Rodeo, which by all accounts is America’s first sport, tracing its roots back to the 19th century American Southwest, has never truly realized its full potential.
Marketed as bringing rugged yet wholesome entertainment and admirable western values to the masses, rodeo rapidly expanded in the 1920s, and would soon stage popular events in major east coast venues such as Madison Square Garden and the Boston Garden.
The sport boomed again in the 1970s as a renewed appreciation for all things Americana, including the kitschy urban cowboy phenomenon, exploded into pop culture. (There was even an all-black rodeo in Harlem in 1971.)
In the heartland of the US and Canada, successful rodeos such as Cheyenne Frontier Days, RodeoHouston and the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” the Calgary Stampede, flourished.
The marquee rodeos in flyover country remain big, fun, crowded, dirt-kicking parties. An upcoming big one on the horizon this summer, Days of ‘47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo in Salt Lake City in late July, sold 42,000 tickets last year.
But the large east coast rodeos have disappeared, mainstream media coverage has subsequently dried up and rodeo expansion has ground to a halt.
Each year, there are fewer full-time professional rodeo athletes. Only seven rodeos currently pay out more than $1 million.
America had changed over the years. Rodeo hasn’t.
The late Bill France Jr., who for decades presided over NASCAR with an iron fist, once said of any sport: “You’re either moving forward or backward. You’re never standing still.”
Just like present day NASCAR is finding a new gear, rodeo is stuck in the wrong gear.
So says PBR CEO Sean Gleason, now mimicking what Bill Jr’s dad did in the mid 1940’s by calling out a promising sport’s problems, outlining the opportunities, and stepping forward to align a fragmented industry.
Last Friday in Las Vegas, Gleason with his new partner the WCRA (World Champions Rodeo Alliance) called a meeting of nationwide rodeo organizing committees, event promoters, stock contractors and athletes. He candidly told them their industry is in decline, and desperately needs fresh ideas, bold new thinking, new events, and smart collaboration to overcome the fiefdom mentality stagnating rodeo.
PBR’s promise to fans has always been the world’s top bull riders facing off against the rankest most powerful bulls, executed with a simple “Field of dreams“ strategy: pay the most and the best riders and bulls will come. Western athletes follow the money.
The WCRA-PBR collaboration, following that model, announced four $1-million payout rodeos for 2019. That’s immediately a 43% increase in million-dollar rodeos. With accompanying $500,000 semi-final qualifiers, it adds up to $6 million in new prize money.
All of these rodeos will be covered on RidePass, the new 24/7 western sports digital network backed by PBR parent-company Endeavor’s OTT platform investment. Additionally, PBR has inked deals with the NHSRA (National High School Rodeo Association) and INFR (Indian National Finals Rodeo) to stream their events on RidePass.
The WCRA is also establishing a world ranking system covering all rodeos no matter who is sanctioning them, a brand new way to conceive rodeo standings.
Additionally, WCRA unveiled a free new app and “Virtual Qualifier” to help all rodeo athletes navigate the cumbersome nominating process for entering rodeos.
Industry attendees left the unprecedented summit at South Point Hotel & Casino largely impressed with the call to unity, the new big-dollar events, and the technology promising to make the administration of their professional career easier and more efficient.
In addition to the guaranteed additional $6 million in prize money, they heard about other immediate results stemming from the PBR-Endeavor access and relationships: most notably, rodeo is coming back to network television on CBS this summer with coverage of Calgary Stampede (July 21) and Days of ’47 Rodeo (July 28).
Meantime, CBS Sports Network is also upping its rodeo coverage with a 30-minute wrap-up show for each of the 10 days of Calgary Stampede. And CBSSN will also air five, 30-minute wrap-up shows for the Days of ’47 Rodeo.
Through PBR’s media relationships, fans are going to get a lot more rodeo, which is a brand new direction for the league.
When bull riding came to town, PBR’s PR people used to call local reporters, politely asking them to remove “rodeo” from the headline, because that’s inaccurate; rodeo is a different sport and not to be confused with PBR’s unique brand.
One presumes those phone calls will stop now that PBR is all-in with rodeo.
The $6-million question is if PBR’s success — tours in five countries and 82 million U.S. fans, according to ESPN Sports Poll — is transferable to rodeo.
Has PBR grown to become a solid CBS property and global phenomenon simply because it was and is awfully good at producing, packaging and distributing the most exciting part of rodeo, the bull riding?
Or can PBR apply its live-event production prowess that creates high-energy, edge-of-your-seat, fan-pleasing shows, its marketing and PR machine, and Endeavor access and storytelling resources to modernize rodeo to bring ticket-buying fans into big-city events while turning rodeo athletes into mainstream stars.
It’s not Gleason’s first rodeo, so to speak, but this is a significant challenge.
PBR and WCRA can’t do it alone. A fractured sport will need to come together, and sponsors have to step up.
Bill France Sr. proved that effectively centralizing a fragmented, largely rural sport combined with smart marketing, strong media partnerships, giving fans and unforgettable experience, making sure every stakeholder gets a slice of the pie, and coaxing partners’ financial support can translate to success in large new markets.
PBR has started to apply that formula to rodeo.
It’s a sports business story to keep an eye on.
