From the sold-out crowds at many rodeos, not at all. You should see Vegas during the 10 days of the National Finals Rodeo in December. The big/major casinos hold a big party each night, big-name concerts, award ceremonies and on and on. The 10 days bring in lots and lots of money into Vegas. There was a big line outside the South Point Buffet for breakfast and dinner. Same went for the MGM and Cosmopolitan buffets. We went to all three for breakfast and dinner. Rodeo Committees don't care what people wear to a rodeo, unless of course, it's not descent looking. They are looking at fans paying/money coming in to pay for different rodeo-related things. There are big/major rodeos, like Houston, that can take almost an entire year to put together.
Ok, what do you mean, "they've not changed the rules to make it more interesting to non-cowboy types"? There are certain fans, and I'm using the word "fans" very loosely, that don't even know what's going on in the arena, even though a rodeo announcer is explaining each event and any "penalty" or "no score" a cowboy/cowgirl could get. Then, there are fans like wife and I that follow PRCA rodeo so close that we know exactly what the "penalty" or "no score" reason is. There are fans that don't know any of the competitors, but we know a number of them. Not personally, but follow them very closely. Especially those in the Top 15.
Most people I know who go to the Houston Rodeo are going to see the featured entertainment artists (singers) and couldn't care less about the actual rodeo events. Of course the Houston rodeo is a huge event with trail rides, a parade, and all kinds of associated activities. From Wikipedia: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Reliant Stadium filled with rodeo attendees at the 2006 HLSR Genre Rodeo, livestock show and fair Dates 28 February–19 March 2023 Venue NRG Stadium Location(s) Houston, Texas, United States Founded 1931 (as the Houston Fat Stock Show) Attendance 2,417,248 (2022)[1] Website rodeohouston.com The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, also called RodeoHouston or abbreviated HLSR, is the largest livestock exhibition and rodeo in the world. It includes one of the richest regular-season professional rodeo events. It has been held at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, since 2003, with the exception of 2021 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was previously held in the Astrodome.[2] It is considered to be the city's "signature event", much like New Orleans's Mardi Gras, Dallas's Texas State Fair, San Diego's Comic-Con and New York City's New Year's Eve at Times Square.[2] In 2017, attendance reached a record high of 2,611,176 people and 33,000 volunteers.[3][4] In 2007, the rodeo was deemed "the year of the volunteer."[5] The event is 20 days long. It is kicked off by the Downtown Rodeo Roundup held near Houston City Hall, the Downtown Rodeo parade, and the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run – a 10k and 5k walk & run and the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest.[6] The show features championship rodeo action, livestock competitions, concerts, a carnival, pig racing, barbecue and the Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, shopping, sales and livestock auctions. Traditional trail rides, which start in different areas of Texas and end in Houston, precede the Rodeo events.[7] The City of Houston celebrates this event with Go Texan Day, where residents are encouraged to dress in western wear the Friday before the rodeo begins.[8] The rodeo has drawn some of the world's biggest recording artists, including Gene Autry, Beyoncé, blink-182, Selena Gomez, Keith Urban, Ariana Grande, Selena, Reba McEntire, Kiss, Kelly Clarkson, Charley Pride, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Alan Jackson, REO Speedwagon, Brooks & Dunn, George Strait, Janet Jackson, Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, Bon Jovi, ZZ Top, Chris Stapleton, John Legend, Taylor Swift, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, among others.
That is why rodeos and fairs bring in big-name singers. They draw the biggest crowd and attention to the rodeo. One of my older cousins got to pet Rin Tin Tin at a San Angelo rodeo after his performance and used to rub that in my face.
Well, Beth, and don't take offense at this, but.........the people you know are a very small part of the Houston area. The 2022 population of Houston is 2.29 million people. I just seen that online. When we watched the Houston rodeo on the Cowboy Channel, the NRG Stadium was pretty packed with people (fans). It's a great looking stadium inside and, I believe a petition is/has been going around to renovate the stadium. The Houston Rodeo offers a very nice purse for winners.
That is right Beth! The only time the people you know are going to the real Houston rodeo is if they are going to see George Strait.
I wouldn't walk across the street to see George Strait if he was performing in my neighbor's yard for free.
My favorite gross-out item was a set of fake ice cubes with rather realistic eyeballs in them. Could make my mom scream every time.
It just occurred to me that a buckle bunny would be a Wildy Wrabbit, well that is if Elmer Fudd is a rodeo cowboy.
Come heeere, Wildy Wrabbit. I have a nice cawwot for you. He-he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he. I always was partial to girls with an overbite.
Well, I have never met anyone that didn't like George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Garth Brooks, Terry Clark and a number of other old country singers. George's movie, Pure Country, was a very good movie and we have it. Actually, he made a vow to his wife that he wouldn't do anything physical with Harley in the movie, except hug her.