CFR- Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton

[itom 987]

I bet Northlands must be celebrating!

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by Mikemike

Big Mess. But I'm still glad it's here for a little longer.

Whatever else happens to Northlands will take a couple years to figure out anyway. I'll go to CFR before I go to PBR

Not me. I prefer the PBR.

[SHOFEAR]

CFR people screwed up royally with everything that has happened in the last year. what a mess.

[big W]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

CFR people screwed up royally with everything that has happened in the last year. what a mess.

Yes they did. Their problem is they really look second rate in how they are operating and they some competition in Edmonton in the PBR. Some spectators may opt to go to this event instead plus they are at Northlands rather than downtown so they seem as a secondary event as well.

[McBoo]

It's a mess alright, though I feel bad for the CPRA.

Seems a handful of ex-directors (who quit in a collective hissy fit) got led by the nose by a now-disgraced executive who had not a clue what he was doing.

Wouldn't be shocked if one or two of said ex-directors were just old boy Edmonton-bashers who couldn't have cared less if the cowboys earned less as long as they could make Edmonton look bad.

At least they seem to have some cohesive governance now.

[Coldrsx]

Curious to see what level of support there will be for this.

[240glt]

The CFR was never supported by this city and certainly not by any but a few on this board, the fact that it ended up back in Edmonton is frankly miraculous. So I expect it will have about the same amount of support as it's always had

[Coldrsx]

^never supported, are you kidding?

[240glt]

This city and it's boosters never got behind the event, period

[noodlenoodle]

Never, ever, ever?

[dansk]

I think most people within corporate Edmonton would disagree with that statement. . . period.^

[240glt]

Sorry, but support of the event was half-hearted at best

Definitely not what could have been delivered, and definitely no capitalized upon

At least in the time I've been here, CFR has succeeded in spite of being in Edmonton, not because it is in Edmonton

It is fun to watch those who couldn't have given two shits about the event over the years now somehow try to explain how it was was supported, however

[noodlenoodle]

I find the Rodeo to be tacky hick entertainment at best (generally consider it morally & ethically bankrupt, but the stimulus it provided is nice), but it's really only since the new Arena crystalized as a proposal & moved forward that the support has been dwindling.

6 years ago they closed down major streets in the CBD & drove cattle down them, but once OEG got to call all the shots somehow the Rodeo was persona non grata.

[McBoo]

Hope I don't hear the old "Edmonton doesn't support or deserve rodeo" nugget.

The facts are diametrically opposed to that balarny:

$1 million in prize money - biggest purse in Canada and 89k+ attendance last year - for six performances - just shy of 15k average.

[Coldrsx]

'I find the Rodeo to be tacky hick entertainment at best'

I guess you have never been? It is quite a fun event every few years and certainly is near and dear to a huge amount of folk.

[240glt]

^^^ you're right, the last five years seem to have seen the steepest decline in support

I still remember working the Expo project back in '09, during the event. grounds packed and tons of people in the city yet outside the proliferation of cowboy hats on the LRT you'd hardly have known the event was taking place

[noodlenoodle]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

'I find the Rodeo to be tacky hick entertainment at best'

I guess you have never been? It is quite a fun event every few years and certainly is near and dear to a huge amount of folk.

You guess wrong. I've been a number of times, though mostly as a kid as part of group outings.

It's nothing I'd actually personally contribute my own time, effort or money towards as an adult though, (see that bit about it being against my morals & ethical principles).

[Coldrsx]

Which is fine, I can appreciate that and I share some concern over the events, but it certainly is far from 'hick' and 'tacky'. Perhaps part of our history and culture?

[noodlenoodle]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Which is fine, I can appreciate that and I share some concern over the events, but it certainly is far from 'hick' and 'tacky'. Perhaps part of our history and culture?

Nope. It's tacky as all get out.

tack·y

/ˈtakē/

adjective
informal

adjective: tacky; comparative adjective: tackier; superlative adjective: tackiest

showing poor taste and quality.
"even in her faintly tacky costumes, she won our hearts"

synonyms: tawdry, tasteless, kitsch, kitschy, vulgar, crude, garish, gaudy, showy, trashy, cheesy, cheap, common, second-rate
"a tacky game show"

antonyms: tasteful

(underlines mine)

Seems appropriate for a "sporting event" where (primarily rural) people engage in animal abuse for cash prizes.

Let's just call it a difference of opinion & leave it at that.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Perhaps part of our history and culture?

Or perhaps not? Even Calgary's rodeo culture was imported by US-origin ranchers way back when, or so I was told when I lived there.

Part of history perhaps, at best.