ProRodeo Sports News - August 19, 2022

SHORT ROUND

Cinch named sponsor of Playoffs in Puyallup, Wash. Title Sponsor

T he Professional Rodeo Cowboys In March, the PRCA announced the Playoffs will take place at the Puyallup Rodeo at the Washington State Fair, Sept. 8-11, and will crown the champions of the season-long NFR Playoff Series presented by Pendleton Whisky.

sponsorship.

Association® (PRCA) names Cinch as the title sponsor for the inaugural Playoffs.

The Cinch Playoffs is the culmination of the most prestigious event series on the PRCA circuit. The Top 23 competitors in each event from the NFR Playoff Series Standings – plus each winner from the NFR Open powered by RAM, which took place in July in Colorado Springs, Colo. – will compete for their share of $1

million in Puyallup. The Cinch Playoffs provides one last opportunity for ProRodeo athletes to punch their tickets to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The ProRodeo season concludes Sept. 30. The Top 15 athletes in the PRCA | RAM World Standings in each event will qualify for the 2022 Wrangler NFR. The Cinch Playoffs will air on The Cowboy Channel and stream on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus App. For more information, visit cowboychannelplus.com.

The $1 million payout just before the PRCA regular season ends on Sept. 30 will play a key role in catapulting athletes into the 2022 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge. “We are proud to have Cinch as the title sponsor for this lucrative rodeo,” PRCA CEO Tom Glause said. “Cinch is a great supporter of the PRCA and to have them sponsor such a high-stakes rodeo is a natural partnership.” In 2018, Cinch became a PRCA sponsor and is elevating its

LVE president Christenson to retire at end of 2023 Las Vegas Events announced on Aug. 17 its improvements and amassed a sizable reserve.

long-tenured president, Pat Christenson, will retire on Dec. 31, 2023. Christenson will continue to work with the new president once the position has been filled, prior to the start of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo this December. Christenson moved to Las Vegas in 1980 to be an assistant wrestling coach and event coordinator. In 1983, he was promoted to assistant director of the newly built 18,500-seat Thomas & Mack Center which was unfinished and projected to be a cash

In 1991, Christenson was promoted to director of both venues, where he lobbied for and managed a $40 million renovation of both venues. From 1991 1995, they sold out every show averaging more than 135,000 tickets per year. Christenson worked with Cox Communications to provide half the funding and then designed and opened a much-needed Olympic sports venue for UNLV and the Cox Pavilion. In 2001, Christenson accepted a position as president of Las Vegas Events. In this capacity, he

Christenson

drain on UNLV. At the same time, UNLV took over management of the 30,000-seat Las Vegas Silver Bowl (now Sam Boyd Stadium). Christenson was charged with developing programming and developing an operation for both venues. From 1983-1992, the Thomas & Mack Center and the Las Vegas Silver Bowl were arguably the two most successful collegiate venues in the country. Christenson booked every event that toured the country, averaging 175 events per year in both venues. By 1990, both venues were solvent, had completed $15 million worth of

has been responsible for securing “Signature Events.” During his tenure, Las Vegas Events has increased the number of events it has supported from 21 in 2001 to an average of 41 over the past five years prior to the start of the pandemic. Most notably, the list includes two events Las Vegas Events produced – the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo® and the FEI World Cup Jumping and Dressage Finals As both the director of the Thomas & Mack Center and president of Las Vegas Events, Christenson has played a prominent role in the growth of the NFR since it arrived in 1985.

ProRodeo Sports News 8/19/2022

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