The East-West Shrine Bowl is relocating to Frisco, Texas, in 2024. North Texas will now be home to the oldest college football all-star game as the 99th edition of the Shrine Bowl takes place on Feb. 1, 2024.
We sat down with Shrine Bowl Director of Football Operations and Player Personnel Eric Galko to talk about the relocation from Las Vegas, Nevada, why the Shrine Game has been focused on the players, and feedback thus far from the NFL community.
The 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl Is Moving to Frisco, Texas
In a press release from Shriners Children’s Healthcare System, the Shrine Bowl and the Dallas Cowboys announced a partnership that will continue to “raise the profile” of the life-changing work that Shriners offers children in need.
After playing at Allegiant Stadium off the Las Vegas Strip for two years, the move to Frisco was part of the Shrine Bowl’s focus on players’ health and well-being and increasing awareness of the impact that Shriners Children’s has on families.
Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones called it a “tremendous honor” for the organization to offer the Shrine Game their professional facilities. The Ford Center at The Star is considered one of — if not the — best practice facilities in North America.
It’s a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose facility that offers 12,000 seats and broadcasting capabilities. The entire Cowboys football operations team works within the building, and they regularly host high-profile high school football games.
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In the two years since Galko was brought on board to oversee the Shrine Bowl’s efforts and player recruitment, the Shrine Bowl has quickly risen to prominence once again. Instead of allowing the Shrine Bowl to become a fallback all-star game for NFL prospects, Galko has pushed for the event to become an extraordinary experience for players and NFL personnel alike.
The move to Frisco from Las Vegas is part of that effort. The Cowboys’ facility will allow players to experience NFL-level attentiveness to their overall health, including rest and rehabilitation. “We want players to leave the Shrine Bowl feeling better than before they arrived,” Galko said in our exclusive interview.
The amenities that will come with the Ford Center at The Star are second to none, but the travel for players and their representatives will be more advantageous than what Las Vegas could offer.
Because a significant number of prospects live in the Southeast part of the country, the travel itself will be less taxing for many families as players arrive for a week of practice before game day. A more family-friendly environment with a brand new hotel in the area makes Frisco a better long-term community for the Shrine Bowl to offer.
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Galko characterized the industry feedback as “fantastic” amongst agents and NFL personnel. He expects the “convenience and professionalism” of the event to grow tremendously with so many resources geared toward giving players an unprecedented experience.
Despite the media attention that comes with the all-star event, Galko and the Shrine Bowl are focused on keeping the players as the No. 1 focus beyond raising awareness for Shriners Children’s.
“Players talk, and the word gets around even when you don’t expect it. Players are buzzing about the Shrine Bowl, so providing a first-class experience for everyone is critical. The event is for the players, not just for NFL media and teams. Players and teams have appreciated the updated process and change in focus.”
On top of the positive feedback from players and their representatives, the results have spoken for themselves. Under Galko’s guidance, the Shrine Game has seen a 65% increase in participants who were drafted since 2020. That includes 2023 first-round pick Zay Flowers.
With players in control of which all-star game they can attend, the Shrine Bowl has done well to provide players with the opportunity to enjoy their on- and off-field experiences.
