Rabid Dallas Cowboys fans might be willing to pay a pretty penny for the privilege of slapping a license plate on their car -- or pickup -- that reads "COWBOYS."
How much would such a person pay? We're about to find out. A company that markets specialized plates for the state plans to auction the rights to the plate during a one-night event in September at Arlington's Cowboys Stadium. In all, about 30 specialty plate messages will be auctioned.
Yes, Cowboys Stadium is home to the beloved Dallas Cowboys. But the winner of the license plate moniker doesn't necessarily have to be a fan of the silver and blue, according to My Plates spokeswoman Kim Miller Drummond.
"Maybe NFL owner Jerry Jones will bid for the exclusive right to celebrate his team on the bumper of his car," Drummond wrote. "Maybe oil tycoon turned clean energy guru T. Boone Pickens will offer some competition to celebrate the Cowboys of his alma mater, Oklahoma State. Or maybe seven-time World Champion All-Around Cowboy Ty Murray will ride in from Stephenville to throw his hat in the ring."
Rights to the plates will be good for 25 years, with an option to renew, Drummond said. And, for anyone who thinks they may be able to buy the plate and flip it for a quick profit, the rights are transferable, she said.
-- Gordon Dickson.
p.s. It wouldn't be the first time big bucks were paid for a specialty plate, which many people quite properly call "vanity plates."
In Abu Dhabi, an oil sheikh paid $14 million for “1,” Drummond said. In Delaware, a collector paid $675,000 for “6.”
Illinois, Massachusetts, Mississippi and New York have also used license plate auctions to fatten their budgets. In Texas, most of the proceeds will go into the state's general fund, although some will go to charities.
