From the archives: Jerry Jones Jr.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: March 3, 2008. The following is an excerpt from the Forty Under 40 section in which Jerry Jones Jr. was honored as part of the 2008 class.

When Jerry Jones Jr. attended Georgetown as a freshman in 1988, he was your typical anonymous student. By Jones’ sophomore year, the Saudi Arabian ambassador was inquiring of his well-being.

Soon after, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who liked to call himself the world’s No. 1 Cowboys fan, called Jones Sr. to inquire about how his son was doing in the midst of Washington Redskins territory, Jones Jr. recalled.

“There is no question of the impact on us as a family being involved in this team,” Jones Jr. said. “We live and breathe it and think about it 24/7. It has consumed our lives in a very positive way.”

Indeed, Jones Jr., after graduating from law school, spent a year in Dallas at a law firm before moving to the team as general counsel. Today he manages most of the club’s business affairs, including the internet, broadcasting, retail, sponsorship and ticket sales, as well as working on the Cowboys’ new stadium, which is set to open next year.

Jerry Jones Jr., shown in 2016 Photo by: GETTY IMAGES

Because his dad is widely regarded as one of the best marketing minds in sports, selling the Cowboys is a family business and not just the role of one unit or executive. But Jones Jr. is the pivot point for all things commercial.

“Every deal we have done with the Cowboys has been (with) Jerry Jr.,” said John Tatum, chief executive officer of sports marketing firm Genesco, which represents several Cowboys sponsors, including Pepsi.

“His dad is involved in every aspect of the business, yes, but nobody should misrepresent that to diminish the impact of Jerry Jr. on the business operations.”