Dallas Cowboys Collectible Cups Coming to Cinemark Through New Team Partnership
Dallas Cowboys fans will soon have a new place to look for team collectibles: the movie theater concession stand. Cinemark announced a new partnership Wednesday making it the Official Movie Theater of the Dallas Cowboys, and one of the first tangible pieces of the deal will be Cowboys-themed food and beverage offerings that include collectible cups.
The partnership brings together the Plano, Texas-based theater chain and one of the NFL’s most recognizable franchises, with Cowboys-themed promotions and fan activations planned at select Cinemark theaters throughout the season. Cinemark also confirmed that collectible cups will be part of the program. The company did not reveal designs, prices, release dates or how many different Cowboys cups might be produced, but the products will become part of a growing market for limited theater concession collectibles.
That category has expanded considerably in recent years as theater chains have turned popcorn buckets, drink vessels and other promotional items into merchandise of their own. Cinemark currently operates an online merchandise store devoted in part to collectibles and has released character-shaped popcorn buckets, collectible cups and limited-edition merchandise connected with major movie franchises.
Now that approach is moving beyond movies and into professional sports. “At Cinemark, we believe entertainment has a unique ability to create excitement, spark connections and bring communities together, whether it is cheering for a game-winning touchdown or watching a captivating story unfold on the big screen,” said Wanda Gierhart Fearing, Chief Marketing and Content Officer at Cinemark. “As a company headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, we are especially proud to support our home team. The Dallas Cowboys and Cinemark both have a long history of creating powerful, shared experiences that span generations, making this partnership a natural fit. We look forward to creating new ways for Cowboys fans and movie lovers to celebrate together and engage with our brands throughout the season.”
Cinemark said the Cowboys partnership will include “Cowboys-themed food and beverage offerings and collectible cups,” along with exclusive promotions and fan-focused activations at select theaters. Cinemark branding will also appear inside AT&T Stadium, during game broadcasts and at other locations.
That creates the possibility of a different kind of Cowboys collectible than fans usually encounter at team stores, card shows or sporting-goods retailers. A theater-exclusive cup tied to a particular season, game or promotion could appeal to both Cowboys memorabilia collectors and the growing audience for movie-theater concession collectibles.
Exactly how extensive the collectible program will become remains to be seen. The Cowboys agreement is also notable because Cinemark describes it as a first-of-its-kind partnership for the theater chain.