From 2013 through January 2014, the post-season college football bowl game held in Fair Park in Dallas, Texas, was known as the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Throughout this period, it was presented by PlainsCapital Bank. The Heart of Dallas Bowl logo featured a metallic grey shield with a stylized blue “D” at the top. Inside the “D,” there was a heart. The blue plate below read: “Heart of Dallas Bowl.”
The inception of the Heart of Dallas Bowl, a brainchild of the collaborative efforts of the city of Dallas and ESPN, marked its entry into the collegiate football arena in 2011. This initiative was not just a sporting endeavor but also a strategic move to reinvigorate the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium and re-establish Dallas as a key venue for postseason college football. Throughout its journey, the Heart of Dallas Bowl has carved out a niche for itself by hosting a series of high-profile games, drawing teams from esteemed conferences. These games have not only been battlegrounds for emerging football talents but also spectacles that have etched themselves in the memories of college football enthusiasts. Today, the Bowl stands as a beacon in the college football world, celebrated not just for its sporting excellence but also for its role in enriching the community through various philanthropic activities.
What is Heart of Dallas Bowl?
At its core, the Heart of Dallas Bowl is more than just a postseason football game; it is a convergence of athletic prowess and community spirit. Annually showcasing teams predominantly from the Big Ten and Conference USA, this event transcends the typical boundaries of a sports tournament. It is a celebration of football, yes, but also a testament to the power of sports in fostering community bonds and creating impactful societal contributions.
The Heart of Dallas Bowl logo created in 2013 featured a very strict and even “sterile” composition with the wide light gray crest as the basis. The upper part of the crest featured its top border stylized as a staircase. The thin white and blue outline of the logo was balanced by a wide blue ribbon with a white thin sans-serif inscription on it, and a stylized letter “D” with a white heart set diagonally in its negative space, placed on the top of the shield and replacing the traditional crown.
From December 2014 through 2017, the game was known as the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl. During this period, a different emblem was used. The shape of the shield changed. It was now white with purple nuances and red, yellow, and blue accents.