Today the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association sent shock waves throughout the professional rodeo community by announcing some very interesting bylaw changes that are set to take effect starting in the 2016 season. These huge and timely changes are, in my mind, a direct response to the joint statement made by the newly formed Elite Rodeo Athletes association and their top tier athletes, contractors and staff. It is very interesting how the actual wording of the bylaw changes are stated and what that will mean to all involved, from the top level folks and animals all the way down to the virtual unknowns.
The PRCA’s Board Of Directors And Chairman Karl Stressman
Just a few short hours ago the announcement came down that some of the PRCA’s bylaws were changed after a meeting by the association’s Board of Directors. These four bylaw changes will make every person and animal in the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association choose a side and literally “part the waters” going into the upcoming years as each one chooses who to stand behind. It will be very tense as the 2015 season winds down and the “superbowl” of professional rodeo commences this December as the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo comes to Las Vegas, Nevada once again. Will this be the last year that many of your favorite contestants will ever be a part of the big show? Who knows but what we do know is it is not too late to get your ticket to this year’s WNFR just in case. What do you mean you may be asking …. well let us here at the Rodeo Round Up break the announcement down into terms that everyone can understand.
1. The first by law change reads as such:
I. Competing Rodeo Events Bylaws B15.1.1.1-.2 B15.1.1.1 Definition of Competing Rodeo Events.
Competing Rodeo Events are events not sanctioned by the PRCA in which contestants compete in two or more of the following events: bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and team roping.
What does this mean in terms fans can understand:
This means, quite frankly, that ANY association other than the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association, the PRCA, is included in this very broad translation that has at least two of the above-listed events as part of its performance.
In my interpretation, this means not only the newly formed ERA but associations such as the WTR, World’s Toughest Rodeo, the PRS, Professional Roughstock Series, and the RFD-TV’s The American just to name a few.
2. The second bylaw change reads as such:
B15.1.1.2 Rodeo Committees.
In light of the PRCA’s long-standing and ongoing efforts to create popular and successful PRCA-sanctioned professional rodeo competitions and promote rodeo sports in general, including but not limited to creating the National Finals Rodeo event and qualifying points system, soliciting corporate sponsors and television contracts, establishing rodeo rules and regulations, and developing youth and new contestant growth programs-and in order to protect the quality of all PRCA-sanctioned events-any rodeo committee and/or contracting party involved in producing a PRCA-sanctioned event agrees not to schedule, produce, promote or participate in a Competing Rodeo Event seventy-two hours before, during or seventy-two hours after a PRCA-sanctioned event. The PRCA shall have the right to approve specific events that are in conflict with this Bylaw should the PRCA deem any such event to be in the interest of its members and the promotion of professional rodeo sports in general.
What does this mean in terms fans can understand:
This simply states that in order to maintain good standing for your event to be sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association you can not have any other “rodeo organization” hold events at the venue site prior or after during a 72 -hour period. With that being said it says that the PRCA does have the authority to make any case by case changes to this policy.
That says to me that the PRCA and their Board of Directors can change the rule that they just set forth earlier today if they feel like it will benefit them and the PRCA organization as a whole. Simply put if the people in charge do not like someone then the answer is going to be no but if they do then it will not be a problem …. (Interesting don’t you think!)
3. The third bylaw change reads as such:
II. Conflicting Rodeo Association Interests Bylaws B.1.2.1.1-.2
B1.2.1.1 Definition of Conflicting Rodeo Association.
Conflicting Rodeo Associations are companies, partnerships, associations or other entities whose direct or indirect purpose is to produce, promote, and/or sanction professional rodeo contests in which contestants compete in two or more of the following events: bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and team roping.
What does this mean in terms fans can understand:
This simply implies that EVERY other association that includes at least two of the above-mentioned events that they will be included in this list.
In my mind like I said before will include the WTR, ERA, PRS, RFD-TV’s The American and many other organizations and events that true rodeo fans love to watch and other PRCA contestants, staff and livestock love to perform at. This will do nothing but hurt the entire rodeo fan base as a whole and will cause many ripples within the ranks of professional rodeo as well.
