Corporate Influence on Rodeo: Sports and Business Collide
This paper examines the growing convergence of corporate interests and the sport of rodeo in the United States, using Jane Martin's work as a lens for critiquing commercialization. The paper traces how rodeo has shifted from a grassroots sport driven by passion to one increasingly shaped by advertising revenue, television broadcast schedules, and organizational power struggles — such as the conflict between the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the startup ERA. Drawing comparisons to commercialization in football and basketball, the paper acknowledges both the benefits of increased exposure and the downsides of corporate control, ultimately concluding that this trajectory is unlikely to reverse.
- Introduction: Sports and corporate forces converge in rodeo
- The Corporate-Rodeo Relationship: Historic shift from passion-driven to profit-driven sport
- Television, Advertising, and the Changing Rodeo Experience: Broadcast deals and TV timeouts disrupt rodeo's flow
- Organizational Power Struggles and Corporate Competition: PRCA vs. ERA dispute illustrates corporate conflict
- Conclusion: Financial incentives make commercialization irreversible
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds an abstract argument — corporate encroachment on sport — in a concrete, less commonly studied subject (rodeo), giving it a distinct angle compared to typical football or baseball essays.
- It balances acknowledgment of benefits (broader exposure, wider audiences) with criticism of drawbacks (disrupted show flow, profit-driven scheduling), demonstrating nuanced rather than one-sided argumentation.
- The PRCA vs. ERA dispute is used as a real-world case study that makes the broader argument tangible and specific.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses a literary source (Jane Martin's Talking With) as a critical framework and then extends her argument forward in time, showing how the commercialization she lamented has intensified. This technique — applying an existing critical voice to a contemporary context — is an effective way to situate an argument within a broader intellectual conversation.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a dual-force framing (sports and corporate power), then narrows to rodeo specifically. The analysis section covers the benefits and costs of corporate involvement before turning to an organizational conflict as evidence. The conclusion is brief but honest, acknowledging that financial incentives make the trend essentially irreversible. The structure is straightforward and well-suited to the paper's short argumentative scope.
Introduction
There are two major forces in the United States and other modern countries that cannot be missed or ignored. The first is sports. Millions of people love sports — both watching and participating in them. Common examples include basketball, baseball, and football. The focus of this paper, however, is rodeo. The other major force present in modern countries is the corporate sphere, whose most common manifestations are advertising and consumer products. Whether it be cars, video game systems, or homes, corporate powers drive the economy and generate substantial tax revenue. These two forces converge in significant ways, and Jane Martin's lament is that this convergence is excessive and that it ruins the spirit and love of rodeo. While Martin has a point, there is little that can realistically be done to separate corporate interests from national pastimes like rodeo.
The Corporate-Rodeo Relationship
There was a time when corporate interaction between sports teams and outside business interests was minimal, if it existed at all. This was especially true for smaller and newer sporting organizations. Over recent generations, however, a seismic shift has occurred, and rodeo is no exception. What was once about the love of the riders and the fans has become increasingly intertwined with corporate money and influence. Whether through advertising in and around arenas, commercials during televised broadcasts, rider sponsorships, or branded gear worn by competitors, the involvement of both rodeo-related and non-rodeo-related businesses in the modern sport is impossible to overlook. There is a fair amount of good in this relationship, but there is also a considerable amount of harm (Martin).
Television, Advertising, and the Changing Rodeo Experience
One benefit of the corporate-rodeo relationship is the significantly greater exposure it provides for the sport, allowing more people to watch and enjoy it. Rather than having to travel to an arena, audiences can tune into ESPN or other networks. This kind of access simply did not exist in the same way decades ago. In 1981, cable television was rare; today there are hundreds or even thousands of channels depending on the provider or platform. That said, not all of this expansion is unambiguously positive. There are arguably too many channels competing for the same advertising revenue, and that competition will ultimately determine who can afford to broadcast and who cannot (Martin).
Other aspects of the corporate-rodeo dynamic are less than optimal. The overall scope and feel of a rodeo show changes when corporate interests are involved. The format and itinerary of a show tend to center on the remote viewing audience more than those attending in person. While on-site fans are not ignored entirely, the flow of the show is always shaped, at least in part, by broadcast requirements. Beyond scheduling, corporate interests influence what time shows occur, how frequently they are held, and which competitors appear. This can frustrate both fans and participants, who may feel that a sport they love is being controlled by entities motivated purely by profit rather than genuine passion for rodeo.
Much the same dynamic plays out in other commercialized sports. Baseball incorporates television timeouts that coincide with inning changes, while basketball and football — at both the college and professional levels — are routinely interrupted by artificial stoppages so that advertisements can air for the television audience. The game does not resume until the commercials are finished. The same pattern applies to televised rodeo. Even when a rodeo is not televised, corporate interests still shape the experience: arenas are plastered with advertisements, and audiences are continually prompted to purchase products or engage with sponsors (Martin).
Conclusion
While many people embrace the increased visibility and marketability of rodeo and other sports, much about these changes is less than desirable. That said, the trajectory currently underway is unlikely to reverse as long as corporate interests control the financial resources and competitors continue to follow the money. It is an unfortunate reality that financial incentives shape sporting culture, and rodeo will be no exception to that rule.
Works Cited
Martin, Jane. Talking With. New York: S. French, 1983. Print.
Q2 Sports. "PRCA Fires Back At New Rodeo Tour, Vows To Terminate Memberships." Kpax.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Jan. 2016.
Stadheim, Carrie. "PRCA Takes A Stand Against Start-Up Rodeo Association." The Fence Post. N.p., 2015. Web. 22 Jan. 2016.
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