The event that has paid out over $15 million over the past five years had some big announcements today at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Event founders and partners alike explained details of an adjusted format, increased payout, and—possibly the most influential of the announcements—the fact that the event would be sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). 

The event’s founder, Randy Bernard, started the press conference today with the evolution of the rodeo that was conceptualized and announced six years ago.

“We sat right here [at AT&T Stadium] and announced this vision that we had, that we wanted to have $2 million up for a one-day rodeo and the arrows that came flying and the critics said it would never work and you’ll go broke trying it…” he said today at AT&T Stadium.

Five years and $15 million later, he’s proud of what the event has become. 

“It’s so fun to see that The American hasn’t become just another rodeo—it's become a household word in the sport of rodeo and the western culture and lifestyle,” Bernard said.

Today, Bernard came together with a group that included PRCA CEO George Taylor, chief operating officer of the Dallas Cowboys Stephen Jones, Rural Media Group, Inc. founder Patrick Gottsch, World Series of Team Roping and USTRC founder Denny Gentry, along with a handful of professional rodeo athletes to announce a new format, increased payout, and that the PRCA would also be sanctioning the event. 

Some of the largest rodeos in the world are not currently sanctioned by the PRCA, and new PRCA CEO George Taylor was on hand to welcome The American to the association for the first time. 

“It is the type of thing that we’ve wanted to get involved with from the very beginning, there’s a few more out there that we’d like to have on our side as well as we move forward, but this is a great start,” Taylor said.

As for the payout counting towards the PRCA world standings? Taylor says there are still some factors to work out but competitors can add it to their list of events that will help get them to “rodeo’s Superbowl.”

“We’re going to include The American as part of the NFR [qualifying] system; what we’ve got to figure out is how do we translate that exactly to a new system," he explained. "We’re looking at points; we may have a division factor or something along those lines but we’re definitely going to include the money as a factor into the NFR standings”

Announcement Quick Facts:

• The American will now be a two-day event: March 2-3, 2019
• The rodeo has a contract to spend at least five more years at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Along with this five-year contract, season tickets will be offered to fans for the first time and go on sale July 20, 2018
• The American will be sanctioned by the PRCA along with other sanctioning bodies
• There will also be qualifiers at PRCA rodeos (these events will be 18-plus according to the PRCA rulebook, but youth will still be able to qualify through other events that do not have an age minimum)
• Payout:
  • Shootout: (expanded to four holes)
    • First: $100,00
    • Second: $25,000
    • Third: $10,000
    • Fourth: $5,000
• Finals: (Long round)
  • $50,000 will be split amongst the winners
• Format:
  • Saturday:
    • 16 man/woman round
  • Sunday:
    • Top 8 man/woman round (based on a two-head average)
    • Top 4 Shootout (like previous years)
• There will be the addition of two rodeo events: 
  • Ladies breakaway roping that will have $85,000 in prize money ($50,000 for first, $20,000 second, $10,000 third, $5,000 fourth)
  • #9 Team Roping brought on by the World Series of Team Roping and USTRC associations that will try to match The American’s payout. Qualifiers will be held through both associations.

Patrick Gottsch, who has been a part of the event each year and can be seen handing out those large cheques to rodeo competitors on stage with pride, said these factors all come together to bring the event to its potential.

“Our common goal has always been to get [The American] to its full potential and I really believe now with this five-year agreement with the Cowboys, with our association with the PRCA, with the new western sports headquarters that were building at the Fort Worth Stockyards…” Gottsch said. “I have no doubt that we’re going to take this rodeo to its full potential, and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”