The World’s Richest One-Day Rodeo Gives Qualifiers the Opportunity to Compete Against Top Invitees for the “American Dream” $1 million Cash Prize
DISH Introduces Two New $5K Prizes for the Youngest and Most Inspiring Competitors
(NASHVILLE, TENN. — February 12, 2018) RFD-TV today announced that DISH saddled up as presenting sponsor of the world’s richest one-day rodeo, THE AMERICAN. On February 25 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex., athletes who advance through a U.S. Open-style gauntlet of qualifiers will compete against the best cowboys and cowgirls for their share of a $1 million “American Dream” cash prize, part of the overall $2.5 million purse. Additionally, DISH is introducing two new prizes to THE AMERICAN: The “Up-and-Comer” $5K scholarship earned by a young competitor who shows the most promise, and a “Back in the Saddle” $5K check awarded to the contestant who’s displayed the most resilience.
“DISH is a founder-led company that started from humble beginnings more than 30 years ago,” said Jay Roth, CMO of DISH. “We built our business on the principle of bringing TV to the millions of Americans living in places without access to cable. Rural America has always been the backbone of our company, and we jumped at the opportunity to reconnect with this incredible community in recognizing its fearless athletes with some amazing prizes.”
Going into its fifth year, THE AMERICAN brings the best cowboys and cowgirls together for one day of heart-stopping, dirt flying, rodeo action. Qualifying athletes who advance to the Semi-Finals (February 21-24 at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas) take on top-ranked cowboys and cowgirls from the PBR, PRCA, and WPRA in seven different events: team roping, barrel racing, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding. Anyone can qualify for the Semi-Finals, and anyone who advances to the Finals and out-rides or out-ropes the sport’s elite stars wins $100,000, and their share of the “American Dream” $1 million purse.
“We’ve enjoyed a longstanding relationship with DISH, which was the first major TV provider to offer customers RFD-TV and The Cowboy Channel many years ago,” said Patrick Gottsch, Founder and President of Rural Media Group. “DISH helped us deliver rural and western lifestyle programming to all corners of America. From the beginning, they have understood and shared our values of hard work, grit, and resilience, and it’s great to have such a fitting partner onboard as presenting sponsor of THE AMERICAN.”
The American will be televised on RFD-TV (DISH ch. 231) and The Cowboy Channel (DISH ch. 232) on February 25 at 3 p.m. ET.
In 2017, three “underdogs” rose from the Semi-Finals to split the $1 million side pot: saddle bronc rider Cody Demoss, barrel racer Hailey Kinsel and bull riding champion Sage Kimzey. Each took home $433,333 – $100,000 for winning their respective event and an additional $333,333 each after splitting the $1 million side pot three ways.
For the full program schedule and more information about RFD-TV, RURAL RADIO 147, or The Cowboy Channel, visit AmericanRodeo.com, RFDTV.com, RuralRadio147.com, and TheCowboyChannel.com.
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About DISH:
DISH Network Corporation is a connectivity company. Since 1980, DISH has served as the disruptive force in the pay-TV industry, driving innovation and value on behalf of consumers. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides television entertainment and award-winning technology to millions of customers with its satellite DISH TV and streaming Sling TV services. DISH operates a national in-home installation workforce, as well as an advertising sales group delivering targeted advertising solutions on DISH TV and Sling TV. In addition to its TV services, DISH has commenced buildout of a nationwide narrowband “Internet of Things” network that will apply capacity from its strategic spectrum portfolio. DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is a Fortune 200 company.
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About Rural Media Group, Inc. (RMG):
Rural Media Group, Inc. is the world’s leading provider of multimedia content dedicated to the rural and Western lifestyle. With a mission of reconnecting “city with country,” RMG is the parent company of RFD-TV, RURAL RADIO Channel 147 on SiriusXM radio, The Cowboy Channel, and RFD-TV The Magazine. RMG networks are distributed to more than 100 million homes worldwide by DBS, telco and cable systems including DISH Network, DIRECTV®, Comcast, AT&T U-Verse, Mediacom, Charter Spectrum, Suddenlink, Cox, and more than 600 independent rural cable systems. Corporate headquarters and broadcast operations are in Nashville, Tennessee.
RFD-TV is the flagship network for Rural Media Group. Launched in December of 2000, RFD-TV is the nation’s first 24-hour television network featuring programming focused on the agribusiness, equine and the rural lifestyles, along with traditional country music and entertainment. RFD-TV produces six hours of live news each weekday in support of rural America and is a leading independent cable channel available in more than 50 million homes on DISH Network, DIRECTV®, AT&T U-Verse, Charter Spectrum, Cox, Comcast, Mediacom, Suddenlink, and many other rural cable systems. In addition, RFD-TV can be streamed online via The Country Club at rfdcc.com, DIRECTV NOW, Roku, and Sling TV’s Heartland Extra package. For more information, please visit RFDTV.com.
Facebook: @OfficialRFDTV | Twitter: @OfficialRFDTV | Instagram: @RFDTV
Found exclusively on SiriusXM channel 147, RURAL RADIO 147 is the agribusiness and Western-lifestyle channel for the U.S. and Canada. RURAL RADIO 147’s program schedule revolves around original productions focused on agriculture, equine, hunting, fishing, Western sports, and living the country life in small towns around rural America. Broadcast operations for the station are located in Nashville, Tennessee. The channel airs multiple exclusive news and agriculture series along with live broadcasts of Western sports competitions from the PBR, PRCA rodeos, and WPCA Chuckwagon races. For more information, please visit RuralRadio147.com.
Facebook: @RURALRADIO147 | Twitter: @RURALRADIO147 | Instagram: @RURALRADIO147
The Cowboy Channel is the first 24-hour television network totally dedicated to western sports and the western lifestyle. Headquartered in the Fort Worth Stockyards, The Cowboy Channel features content focused on rodeo, bull riding, roping, reining, barrel racing, and other western sports anchor, along with western fashion, music, and movies. The lineup also features a wide variety of “live” coverage from major western events showcasing the world’s toughest and most talented cowboys and cowgirls. The network enjoys distribution into more than 30 million homes on cable/satellite systems on DISH Network, DIRECTV®, AT&T U-Verse, Charter Spectrum, Cox, Comcast, Mediacom, Verizon FIOS TV, and many other rural cable systems. In addition, The Cowboy Channel can be streamed via Sling TV’s Heartland Extra package. For more information, please visit TheCowboyChannel.com.
Facebook: @CowboyChannel | Twitter: @Cowboy_Channel | Instagram: @CowboyChannel
RFD-TV’s The American is an annual event that occurs each February at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. The American is known as “the world’s richest one-day rodeo” and pays out nearly $3 million annually through a series of qualifiers, The Semi-Finals, and the final event, RFD-TV’s The American. The event unites the top athletes in the world from the PRCA, WPRA, and PBR world standings and pits them against underdogs who advance from The American Semi-Finals, together to battle for the biggest single paycheck of their lives. For more information, please visit AmericanRodeo.com.
Facebook: @RFDTVAmerican | Twitter: @RFDTVAmerican | Instagram: @RFDTVAmerican
RFD-TV The Magazine is the print programming guide for RMG networks with feature articles, programming updates, and more. The publication is published bi-monthly and has historically attracted more than 180,000 paid subscribers. For more information or to subscribe, please visit: RFDTV.com/Magazine.
For more information, visit RFDTV.com, RuralRadio147.com, TheCowboyChannel.com, and AmericanRodeo.com.
Media Contacts:
PR@rfdtv.com, (615) 296-9332