Television helps boost NFR purse to $5 mil.

Monday, Dec. 8, 2003 | 9:37 a.m.

Bareback rider Darren Clarke bagged $14,335 in the third round of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo on Sunday night, nudging his yearly earnings to nearly $100,000.

"A guy who has a good week here can win $100,000," Clarke said. "That's everyone's dream."

Clarke has loftier dreams, like the chance to win six figures nightly during the 10-round NFR at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"I hope it ends up paying $100,000 to win a round," he said. "It's not impossible. This is a great rodeo, and the more it gets on TV and the more coverage it gets ... I'd like to see it pay $100,000 a round."

Saddle bronc rider Billy Etbauer hopes cowboys, in terms of prize money, are one day held in the same esteem as, say, golfers.

The impressive growth of the sport enticed calf roper Blair Burk to expand on Etbauer's desire.

"It's gotten a lot better the last couple of years and, hopefully, it's going to sky-rocket," Burk said. "We would love for everyone who competes, every night, to get a check. That's the goal for us. In golf, all those guys get paid way down through the 100th place.

"These guys are out here, the top 15 in the world, every night and performing at the best of their abilities. So everyone should get paid. That would be excellent."

Billed as the Super Bowl of rodeo, the NFR boasts that it's doling out $5 million in its marquee event, which ends Sunday. An NFR official said the total figure actually falls a few pennies shy of $5 million.

That's quite a boost from 1959, when the total prize money from the first NFR, in Dallas, was $50,000. That dipped to $44,500 in '65, in Oklahoma City. The six-figure barrier was broken in '72, when $109,500 was awarded.

The most dramatic jump occurred between '84 and '85, when a $901,002 total was bumped to $1.79 million. That coincided with the venue switch from the Myriad Arena in Oklahoma City to the Mack.

In '88, the $2 million figure was hit. In '95, $3 million. In '98, $4 million. Last year's $4.8 million event translated to $13,923 for the victor of each round in each event.

"If you're able to win," Etbauer said, "this is just icing on the cake."

For the first time, more than one NFR round will be televised live on some cable outlet. ESPN2 aired Saturday night's action and will also televise Sunday's finale. That will be the third consecutive finale that will be shown on live television.

At least 170,000 have slipped through the Thomas & Mack turnstiles in 11 of the last 13 years, including each of the last five.

According to Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association officials, the building is sold-out for the NFR through 2009. They talk about it being one of the toughest tickets in sports, as challenging to acquire as a ducat to the Masters golf tournament.

Actor Ben Affleck was rumored to be in the house Sunday night, and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is supposed to attend Thursday. Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan makes a few annual appearances.

"Hopefully, it will keep on growing," Etbauer said. "It's great when a guy can go out and make a living doing it, and enjoy it. It doesn't get any better."

Last season, each of the Super Bowl-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers pocketed $63,000 for that title victory. At last year's NFR, 22 competitors won at least that much money.

Pro football players, of course, are paid lucrative salaries, making that bonus for winning the Super Bowl relatively paltry. By contrast, the NFR winnings of half of those who claimed at least $63,000 a year ago represented more than half of their '02 income.

A year ago, Etbauer, 39, won $9,656 in his 14th NFR to boost his '02 earnings to $83,029. Sunday, he tied for third, with Rod Warren, to win $7,293, and he began the NFR having won $60,663 this season.

"If a guy can come out here, have some luck and be able to get into that pot ... when you're trying to pay the bills at the house, you know, it doesn't get any better," Etbauer said.

"A guy needs as much as he can get. Hopefully, you can ride to the point where you can get in there and take some of that home, and make a house payment. You can't say enough about it, how much it helps."

Burk, 30, celebrated opening-night festivities Friday by winning the tie-down roping, and $14,335, in 8.1 seconds. This is his ninth NFR, and he's closing in on $1 million in career earnings.

"The money increases each year, and the fans are still coming," he said. "With a full house every night, that helps a lot. Everyone loves coming here, to the city and the facility, and the people behind rodeo are really good right now."

Clarke, 30, is 1.5 total points away from the aggregates that Mark Gomes and Bobby Mote have built in this year's first three rounds. He won $29,717 here a year ago, finishing '02 with $91,615.

He came to the U.S. in 1994, from Australia, when he joined the PRCA, but didn't last long. Then he came back in '98 and has settled in Roanoke, Texas.

He remembers starting out in the sport in and around New South Wales, where maybe the top prize was $1,000 in one of the 60 or so rodeos held each year Down Under.

"For me, to win that much ($14,335) in a day ... I never imagined I could do it," Clarke said. "I got here, got in with some great people and tried my heart out. That's what it takes. You want to make it here, you have to try your heart out every time."