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Dallas Does Rodeo

The Elite Rodeo Association (ERA), an innovative new rodeo corporation created by the top rodeo athletes in the world, is proud to announce the signing of a five-year partnership with the Dallas Sports Commission and the City of Dallas to bring its World Championship to Dallas.

“Professional rodeo needed an elite tour showcasing only the best talent in the world,” said Tony Garritano, CEO and President of the ERA. “We believe that a regular season format, ending in its own world championship event, will be exciting for rodeo fans to follow. Thanks to the City of Dallas, our new tour will have a tremendous home for its world championship.”

With a mission of ensuring the integrity of the sport of rodeo and to provide additional opportunities for professional rodeo athletes and industry partners, the Elite Rodeo Association, also doing business as Elite Rodeo Athletes, plans to work in cooperation with existing rodeo venues and sports arenas across North America to create a tour that will showcase the best talent in professional rodeo.

“World championship rodeo is coming home to the state of Texas and the city of Dallas,” said Phillip J. Jones, President and CEO of the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Big things happen here in Dallas and we look forward to sharing our great city with rodeo fans from around the world.”

The ERA will only showcase the best rodeo athletes in the world. Currently comprised of past and present World Champions, they represent 118 World Champion titles collectively. While the current ownership includes existing top competitors, the model allows for aspiring elite rodeo athletes to participate and earn ownership in the ERA.

“By introducing a unique concept like the ERA, it is our hope to increase the awareness of the sport of rodeo overall,” says 21-time world champion cowboy and ERA Board Member, Trevor Brazile. “Enhancing the sport of professional rodeo and helping to build something greater for the future generation rodeo cowboy and cowgirl is the goal of the ERA. We look forward to working with the entire rodeo industry.”

Along with the Dallas Sports Commission, Dallas has agreed to a five-year, multi-million dollar agreement with the ERA. The inaugural ERA World Championship event is scheduled to take place at the American Airlines Center, November 9-13, 2016. The annual event will award a payout in excess of $3 million over a 5-day annual competition—making this first World Championship event one of the largest payouts in rodeo history.
“The American Airlines Center is honored to be hosting the ERA World Championship beginning in 2016,” said Dave Brown, Vice President and General Manager of the Center.  “We believe the Center will provide a great atmosphere for rodeo fans as the top rodeo athletes in the world compete in Dallas.”

“The Dallas Sports Commission is committed to bringing great sporting events to the city of Dallas,” said Monica Paul, Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission. “The ERA World Championship is the type of event that will have a positive economic impact and raise the profile of Dallas as a premier sports destination.”

ERA also officially unveiled a deal with FOX Sports that will telecast the entire ERA season and World Championship event in 2016. With more than 42 hours of programming, the ERA will have the largest household network audience in professional rodeo.

ERA signed a multi-year deal that will launch with the beginning of the ERA Tour in March 2016. The tour will consist of 15 regular-season events culminating with a 5-day World Championship event in Dallas, Texas, all broadcasted by FOX Sports 1 & FOX Sports 2.

“For the first time in the history of rodeo, fans from all over the country will be able to watch the race to an ERA World Championship on FOX Sports, a national television network, that is a sports icon. FOX Sports 1 & FOX Sports 2 gives us the opportunity to showcase the sport of rodeo on a national stage,” said Trevor Brazile, 21-time World Champion and ERA Athlete.

“Having an industry leader in sports television such as FOX Sports will provide the ERA a national platform in which to showcase professional rodeo at its highest level. FOX Sports has shown its commitment to the sport of rodeo,” Tony said. “Due to their various national networks that have considerable reach, ERA will now be showcased in more homes across the country than any other organization in the history of rodeo. We are excited and honored to be part of the FOX Sports family.”

“We are thrilled to work with Elite Rodeo Athletes to televise these exciting and action packed rodeos,” says Patrick Crakes, FOX Sports SVP of Programming, Research & Content Strategy. “The ERA fits nicely with our ever expanding portfolio of live event programming and we’re confident our audience will be just as excited as we are when we launch the series in 2016.”

ABOUT FOX SPORTS

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets.  Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships.  FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2; FOX Sports Regional Networks, their affiliated regional web sites and national programming; FOX Soccer Plus; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports.  In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com and Yardbarker.com.  Also included in the Group are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network and BTN 2Go, as well as a licensing agreement that establishes the FOX Sports Radio Network.

ABOUT THE ERA

The ERA is a “League of Champions” where only the world’s best rodeo athletes and livestock will compete against each other at every tour stop and rodeo. The tour was created with rodeo fans in mind, so they can easily follow their favorite athletes throughout the tour, which will be 15 regular-season events culminating with a 5 day World Championship event in Dallas, November 9-13, 2016 at the American Airlines Center. Fans will be able to watch only the best athletes and animals compete against each other, either in person or by watching the journey on FOX Sports.

The top 52 rodeo athletes in the world created the ERA, 30 of which are World Champion Rodeo Cowboys & Cowgirls. More exciting announcements about the 2016 tour including dates will be coming soon and will be released through ERArodeo.com and ERA’s Facebook and Twitter feeds (@ERArodeo).

#ERAracetodallas, #leagueofchampions, #ERAonFOXsports

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