The big day is finally here. I've had my tickets for months. I just paid for parking, got my peanuts and soda and I'm excited to find my seats are in a good spot. My husband, son and I talked about this sporting event and our favorite competitors for most of the morning. Today will be fun — I get to watch my sport up close and personal, commercial-free and uninterrupted.

I am thrilled to be in the stadium. In just a few minutes, highly-skilled athletes, physically and mentally prepared to face the rigors of this sport will be pitted against worthy opponents. Adversaries will be competing not only against each other but against the unrelenting time clock as well, each knowing that a win today would bring them ever closer to the ultimate prize — the satisfaction of taking home the trophy, prize money, fame and glory. The pride of achieving such a hard-fought victory after such a grueling season — the title of "CHAMPION".

The stadium is filled to capacity with fans of all ages, backgrounds and occupations. Thousands of people who, for the next two hours, will share one common experience; one common passion. People who have come to watch the athletic skill and danger that defines this sport — to be mesmerized by opponents countering each other's strength, talent, heart and drive to win.

I look out into the sea of fans — some studying their programs, some clutching their treasured autographed photos they just received from their favorite athlete. I see children with their popcorn, action figures and player's cards anxiously awaiting their hero's arrival. The room is abuzz with snippets of conversations speculating final scores, competitor's advantages, strategies and injuries.

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It sure sounds as if a great football game is about to begin, doesn't it? No, it is not a football game. Maybe you thought I was attending a baseball game? No, wrong again. Perhaps you thought I was at a basketball game? No, not even close. Then it must be a hockey game. No, I'm sorry, wrong again.

You see, my sport is Professional Bull Riding.

Unlike football, when my athletes compete they are not wearing heavy padding to protect them from the body contact with their opponents. The bull athletes are wearing only their size and brute strength. The riders who face them don't just tackle their opposition and run, they hold on, strapped to the back of their opponent with just a bull rope and a great deal of determination and courage. In football, players are about the same size. In my sport bull riders face opponents nearly 10-15 times their weight. And, In my sport there are no "Arrest of the Week" segments on the news.

The dirt in my sport is not ground cover for running bases or pitching balls. The dirt in my sport is what a 2,000 pound bull's opponent is "wearing" when the beast throws him to the ground and wins the round. And, in my sport there is never a steroid scandal.

It certainly isn't a basketball game — what danger is there in basketball?

There is no high-sticking an opponent in the face in my sport. No tripping him on the ice, smacking his knees, slashing his body or banging his head into the boards. In my sport, riders help one another and each talented effort motivates the next. Both rider and bull are considered athletes, and each are scored accordingly. Bull rider athletes not only give back to their sport, to their fans and community, they mentor the young professionals arriving from the minors. They consider that part of their responsibility.

I do watch other sports. My husband of 37 years grew up a fan of the Lakers, Rams, Kings and Yankees. He has educated me to the nuances of the various sports and I have enjoyed going to baseball, football and hockey games. I have watched tennis, NASCAR, and golf as well. After being exposed to so many sports for so many years, I just cannot comprehend why professional bull riding is not equal to other professional sports. Why aren't professional bull riders considered for ESPY Awards? Because I am a prosecutor, it was in my blood to do some research to find out why. The sport of bull riding has been around for about 140 years and Professional Bull Riders organization has been successfully promoting the sport since its inception in 1992. So, what is the holdup?

I thought that the problem might be the fact those who have not followed the PBR's progress continue to have an image of rodeo clowns and men of the Old West who drink beer and for fun, get on the back of bulls. Any person who knows anything about the sport knows that that is an antiquated image. Mainstream sports writers, television executives, corporate sponsors celebrity investors and people outside the cowboy culture have embraced the PBR. The growth of the PBR since its inception has not only been a steady one but an amazing one as well.

The PBR in a short period of time has amassed an impressive sponsor profile. The PBR sponsors include Spire Capital Partners, Ford, Wrangler, Jack Daniel's, Dickies, Enterprise-Rent-A-Car just to name a few. All-in-all, the PBR has acquired over 30 sponsors.

In 2006 it was noted in a TIME article the sponsorship at that point in time had nearly tripled since 2000, to $22.5 million.

Richard Patterson, a Spire Capital partner, said in a 2007 article in Denver.youhub that all the sponsors he had spoken to called the PBR the next NASCAR. He found that it had "similar demographics and a very passionate fan base."

David Abrutyn, a senior vice-president at IMG Consulting, who combines advertisers with established and emerging sports franchises was quoted in the New York Times in 2007. "The popularity of the sport has many media and marketing executives salivating." He found the PBR to be growing every year, and considered professional bull riding to be "hot property."

Richard Patterson from Spire Capital Partners was also quoted in that article. "When we did our due diligence on this company, everyone kept telling us this is going to be the new NASCAR."

MSNBC in 2008 indicated that "in 1995 sponsorship revenue for PBR totaled $365,000. That has exploded... to close to $26 million in 2008.

Allen Montgomery, a vice president of Wrangler, said he saw a lift in sales in local stores when the PBR tour reached their location.

REUTERS in 2009 thought it important enough to report the news that the professional bull-riding circuit signed a multiyear deal with Fenway Sports Group, the group that owns the successful Boston Red Sox.

It does seem the corporate world recognizes the PBR as a profitable, mainstream sport with a rabid and increasingly growing fan base. And no wonder when one looks at the increasing television coverage and wide fan base that has boomed in just a few short years.

Sean Gleason, chief marketing officer of the PBR, had said in the New York Times in 2007 that the average income of the television bull riding viewer is $67, 000. The most avid fans at live events had an annual household income of $92,000. Nearly 10 million watched the event in 2002 but that number doubled to 20 million in 2007.

David Sweet from MSNBC noted in 2008 that the typical fan pays $38.40 per ticket on average, and "for the second time in a row, PBR's event at the nation's media capital at Madison Square Garden in the heart of New York tickets sold for up to $195 for each event."

In 2001 NBC debuted a PBR event. The executives were hoping to earn a 1.0 rating. Their expectations were exceeded when it garnered more than double that number. In 2001 the PBR earned more than 4,600,000 in rights fees and 85 countries broadcast their events--up from no rights fees earned and no countries broadcasting events just six years earlier.

In 2005 the PBR Finals in Las Vegas had more viewers than the those watching the Stanley Cup Finals.

And, in 2006, Sean Gallagher, senior vice president of production and development for TLC, said to FOX NEWS that "it is obvious to anyone who attends an event that the audience for bull riding is burgeoning in all directions... it's amazing how many people there are from all walks of life..."

So, why no recognition for ESPY Awards? I looked at the list of categories nominated for the award. When I saw that a competitive bass fisherman was one of the nominees for Best Outdoor Athlete of 2008 and one of the categories for the award was Best Ten Pin Bowler of the Year, I had to ask myself, "If not now, then when? What more could the PBR and the sport do to be recognized?"

The PBR is an organized sport governed by a set of rules and regulations. It has over 30 sponsors in the corporate world. It has celebrity investors Wayne Gretzky and John Elway, and Tommy Lasorda owns one of the bulls. It has a fan base of millions of people from around the world who watch the televised events. It had 1.7 million people attend the live events last year, people from every walk of life. People from 8 to 80, many of them women. Its popularity continues to grow in every mainstream medium. It has successfully marketed merchandise including books, DVDs and the movie "8 Seconds". The PBR Finals bring a revenue of $32 million to Las Vegas each year.

So, I ask you ESPN, if not now, then when?

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