The NFR is held each year in the first full week of December, at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in Paradise, Nevada, United States, and is aired live on The Cowboy Channel.
Most of the major hotels and casinos book special entertainment into their showrooms with a country theme offering many of the regular shows an extended break.
The NFR showcases the talents of the PRCA's top fifteen money winners in each event as they compete for the world title.
From 1979 to 1984, the NFR took place at Oklahoma City's Myriad Convention Center, bringing state merchants an estimated annual revenue of $8 million.
Although the Oklahoma City Council considered building a new $30 million arena at the State Fairgrounds, the Las Vegas bid won.
The NFR has become Thomas & Mack Center arena's biggest client, bringing in more than 170,000 fans during the 10-day event.
In 2001, a landmark sponsorship agreement was achieved and Wrangler became the first title sponsor of the National Finals Rodeo.
This was seen as a step towards proving the crowds exist to bring the NFR back to Oklahoma City when Las Vegas' contract was scheduled to end in 2014.
[14] Following the completion of the 2013 rodeo, Dallas, Texas and Kissimmee, Florida made bids to become the host city starting in 2015.
On January 24, 2014, the PRCA signed a contract extension through 2024 with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
[15] Because the Dallas area hosted in 2020 as a result of Nevada state restrictions, the contract extension was moved to 2025.
[16] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Nevada's state mandated health restrictions, the 2020 National Finals Rodeo returned to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for the first time since 1961 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, where the state's health restrictions were less onerous.
[17][18] The inaugural National Finals Breakaway Roping (NFBR) was also held at Globe Life Field.
However, as a result of the UNLV shooting on Wednesday, December 6, which occurred at the Lee Business School, only a mile away from the Thomas & Mack Center, the first round of the NFR was postponed out of respect for the victims.
In addition, each event has a separate set of prizes for having the best combined results over the ten days, referred to as "the average."