Major League Rodeo (1978-1979)
Tombstone
Born: July 6, 1977 – MLR founding franchise1ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Major League Rodeo circuit opens in 1978”. The Independent-Record (Helena, MT). July 7, 1977
Folded: July 1979
First Game: March 31, 1978 (L 63-50 @ Tulsa Twisters)
Last Game:
MLR Championships: None
Arenas
1978: Freeman Coliseum
1978: Lakeway Equestrian Center (2,000)
Branding
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owners: Jim Koerner, John Bitter, Phyllis Downs, et al.
Background
The Texas Rowels were a co-ed professional team rodeo outfit that played in various cities around Texas in 1978 and 1979. The Rowels were one of six franchises in Major League Rodeo. They competed against rival teams from Denver, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Tulsa.
Major League Rodeo contests consisted of seven skills – bareback bronc riding, barrel racing, team roping, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, steer wrestling and bull riding. Each team sported a roster of 12 cowboys & 3 cowgirls. Three team members competed in each of the seven events, which were contested twice separated by a 20-minute halftime.
San Antonio’s un-air conditioned Freeman Coliseum was the Rowels’ home base. The team also hit the road to host one-offs in Austin, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie and other Texas cities. According to the Austin-American Statesman (8/18/1978), the Rowels drew crowds ranging from 750 to 3,000 fans per event at Freeman Coliseum during their 1978 debut season.
The End
The Rowels returned for a second season in 1979 but the campaign swiftly descended into chaos. Major League Rodeo kicked out the Tulsa Twisters franchise midway through the season. The Kansas City Trailblazers became homeless when the roof of Kemper Arena collapsed. The Los Angeles Rough Riders’ insurance company forced them out of their home at the Santa Ana Bowl after numerous riders and animals suffered injuries on the venue’s riding surface.
In early July 1979, league officials announced the cancellation of the rest of the regular season schedule. Major League Rodeo hoped to re-group for a championship series in August. But the league was never heard from again.
Trivia
A rowel (I had to look this up) is the name for the small wheel at the end of a cowboy’s boot spur.
The name was selected in part as a complement to the city’s San Antonio Spurs NBA basketball team.2NO BYLINE. “It’s official, Rowels here”. The Express (San Antonio, TX). October 1, 1977
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