PRCA and Rural Media Group (RMG) Announce Multi-Year Partnership

Special LIVE Announcement on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV
Wednesday, September 18
6 PM ET | 5 PM CT | 4 PM MT | 3 PM PT

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Rural Media Group (RMG) have joined forces in a multi-year agreement that promises to reshape the way rodeo fans experience their favorite events. Commencing in 2020, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) will find its new home on The Cowboy Channel (TCC) and RFD-TV, marking a significant moment in the world of rodeo.

Under this groundbreaking partnership, the iconic NFR will be broadcast live to millions of viewers across two national television networks simultaneously. Additionally, the deal encompasses a wide array of PRCA programming, leading to expanded live coverage of both the PRORODEO TOUR and the PRCA’s Xtreme Bulls Tour events. This expansion will result in an unprecedented increase in the quantity, accessibility, and quality of PRCA PRORODEO coverage on The Cowboy Channel, featuring:

• Live coverage of all 10 nights of the NFR, with a new East Coast Prime Time encore airing the following day.
• Live broadcasts of a minimum of 18 PRORODEO TOUR final performances annually, complemented by a taped highlight show for encore presentations on both The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV.
• Television coverage of 10 episodes of PRCA’s Xtreme Bulls, culminating in the Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale, with encore airings on both TCC and RFD-TV.

PRCA CEO George Taylor expressed his excitement about the milestone, stating, “This is a huge milestone in the growth of the PRCA. Never before has PRORODEO assumed the prime placement and coverage that will be seen under this deal. Our hats are off to Patrick Gottsch and his family, the owners of Rural Media Group, for their enthusiastic interest, support, and devotion to our sport.”

Patrick Gottsch, Founder & President of Rural Media Group, Inc., echoed the enthusiasm, saying, “We are so proud and excited to partner with the PRCA, the rodeo committees, and, of course, all the PRCA cowboys & cowgirls to aggressively produce and distribute original programming that will support rodeo 365 days a year, on networks that are totally dedicated to serving and expanding the western sports community. There is a Golf Channel, the NFL Network, a baseball network, a tennis channel, and so on. Now rodeo has its own channel(s). RMG plans to do everything for rodeo and the PRCA that these other media partnerships have done for their sports.”

The agreement is set to commence in early 2020 and will kick off with the introduction of the weekly PRORODEO Tonight show on The Cowboy Channel. Coverage of the PRCA regular season on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV is scheduled to begin in January. Fans can anticipate live broadcasts of the finals of each televised PRORODEO TOUR event on The Cowboy Channel, followed by taped highlight presentations later in the week during prime time and weekend afternoons on RFD-TV. The regular-season coverage will also include 10 episodes of the PRCA’s Xtreme Bulls series, each airing multiple times across various time slots. This extensive coverage will be a collaborative effort between PRCA and RMG.