TRENDING NEWS

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is moving to Texas in December 2020. Arlington’s Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, will host the Wrangler NFR 2020 – the first non-baseball event at this extraordinary park. Event organizers confirmed the event will comply with all health and safety protocols for attendees. Wrangler NFR 2020 will take place December 3 through December 12, 2020 and fans can follow official PRCA updates throughout the event at www.prorodeo.com.

“We are so pleased to be at this amazing stadium for the most celebrated event on the rodeo calendar,” said George Taylor, chief executive officer of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). “We are committed to delivering a spectacular event for our fans and we are thrilled to be in Texas for it.”

“We are excited for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo to take place this year at Globe Life Field,” said Allen Montgomery, Vice President General Manager, Wrangler Western Wear. “The health and safety of the fans, cowboys and cowgirls is of the highest priority, and we are grateful to the participating organizations for their work to put together a comprehensive plan that will allow everyone to enjoy a safe and fun event.”

“We are honored that the PRCA selected Globe Life Field to host the 2020 Wrangler Nationals Final Rodeo and are thrilled to be a small part of bringing this world-class event back to Texas,” said Neil Leibman, chief operating officer of the Texas Rangers. Globe Life Field officials have emphasized that recommended health and safety standards are being met. Safety measures will include a mask requirement at all times while inside Globe Life Field and there will be additional hand washing and sanitizing stations throughout the building.

RELATED: Everything you need to know – Q/A for Wrangler NFR

Seats will be sold in groups of four with separation between groups. Contact-limiting measures, such as mobile tickets, have been implemented throughout the event. There will also be metal detector screenings and a no bag policy at entries on performance nights. Globe Life Field is encouraging all guests to check the CDC and the Texas Department of State Health Services websites for any guideline changes prior to the event.

The Arlington and Fort Worth convention and visitors’ bureaus and sports commissions are rolling out the welcome for this one-of-a-kind event and both cities have worked hard to bring the Wrangler NFR to Globe Life Field.

“From cattle drives, museums and even the names of our professional sporting teams, our love of cowboy culture runs deep here in Tarrant County,” Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams said. “I can think of no better choice for the Super Bowl of rodeo than to be hosted here in the heart of North Texas. Arlington and Fort Worth have so many family friendly attractions and rich experiences to offer rodeo fans who will be traveling from across the country to cheer on these professional cowboys as they strive to set new records and achieve their American Dream in the arena.”

Nearby Fort Worth will also play host to the Wrangler NFR 2020 experience, as the annual PRCA Convention will be held November 30 to December 3, 2020, in addition to the Cowboy Christmas and a slew of other fan-favorite events.

“We are a rodeo city and we’ve roped a big one,” Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said. “The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is an incredible win for our region and another example of how Fort Worth can host major events safely during this unprecedented time. This summer, Fort Worth has hosted major, national events in golf, racing and bull riding. Sporting events like the Wrangler NFR are a vital part of our visitor economy that creates jobs and supports our recovery.”

The NFR was born in Texas and the first three years of the event were held at the Dallas State Fairgrounds beginning in 1959. Years later, the event moved to Las Vegas and has been staged at the Thomas & Mack Center at UNLV in Las Vegas since 1985. That venue is not available for live entertainment with fans this year due to coronavirus restrictions in Nevada.

In a survey earlier this summer, rodeo fans said overwhelmingly that they wanted an NFR venue that would accommodate fans.

“Part of what makes Globe Life Field work for us is the ability to bring in fans and deliver the full NFR experience,” Taylor said.

Organizers pledge to preserve the NFR experience that fans love and that has necessitated a one-year move out of Las Vegas.

The PRCA began looking for an alternate venue earlier in the summer. The State of Texas, the Texas Rangers and Globe Life Field stepped up. Ultimately, this has been a thoughtful partnership between Texas, Globe Life Field, the cities of Arlington and Fort Worth, the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau, Visit Fort Worth, and the Sports Commissions of both Arlington and Fort Worth.

“The State of Texas knows how to do this,” Taylor said. “We’ve been impressed with how well this has come together for our rodeo cowboys and rodeo fans.”

The Wrangler NFR is a 10-day event that includes the fan-favorite Cowboy Christmas as well as the PRCA National Convention. The schedule also includes nightly Buckle Presentations, Benny Binion’s World Famous Wrangler NFR Bucking Horse Sale, the PRCA Awards Banquet and Gala and the Pro Rodeo League of Women Style Show and Luncheon.

Tickets for Wrangler NFR 2020 will go on sale to the public September 25, 2020 via texasrangers.com/NFR. Wrangler NFR Season Ticket holders will be invited to purchase tickets early beginning September 16, 2020. Wrangler NFR events and the PRCA awards ceremonies will be broadcast on the PRCA media partner, The Cowboy Channel. The PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app users will also be able to stream events both live and recorded.

The Cowboy Channel is the official media partner for the PRCA and Wrangler NFR 2020. Cowboy Channel will host a more detailed discussion of their broadcast plans at their offices tonight, September 9, at 7 p.m. (Central Time) at their Fort Worth studio. The Cowboy Channel is located at 130 East Exchange Avenue, Fort Worth.

