Should the Cowboys and Panthers switch divisions?

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I long wondered how the Dallas Cowboys ended up in the NFC East, which from a geographical position makes zero sense. So I did some research and found a few tidbits of interest

From Gene Williams on Quora

Why won't NFL move Carolina Panthers to NFC East, and Dallas Cowboys to NFC South? From Gene Williams on Quora

"The Cowboys have a long-standing agreement with the NFL stretching back to the mid 60s. The agreement was consummated by Pete Rozelle and his long time friend Tex Schramm, then President and General Manager of the Cowboys.

The impetus of the agreement was centered around Rozelle's desire for a late afternoon game on Thanksgiving as a compliment to the traditional 12:00pm CST Lions' game. Rozelle (and Schramm) were former CBS executives with keen vision concerning the symbiosis between TV and the rapid ramp up of the popularity of pro football going on at the time. The majority of team owners resisted an additional Thanksgiving game for fear of disruption of any circadian rhythm, so to speak, for teams in the playoff hunt in what at the time was late in the season.

Schramm seized the opportunity for nationwide exposure of the young Cowboys franchise and approached Rozelle with a deal. The deal was that in exchange for willingly hosting a late Thanksgiving game each year, the Cowboys would be assured a positioning in the NFL/NFC East or it's equivalent indefinitely. The NFC East is home to 4 of the top 10 TV markets in the US. The rest is history.

Is the agreement contractual? I do not know. Would the NFL break the agreement? I do not know that either. But if at some point the NFL through whatever science or emotional mechanism were to convince itself that realignment of the Cowboys would better feed the bulldog, then I'd see the league doing it.

The NFC West would make sense in that it contains 4 of the top 12 markets and, if you are to include Dallas/Ft Worth, 5 of the top 12..."

I have long wondered how this happened, and I guess this answers the question. My question to everyone else is, "What can fans like us do to force (or at least encourage the possibility) this to happen?" I suspect the Cowboy fans wonder the same thing about why they are stuck in the NFC East requiring a heavier travel log than if they were in the south with Atlanta, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans

It makes too much sense to ignore. I know that the NFL plans on expansion of more teams in the future; however, in international cities (Mexico City, UK, Germany, etc.), but I don't know if they are thinking in the U.S. But it would seem to me that, as the NFL ponders expansion, they would also consider realignment. I'm sure Mexico City would prefer to be in a division with Dallas and vice versa

This old "gentleman's agreement" over cocktails between two buddies who are long dead (Rozelle nearly 30 yrs in the grave and Schramm 21 yrs ago buying the farm), should not be the "gold standard" of how football teams are aligned. And the argument that it "fits the time zone standards for two games on Thanksgiving", is no longer relevant in any possible reasoning. And as far as market reach goes, television has made that argument irrelevant. Regardless, nothing would make me happier than to see Carolina be a part of our division and be gone with the miserable Cowboys. I suspect Philly and DC would heartily agree...maybe even Dallas as they'd probably dominate the NFC South

And the other thing I'd love to see go to the grave is the moniker "America's Team" as it insults every fan who loves their home team that isn't in Texas. That started because many years ago, now retired sports writer and analyst Bob Ryan (who I actually really like his take on things) inadvertently mentioned that you'd think this was America's team the way the fans cheer. Then Pat Summerall (who overheard Ryan mention it that one time) repeated the sentiment on a Monday Night Football televised event and the Cowboys' marketing team latched onto it like a pond full of blood suckers and proliferated it all over the airways for the next several decades

Now I'm a guy who loves nostalgia and tradition (one of the reasons my love of baseball has waned, but I digress), but why are we staying loyal to a bunch of past talking heads and drinking buddies who made backroom handshake deals over glasses of 20 yr old scotch while smoking Cuban cigars, when it's frigging 2024???

There! got that off my chest. I just felt llike bitching about an old problem I've been annoyed with for years   

Any thoughts?

[MightyGiants]

I seriously doubt the NFL has any desire to realign.  There is a lot of history in the various NFC East matchups.   Plus, when at least 2 of the teams are good, those matchups are big draws.

[President Rick]

But I could see a realignment [like when some old NFL teams went into the new AFC [steelers, colts] if and when there's another expansion [incl. overseas and a couple of US sites].  European cities would mean a need for a more rational travel schedule, and their presence in divisions with east coast teams, of which Dallas isn't. 

[spiderblue43]

Not a chance. The rivalries are real with the Commodes, Iggles and Jints. Too much history to tamper with and Jerrah wouldn't think of it. Well Mara made it a point that Dallas stay in the NFC East during realignment.

[DaveBrown74]

Even though I guess it would be better for us in the short term, I wouldn't want this. The Cowboys/Giants rivalry is a great one. I'm sure the other NFC East teams would say the same thing.

[WheresDayne]

You could move the Cowboys to the NBA and I'd still despise them.  The 2 chances each year to beat them is something I don't want to give up!

[coggs]

But I could see a realignment [like when some old NFL teams went into the new AFC [steelers, colts] if and when there's another expansion [incl. overseas and a couple of US sites].  European cities would mean a need for a more rational travel schedule, and their presence in divisions with east coast teams, of which Dallas isn't. 

Not to get off topic, but the draft process used by pro teams in the US is illegal in Europe.  So, a european team is not happening anytime soon.

[President Rick]

if there's money involved, the EU and the individual countries would find a way.