ProRodeo Sports News - December 16, 2022

PRCA OVERVIEW

From the CEO BY TRACY RENCK T omGlause, PRCA’s Chief Executive Officer, highlighted the numerous positive things that happened in the organization in 2022 during his State of the PRCA address at South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa Grand Ballroom, Nov. 29, in Las Vegas. Glause said in 2019, the PRCA had 732 total events and 2022 there were 771 events. “On the financial-side, we saw our best year ever,” Glause said. “Our revenue exceeded $40 million this year. Almost 60 percent of our revenue comes from sponsorships and TV. It has been a very successful year. “Payout (in 2022) took a 20 percent jump. This is the first year we eclipsed $50 million in total payout during the regular season. We (had) a record NFR payout (in 2022) with nearly $11 million and our total payout will have reached over $60 million.” Glause said one of the first things the PRCA did in 2022 was refresh its strategic plan. “All of the decisions that we make at the office we try to relate back how do they promote our strategic plan,” Glause said. “We didn’t make major changes to our strategic plan, but we did update it. Our vision simply stated is we want to be the undisputed leader in the western sports industry. We also have to continue to be innovative in this ever-evolving world.” Glause said the PRCA has identified new strategic areas of improvement. “At the top of the list is communication,” Glause said. “I can’t think any situation or outcome that we could not have improved by better communication. Every day we strive to communicate better whether it is internally or externally with our members or committees. Probably most important for the PRCA is we need to modernize our organization. We are operating on outdated and antiquated IT platforms. I can’t thank our board of directors enough for supporting us financially in this endeavor as we begin to modernize these systems so we can meet the needs of our members more efficiently. Finally, we need to continue to grow. Not only our membership, our revenue, but also our fan base.” Glause then spoke of highlights from the 2022 season, including the Rookie Roundup, the NFR Open, Permit Finals. “Thank you toThe Cowboy Channel and Resistol for coming up with this idea,” Glause said. “We quickly embraced it. This was well received and as we strive to gain new membership and give those new members opportunities. The NFR Open, we looked for a new home for the RAMNational Circuit Finals and rebranded that as the NFR Open and we found a home in our backyard with the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo (in Colorado Springs). It was a natural fit. It was an amazing event over $1 million. “The Cinch Playoffs returned to Puyallup (Wash.), and it was a $1 million event, and it was good to be back in Puyallup. The Permit Finals was another innovative solution to giving our new members the opportunity to compete at a Finals inWaco, Texas, the first weekend in October. That was a qualifying event for the Permit Challenge in Las Vegas.” Glause also cited breakaway roping that was competed at 359 rodeos with a payout of $3.2 million in 2022, including having the National Finals Breakaway Roping, Nov. 29-30 at the South Point in Las Vegas. Glause went onto to speak about the membership of the PRCA.

Tom Glause talks about 2022 as ‘best year ever’

PRCA CEO Tom Glause addresses the audience during his State of the PRCA Address on Nov. 29 at the South Point in Las Vegas. PRCA ProRodeo photo

“In 2019, we saw the first growth in our membership in over a decade,” Glause said. “Since 2020, we have steadily seen a five percent increase from 5,500 members in 2020 to almost 6,100 in 2022. I will suspect we will succeed and past 2019 numbers next year. Looking to the future, we had over 1,800 permit holders this year. This is the most permit holders we have had in over a decade.” Glause also brought up the PRCA’s partnership with Rural Media Group that began in 2020. ProRodeo content and coverage expanded growing ProRodeo viewership. ProRodeo performances were livestreamed on the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app, and NFR coverage onThe Cowboy Channel, the PRCA on Cowboy Channel Plus app and RFD-TV. “We enjoyed another successful year on TV,” Glause said. “There were 42 rodeos in prime time this year with over 200 performances televised in prime time. PRCA paid out over $3.1 to our committees and most of that went directly into increased purses for the contestants. Livestreaming in 2022, we paid out over $1 million to committees and contract personnel and subscriptions continue to grow. We see continued success with the (Cowboy Channel Plus) app. There was also (more than) 115 hours of live coverage of the NFR and was delivered to seven million fans.”

ProRodeo Sports News 12/16/2022

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