Courtesy of nfrexperience.com

With the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo’s move to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas for 2020, two of its most popular ancillary events – Cowboy Christmas and the Junior World Finals – are also on the move for one year. Las Vegas Events has partnered with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) to host Cowboy Christmas inside the Fort Worth Convention Center and the Junior World Finals at the Cowtown Coliseum.

Both events will run concurrently with the Wrangler NFR, Dec. 3-12, 2020. The Fort Worth Convention Center is located 20 minutes from Globe Life Field. Cowtown Coliseum is in the Fort Worth Stockyards, just minutes from downtown. Built in 1908, the historic Coliseum was home to the world’s first indoor rodeo. Today, the Stockyards are undergoing a renaissance with restoration of more historic buildings from the Old West.

“While it’s unfortunate we will not present Cowboy Christmas in Las Vegas, we look forward to sharing this unique Western shopping and lifestyle experience with our fans in Fort Worth,” said Las Vegas Events President Pat Christenson.

Held every year since 1986, Cowboy Christmas has grown into the ultimate shopping and interactive experience. Attendees will find unique products, including custom-made jewelry, western wear, boots and spurs, furniture, original art, handmade crafts and home goods. Cowboy Christmas also offers the best source for official Wrangler NFR and PRCA merchandise. Admission to Cowboy Christmas is free.

“Fort Worth is thrilled to host Cowboy Christmas and the Junior World Finals this December,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “As the city of cowboys and culture Fort Worth is the ideal location for these events, and we can’t wait for visitors to experience our rich heritage and hospitality.”

To add the overall experience at the Fort Worth Convention Center, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s Hunter & Outdoor Christmas Expo will be co-located with Cowboy Christmas. The show is one of the largest outdoor and hunting-related expos in the country.

In addition to the shopping, attendees will find a variety of entertainment and offerings. The Rodeo Live Stage will host four live daily shows, including RFD-TV’s Western Sports Roundup, Outside the Barrel with Flint Rasmussen, Cowboy Revival with host Shane Minor and RMEF’s Cowboy Calcutta. NFR Central, an area featuring interactive displays, will host the NFR Extra podcast broadcasting daily.

More than 250,000 square feet of exhibit space for 250 exhibitors and interactivity will be utilized for the show. Full daily schedules, parking information and hours of operation will be announced at a later date.

The Junior World Finals will be held for the fifth consecutive year. There will be qualifiers and finals in nine events (with various age groups per event): bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, girls and boys breakaway, pole bending, team roping, tie-down roping and barrel racing. More than 700 entries are expected to compete in the Junior World Finals.

For more information on Cowboy Christmas, Junior World Finals and the Wrangler NFR, please visit NFRexperience.com or through social media at /LasVegasNFR and use #WranglerNFR.

About Las Vegas Events

Founded in 1983, Las Vegas Events is a private, not-for-profit organization funded by hotel room tax. Through its Signature Event initiative, LVE has created a model to integrate all elements of special events and formally improve communication between event producers and Las Vegas’ hotel properties and sponsors. Since 1991, Las Vegas Events has produced, presented or supported more than 800 events.

www.lasvegasevents.com

About the Wrangler NFR

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR), considered the world’s premier rodeo, features 10 straight days of the best in PRCA PRORODEO competition, with a total of 120 contestants competing every night in seven events. Each December, the top 15 contestants, based on the PRCA | RAM World Standings, in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding qualify to compete at the Wrangler NFR.

www.prorodeo.com

This year’s National Finals Rodeo (NFR) is facing unprecedented uncertainty, leaving its location and fan attendance hanging in the balance.

Since 1985, the season-ending rodeo extravaganza has found its home at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. However, the Professional Cowboys Rodeo Association (PRCA) recently issued a statement on its website, indicating that the NFR might either shift to a different city or proceed without fans, all due to the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement assured rodeo enthusiasts that the NFR would take place, ensuring the crowning of rodeo champions. However, it underscored the impracticality of conducting the event with a live audience in Las Vegas, leading to the possibility of hosting it entirely fanless.

Exploring other options, organizers are contemplating moving the event to a different city that might permit limited fan attendance, balancing the thrill of live action with safety precautions.

The NFR is typically accompanied by several notable events, including the annual PRCA convention, the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame gala, the NFR contestant back number ceremony, and the prestigious PRCA awards banquet. The PRCA has also pledged to work diligently to accommodate individuals who have previously purchased NFR tickets, emphasizing their commitment to their dedicated fans.

A final resolution on the NFR’s venue and fan participation is anticipated by September 30.

The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo holds a revered status as the PRCA’s season-ending championship event, acclaimed globally as the pinnacle of rodeo excellence. It showcases the talents of the world’s best cowboys, barrel racers, and livestock.

Qualifying for the Wrangler NFR is a testament to the competitors’ skills and dedication. The Top 15 contestants in standard rodeo events—bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping (headers and heelers), saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, WPRA barrel racing, and bull riding—earn their spot based on earnings during the regular season, incorporating the ProRodeo Tour, the 12 RAM Circuit Finals Rodeos, and the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo. Bull riders, in particular, also factor in their PRCA Xtreme Bulls Tour earnings in this prestigious qualification process.