4. The fourth bylaw change reads as such:
B1.2.1.2 Prohibition on Conflicting Rodeo Association Interests.
In order to ensure that PRCA members-whose popularity and success are the results of participation in PRCA-sanctioned rodeos and related PRCA promotional efforts and activities (and the associated costly investments the PRCA has made in promoting PRCA events and rodeo sports in general)-are not pursuing interests in Conflicting Rodeo Associations while receiving the benefits of PRCA membership and are putting forth their best efforts on behalf of the PRCA, any person applying for PRCA membership who is an officer, board member, employee or has an ownership or financial interest of any form in a Conflicting Rodeo Association shall not be issued a membership, permit or renewal of membership with the PRCA.
What does this mean in terms fans can understand:
This means that ANY Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association athlete, stock contractor, livestock, contract acts or anyone else that decides to participate in any other association’s events will not be issued a PRCA membership. They say that this is due to the extreme amount of promotional work and activities of such events have gotten these contestants to where they are today.
Remember folks so much emphasis has been placed on these changes having a direct impact as to the announcement that the ERA put out last week, which you can read in a separate story, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. These bylaw changes will affect absolutely EVERY PRCA member since they all in some way or another participate in other events that are non PRCA sanctioned.
PRCA Commissioner Karl Stressman
After this announcement was made earlier today two of those at the top of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association released their own statements regarding these bylaw changes. They talk about the reasoning behind the decision and what they think it will mean for the organization and those professional rodeo athletes that they are in charge of.
“This Board is very cohesive and, at the end of the day when we look at the membership-the rodeo committees, contestants, stock contractors, and contract personnel-we decided to put in place a couple of items that will better serve the quality and popularity of our sport,” said PRCA Board Chairman Keith Martin.
“Three years ago, with the help of our corporate partners, rodeo committees and contestants, the PRCA implemented the Wrangler Champions Challenge, which is televised by the CBS Sports Network to showcase our top competitors and animal athletes. Additionally, with the new 10-year agreements in Las Vegas and Osceola County (Fla.), there is an unprecedented amount of new dollars available to our members,” PRCA Commissioner Karl Stressman stated. “What the Board did today is look at our history and what has made the PRCA the most successful and popular professional rodeo-sanctioning body in the world. Accordingly, we have taken steps to ensure that future generations of fans and members will continue to enjoy the highest quality rodeo events for years to come.”
Editors Note: I want everyone to be aware that this is my EARLY interpretation of the bylaw changes and how I feel it will affect the rodeo industry and how I think they are read in plain English. As well as this may not be the case I have sent in requests for the PRCA to contact me directly to get clarification on these bylaw changes and what they actually mean. As soon as I hear back from the PRCA office I will update details in another follow-up story to set the record straight as to what the PRCA is trying to accomplish and what the reasonings were behind the sudden bylaw changes. The Rodeo Round Up strives to tell all sides of the story and will continue to try and provide clarification as it is given to us so that you all know the reasonings behind these changes as well.
It will be interesting to see what all of your thoughts are regarding this announcement. I think that it is going to hurt the world of professional rodeo and will take a toll of all of those competing in the sport. I also have a feeling that this will divide and further more confuse the loyal fans that have followed the sport for many years or even those that are somewhat new to it. I sincerely hope everything works out in the end and it is a much smaller issue than it seems to be at this very moment. Regardless of the fact, we would love to see your responses to this so please like us on facebook and post your thoughts and comments in the comment area below the story link directly on facebook!
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I do not read #4 the same as you do. I believe the athlete can still be a member and compete in various associations, he/she just cannot be a officer, employee, owner or investor in another association.
Very true Ryan…. it can be taken many ways … I know a,lot of other associations have other PRCA members that are their boards as well. It will be very interesting to say the least when it comes down to crunch time!! … thanks for the comment.