Small Fire at Cowboys’ Ford Center in Frisco Causes No Structural Damage

A fire broke out early Friday morning at the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility in Frisco, Texas, marking the first such incident at the venue since it opened roughly ten years ago. According to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, the blaze ignited around 4:00 a.m. inside a commercial laundry machine at the Ford Center at The Star.

On-site security personnel used a fire extinguisher to suppress the flames before Frisco Fire Department units arrived and fully extinguished the fire. Deputy Chief Jacob Leeper confirmed there was no structural damage to the building. The Cowboys’ players were away from the facility at the time, on a three-day weekend break before the start of the regular season.

A Community Hub Beyond the NFL

The Ford Center is a 12,000-seat indoor stadium that anchors the Cowboys’ corporate headquarters at The Star, a 91-acre campus developed through a partnership among the team, the city of Frisco, and the Frisco Independent School District. Under that arrangement, the venue also hosts local high school football games throughout the fall, making it a central gathering place for the community.

That dual-purpose role gave the laundry-room fire more significance than a routine equipment malfunction. Commercial laundry equipment at NFL facilities runs nearly continuously to process large volumes of jerseys, towels, and practice gear. With officials confirming no safety hazards, the local high school schedule is expected to continue without cancellations or delays.

The incident occurred one week after the Cowboys concluded training camp. Fans last filled the venue on August 26 for the team’s Cowboys Night event, and Dallas wrapped up its preseason two days later with a 27-24 loss to the New Orleans Saints, finishing the exhibition slate with a 2-1 record.

The Cowboys are one of the most valuable franchises in the NFL, and the team’s media reach extends across broadcast and streaming partners. Comcast Corporation, whose NBC network has long carried Sunday Night Football, remains a key player in the league’s media ecosystem; Comcast shares recently traded at $26.49, down 0.64% from a previous close of $26.66, with a market capitalization of roughly $94.4 billion.

What to watch

• Any statement from the Cowboys or The Star regarding when normal facility operations fully resume
• Confirmation of the upcoming Frisco ISD high school football schedule proceeding as planned
• The Cowboys’ regular-season opener and whether any facility-related disruptions surface in team preparations
• Future disclosures from the city of Frisco or the fire department on the cause of the appliance fire

Source: original release