The Red River Rivalry is financially fruitful for the city of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas regardless of when it kicks off. The game Saturday is expected to have an economic impact of $38 million on the city, according to an estimate from the Dallas Sports Commission.
While an afternoon kickoff would presumably draw more money into the fairgrounds, there's not extensive data to support the idea. In fact, representatives from the State Fair of Texas and the Dallas Sports Commission were indifferent on the matter of morning vs. afternoon kickoffs.
Oklahoma and Texas have met annually at the Texas State Fair since 1929.