As coverage of the sport continues to grow, the Cowboy Channel’s Rodeo Live is giving fans something rodeo hasn’t traditionally had with a true pre-show before the biggest events of the year.
With analysis, athlete interviews and fantasy rodeo picks, Rodeo Live is giving fans a deeper look at the sport before the first chute opens.
For decades, rodeo fans have been used to the same simple format.
The grand entry would begin, the announcer would welcome the crowd, and the competition would get underway. Unlike other professional sports, where hours of pregame coverage build anticipation before kickoff, rodeo traditionally jumped straight into the action.
Now, that is changing as rodeo is evolving.
Through expanded coverage of the sport, The Cowboy Channel has introduced Rodeo Live, a traveling pre-show that is bringing professional sports style analysis and storytelling to some of rodeo’s biggest events.
As the network describes it, Rodeo Live is “the ultimate pre-show, building the excitement for the most thrilling rodeo action.” Featuring expert analysis, athlete interviews and live discussion of the sport’s biggest storylines, the program is designed to prepare fans for the night’s competition.
In many ways, it serves as rodeo’s version of a pregame show.
Breaking Down Rodeo Like Other Pro Sports
The format mirrors what fans see before games in leagues like the National Football League. This is a scheduled time to preview matchups, discuss contenders and introduce viewers to the athletes about to compete.
Hosts and analysts talk through the biggest names in the draw, how certain stock might match up with riders and which athletes could make a move in the standings.
One of the popular segments centers around Pro Fantasy Rodeo, a fantasy-style game that allows fans to make picks for rodeos much like fantasy football leagues.
Originally centered around the National Finals Rodeo, the game has expanded to include many of the biggest rodeos on the calendar. Rodeo Live regularly breaks down fantasy picks and predictions, adding another layer of fan engagement to the broadcast.
From Studio to the Road
Rodeo Live first appeared during select events in 2025, but its popularity surged during the National Finals Rodeo when fans began tuning in regularly before each performance.
Now in 2026, the concept is expanding more into their traveling tour.
The Rodeo Live team has already appeared at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo ahead of their championship rounds. The road schedule is just getting started.
Upcoming stops on the 2026 Rodeo Live tour include the Rodeo Austin, Music City Rodeo, Teton Valley Rodeo, Reno Rodeo, Caldwell Night Rodeo, Washington State Fair Rodeo, Pendleton Round-Up and the Governor's Cup Rodeo, with additional dates expected to be announced later in the year.
The tour brings Rodeo Live directly to fans, offering meet and greets, giveaways and in person interviews with competitors before the action begins.
Built by People Who Know the Sport
Part of Rodeo Live’s appeal comes from the people behind it.
The show is hosted by Janie Johnson alongside analysts who are accomplished rodeo athletes themselves, including Luke Branquinho, Tim O'Connell and Sierra Spratt.
Branquinho is a 5x World Champion Steer Wrestler. O'Connell is a 3x World Champion Bareback Rider. Sierra Spratt is professional breakaway roper and rodeo broadcaster alongside Janie Johnson. Rodeo live brings real talk, from real professionals.
The analysts have competed at the highest levels of the sport, the group brings insider knowledge that helps fans understand the nuances of rodeo from how stock performs in certain arenas to what competitors might be feeling before stepping into the chute. There is no one better to give the fans insider information than those who do it at the professional level themselves and have been in the same situations as the athletes we watch today.
That perspective gives Rodeo Live a feel that is both analytical and very authentic.
What began as a studio-style show has now become a traveling production connecting fans with the athletes and personalities behind the sport.
Rodeo Live is bringing you top rodeos with live takes and insider coverage.
For a sport rooted deeply in tradition, the show represents something new as a way to build anticipation before the first ride of the night. The love of the western lifestyle and the sport of rodeo has stayed the same, but the opportunities arising and the way fans experience it is evolving constantly.