FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2013
CONTACT: RFD-TV Public Relations PR@RFDTV.com or
702-468-0137
Two-time
PBR World Champion Justin McBride
Accepts
Exemption Invitation to Compete in the Bull Riding Event at World’s Richest
One-Day Rodeo, RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN Presented by Polaris RANGER
Western sports’ all-time
highest money earner to compete in bull riding event
OMAHA, Neb. –Two-time PBR World Champion
Justin McBride has accepted an exemption invitation to compete in the bull
riding event during RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN, presented by Polaris RANGER, on March 2, 2014 at AT&T
Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The
exemption invitation allows McBride to return to the sport he dominated for 10
years (1999 – 2008) while competing on the PBR Built Ford Tough Series. It
gives him a guaranteed spot on the 17-man roster for the bull riding
competition where he’ll compete once again alongside the best in the sport.
McBride
was the first western sports athlete to top more than $5 million in career
earnings when he retired from the PBR in 2008.
“THE
AMERICAN gives me the opportunity to compete for $2 million against the best
guys in the sport.” said McBride. “It’s
just a one-day event; so I can continue to spend time with my family and
work on my music career while returning to the arena to experience the thrill
of competing.”
McBride
is the second athlete selected by THE AMERICAN’s sanctioning bodies as one of
the limited exemptions. Dan Mortensen was recently given an exemption in saddle
bronc competition. Additional exemptions will be announced leading up to March
2, 2014.
“Fans
want to see the best, and no fan of bull riding can argue with Justin’s career
achievements. He had a phenomenal career, winning more than $5.2 million and
two World Championships. He was one of
the most popular bull riders ever in the PBR,” said Randy Bernard, Rural Media
Group CEO and president. “A sport doesn’t make a legend, a legend makes a sport;
and Justin did exactly that. PBR’s great success is partly due to his success,
and March 2 will definitely be a historical day for the sport of rodeo and
AT&T Stadium.”
RFD-TV
recently announced THE AMERICAN will take place on March 2, 2014, at the,
AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, Texas. With a $2 million payout, it will be the
richest one-day rodeo in history. Of the qualifiers, the top-five winners in
each rodeo event at the semifinals will advance to compete in THE AMERICAN
against the top-10 winners at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) and the
PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals.
“For
me, Justin’s return to bull riding is another element that makes THE AMERICAN a
must see event,” said Ty Murray, nine-time PRCA world champion and PBR co-founder. “This is a
legend that retired in his prime, and I’m not going to miss the chance to see
how much gas he has left in the tank.”
“When
Justin retired he was the best bull rider in the PBR, and I don’t think he’ll
be far from that mark when he comes back to compete for THE AMERICAN,” said
Cody Lambert, vice president and livestock director of the PBR. “I really think he has a
legitimate chance to win it.”
RFD-TV’s
THE AMERICAN is being closely coordinated with PBR’s Iron Cowboy V, which will
take place the day before THE AMERICAN on March 1, 2014 at AT&T Stadium.
Combined, the events are expected to bring more than 100,000 fans and
participants to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
“The
PBR Iron Cowboy has enjoyed much success at AT&T Stadium over the last four
years. It’s the premier arena in the
world and a fitting venue at which to showcase the best PBR athletes and rodeo
athletes in the world,” said Jim Haworth, chairman and CEO of the Professional
Bull Riders. “March 1-2 has the potential to be the most significant weekend in
the history of the PBR and rodeo.
“The
Iron Cowboy V is the only bracketed-style event on the Built Ford Tough Series
and pits the cowboys in a head-to-head competition with not only the bulls, but
also the other riders. Its intense competitiveness is the perfect lead-in to
THE AMERICAN. On Sunday afternoon when Justin
sits on his first bull and nods his head, it will be a great day for the PBR
and THE AMERICAN and a rare opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.”
Tickets
for RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN, presented by Polaris RANGER, and the Iron Cowboy V are on sale at the AT&T Stadium
Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations and at americanrodeo.com.
Prices for each event range from $20 to $150, not
including taxes.
Additionally,
tickets for THE AMERICAN semifinals in Mesquite, Texas, Feb. 22-23, 2014, are
available for $14, $20 and $30, not including taxes. They can be purchased at
the Mesquite Arena’s box office and at americanrodeo.com
###
Notes to Editors:
About
RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN Presented by Polaris RANGER:
Taking place at Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium on
March 2, 2014, with an estimated attendance of 75,000, RFD-TV’s THE AMERICAN
Presented by Polaris RANGER is the
single largest 1-day cash prize event in the entire history of rodeo. With
$2-million on the line, the best athletes in the world will be gathering in
Dallas to compete in one epic day of raw rodeo will, skill and power. THE
AMERICAN is inviting the top 10 athletes in each of the traditional rodeo
sports as well as the top 10 from the PBR. The top 10 bull riding
contestants will be invited after the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas, and the
remainder of the primary rodeo sports contenders, will be determined after the
Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In addition to the 10 invites, THE
AMERICAN will make five additional spots available for any rodeo athlete in the
world through five regional qualifiers. If one of those athletes goes on to win
their respective event at THE AMERICAN they will split an additional bonus pool
of $1-million dollars in prize money. With the help of broadcast partners and
sponsors, RFD-TV will be broadcasting the event LIVE on the day, helping to
bring the totality of this defining western sports experience to a wide
national audience. For more information, please visit: www.americanrodeo.com and www.RFDTV.com. Follow us on Twitter @RFDTVAMERICAN and on find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/RFDTVTheAMERICAN
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. RMG is the parent company of
RFD-TV, FamilyNet, RURAL TV, RURAL RADIO on SiriusXM channel 80, RFD-TV the
Magazine and RFD-TV the Theatre. RFD-TV, the flagship network for RMG, launched
in December 2000. RFD-TV is the nation’s
first 24-hour television network dedicated to serving the needs and interests
of rural America with programming focused on agriculture, equine and the rural
lifestyle, along with traditional country music and entertainment. RMG acquired
FamilyNet, America’s trusted entertainment network dedicated to providing
wholesome and responsible viewing choices for today’s diverse family.
RURAL TV produces rural business news covering commodity markets for both cash
and futures. Daily productions include Market Day Report and the Rural Evening
News. RMG networks are distributed into more than 63-million homes worldwide by
DBS, telco and cable systems including DISH Network, DIRECTV®,
Comcast, Verizon FiOS TV, AT&T U-Verse, Mediacom, Charter, Optimum,
Brighthouse, Suddenlink, Time Warner, Cox, and more than 600 independent rural
cable systems. RFD-TV The Magazine is the print programming guide for the networks, which has attracted
over 180,000 paid subscribers. RFD-TV The Theatre is a 2000 capacity
soft seat venue in Branson, MO where entertainment programming is
produced. Corporate headquarters are in
Omaha, NE, and production operations are in Nashville, TN. For more
information, visit www.rfdtv.com, www.myruraltv.com, and www.familynet.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook:
@OfficialRFDTV @RURALTV @FamilyNet @RURALRADIO80
