Teton Ridge, the brand and media company devoted to the iconic American western way of life, announced today that The American Rodeo, the crowning finale of the nationwide Contender Tournament, will feature an extended live half-time show from multi-platinum award winning artist Cody Johnson on Saturday, March 11 at Globe Life Field. The American Rodeo is the pinnacle of The American Western Weekend, a four-night, action-packed entertainment and sports experience.

“Cody Johnson’s passion for the cowboy way of life and love of western sports is exactly what The American Western Weekend celebrates and we are thrilled to announce his headlining performance,” said Joe Loverro, President of Teton Ridge Sports. “The addition of Cody to The American Rodeo is an example of how Teton Ridge is committed to enhancing the fan experience, welcoming truly iconic names in the entertainment realm and bringing fans closer to the action at Globe Life Field.” 

Known for his electrifying stage presence paired with his innate ability to connect with his audiences and share true-to-life experiences, Johnson’s Texas roots and former professional rodeo background have garnered him multiple award nominations and wins and over 4 billion career global streams of his music.

“The American Western Weekend is one of the greatest celebrations of western heritage there is,” said Cody Johnson. “To be a part of honoring the cowboy ways and the top athletes in rodeo is exciting and I can’t wait to get to Globe Life Field.” 

Over the course of the past year, Johnson, who MusicRow has predicted “just might be the future of real country music,” has released a critically acclaimed, award-winning feature-length documentary (Dear Rodeo: The Cody Johnson Story), delivered two celebrated albums (Human The Double Album and A Cody Johnson Christmas), sent his most successful single to country radio with the double platinum-selling, two-week #1 single “’Til You Can’t,” added more RIAA platinum and gold singles and album certifications to his awards, played sold-out concerts and more.

Johnson was recently named a 2022 CMT Artist Of The Year, took home two wins at the CMT Music Awards and two first-ever wins at the 56th Annual CMA Awards for “Video of the Year” as well as “Single of the Year” for his multi-week No. 1 hit “’Til You Can’t.” The song also received a GRAMMY nomination for the upcoming award show in February as the “Best Country Song.” On December 2, Johnson will release a LIVE album with his longtime touring band, Cody Johnson & The Rockin’ CJB Live.

The award-winning artist will perform live in-arena before the final round of The American Rodeo on Saturday, March 11, 2023.

Tickets for The American Western Weekend go on sale Monday, November 28 at 6 a.m. CST and can be purchased at www.americanrodeo.com/tickets. Tickets for The American Performance Horseman and The American Rodeo start at $30, taxes and fees not included. While individual event tickets are available for purchase at varying price levels, fans can save by purchasing a 4-day package to experience the entire American Western Weekend.

Acquired by Teton Ridge in late 2021, The American Rodeo, celebrating its 10th year, features competitors in all eight traditional rodeo disciplines: barrel racing, breakaway roping, steer wrestling, team roping (heading and healing), tie down roping, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding and bull riding. Fans can root for the underdog “Contenders” chasing a $1 million bonus or the professional athletes defending their champion status in the ultimate high-stakes showdown.

In just 10 short years since its inception, The American payout earnings have rivaled that of the Kentucky Derby. With an unmatched total purse of more than $6 million in 2023, non-stop rodeo action, live music, entertainment and more, the industry-leading event is the centerpiece of Teton Ridge’s western sports portfolio.

Brand new for 2023, fans will experience The American Performance Horseman as part of the heralded week of events. This first-of-its-kind event celebrates the elegance and excellence of three distinct western equine sports – Cutting, Reining and Reined Cow Horse- into one venue for an action-packed night of competition. For this inaugural event, the top five riders from each sport will be invited to compete in their respective sport. Total payout for both individual performance and team standings will be its own dedicated $1,000,000.

The enhanced week of western sports and entertainment gets underway at 9AM CST on Wednesday, March 8 with The American Contender Tournament Wild Card. On Thursday, March 9 fans can watch at 6:45 p.m. CST as competitors put it all on the line at The American Contender Tournament Finals in hopes of advancing to Saturday.

Friday night will feature The American Performance Horseman at 6:45 p.m. CST followed by the nonstop rodeo action as The American Rodeo begins at 5:45 p.m. CST on Saturday, March 11.

All tickets for Saturday, March 11 include Cody Johnson’s extended live half-time performance. Performance tickets cannot be purchased separately.

For fans wanting to make this one-of-a-kind weekend even more memorable, VIP tickets are available for purchase. Guests can enjoy premium seating closest to the action, question-and-answer presentations, behind-the-scenes-tours and much more. For more information or to purchase VIP ticketstand premium experiences, event-goers can visit www.americanrodeo.com/tickets