2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Facts
Everything you need to know about the 2016 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo! (Pictured: Cowboy Christmas).
DATES: Thursday, December 1st through Saturday, December 10th
NFR IN VEGAS: 2016 marks the 32nd year for the world’s richest and most prestigious rodeo to be held in Las Vegas.
EXTENSION THROUGH 2014: Las Vegas Events and the PRCA reached an agreement to keep 2024: the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Polaris Ranger in Las Vegas through 2024. The new agreement will begin in 2015.
START TIMES: All start times in 2016 are 6:45 p.m. (PT).
LOCATION: Thomas & Mack Center
ATTENDANCE: In 2015, the event had a total attendance of 170,966 over the 10 days of competition. The Wrangler NFR has sold out 300
consecutive performances.
PARTICIPANTS: Each December, the top 15 contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and bull riding qualify to compete at the Wrangler NFR. Qualification is based on the 2016 Professional Rodeo Cowboys
Association World Standings.
PURSE IN 2014: The prize money for the participants this year will be $10 million. In fact, the total purse has grown each year that Las Vegas has hosted the Wrangler NFR. In 1985, the purse was just over $1.8 million.
TOTAL PURSE: Over the past 31 years, the NFR has paid out a total of more than $172 million in prize money to NFR contestants and compensation to stock contractors.
THE DESTINATION: During the 10 days of competition, the Wrangler NFR transforms the look and feel of the “Entertainment Capital of the World.” Each year, thousands of rodeo enthusiasts decked out in Wrangler jeans, Justin Boots and cowboy hats fill hotels, casinos,
restaurants, shopping malls and showrooms. In addition, hotel marquees are splashed with the names of the brightest stars in country music.
HOTEL ROOMS: When the NFR first arrived in Las Vegas in 1985, Las Vegas boasted 53,000 hotel rooms and attracted just over 14 million
visitors. Las Vegas currently has more than 150,000 hotel rooms and attracted a record 42.3 million visitors in 2015.
SATELLITE BROADCAST: In 2016, more than 35 resort properties are expected to pick up the closed circuit live feed of all 10 performances of the Wrangler NFR.
TELEVISION SCHEDULE: Each performance of the Wrangler NFR will be televised live on CBS Sports Network.
SPONSOR HOTELS: The sponsor hotels for the 2016 Wrangler NFR include:
Bally’s, Hard Rock Hotel, Plaza, Caesars Palace, Harrah’s Las Vegas, Sam’s Town, Cosmopolitan, Mandalay Bay, Silverton, The D Las Vegas, MGM Grand, SLS, Downtown Grand, Mirage, South Point, Flamingo, Monte Carlo, Treasure Island (TI), Gold Coast, Orleans, The Venetian, Golden Nugget, Planet Hollywood, Wynn Las Vegas
COWBOY CHRISTMAS: Cowboy Christmas, the only official gift show and interactive experience of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, is open to the public and admission is free. The show features just under 400 exhibitors and will be open daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. from December 1-
10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Halls. Over the past 30 years, the Cowboy Christmas show has attracted more than 3.68 million people.
INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE: Located within Cowboy Christmas, fans will be able to enjoy a number of interactive experiences. Elements that will remain in place in 2016 include Rodeo Live presented by RodeoHouston, Coors Rodeo Saloon, Lucas Oil Rodeo Way exhibits, Wrangler Rodeo Arena, NFR Social Arena, Great Wall of Rodeo presented by Calgary Stampede and additional features.
WEBSITE: For more information on the Wrangler NFR, go to www.NFRexperience.com or www.prorodeo.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA: You can access the following for additional news and information:
- www.facebook.com/LasVegasNFR
- www.pinterest.com/LasVegasNFR
- www.twitter.com/LasVegasNFR
- www.instagram.com/LasVegasNFR
- www.YouTube.com/LasVegasNFR
About the Wrangler NFR
The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR), considered the world’s premier rodeo, features 10 straight days of the best in rodeo
competition, with a total of 120 contestants competing every night in seven events. Each December, the top 15 contestants, based
on the 2016 WEATHER GUARD PRCA World Standings, in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tiedown roping, barrel racing, and bull riding qualify to compete at the Wrangler NFR. www.prorodeo.com