split equally between the two schools, and the crowd divides at the 50-yard line. A 2013 Texas athletics article put Oklahoma fans in the south half and Texas fans in the north half, so check your school's ticket office for this year's split.
- What sections does Cotton Bowl have?
- Main sections include: Lower bowl — the original stadium bowl around the field; Upper deck — the second deck, now running all the way around; Premium seating and luxury suites — premium seating expanded and suites renovated. Full breakdown in the sections list above.
- Where is Cotton Bowl located?
- The Cotton Bowl is inside Fair Park in Dallas; Fair Park's address is 3809 Grand Avenue, Dallas, TX 75210. DART's MLK, Jr. Station gives direct access to Gate 6 and the stadium.
- How do I plan a private event at Cotton Bowl?
- Fair Park takes rental requests for the stadium for concerts, sporting events, and corporate and social events. Lay out the Cotton Bowl event's tables in our free chart maker.