Carrying at the Houston Rodeo & Livestock

[jamisjockey]

Is "professional sporting event" defined anywhere in Texas code?

[WildBill]

Is "professional sporting event" defined anywhere in Texas code?

No, it's not defined. I think that everyone agrees that a rodeo is a professional sporting event.

[Teamless]

Professional in the most common meaning (and no, I am not here to say that the law uses what is common) is if a person gets paid for winning at a sport type event.
Just look at NCAA Rules, they are even more strict, a person cannot be paid in money or gifts or other tangible items in lieu of money for any sport type event.
Basketball players, once they get paid, lose NCAA eligibility, football, etc etc.

[WildBill]

Professional in the most common meaning (and no, I am not here to say that the law uses what is common) is if a person gets paid for winning at a sport type event.

Most professionals also get paid if they lose.

[RoyGBiv]

I'd bet (just my guess) if you were "observed" during the concert by a PO, you'd be taking the ride in bracelets regardless.

What crime would he arrest you for? It's not against the law to carry at a concert.

There are plenty of threads here documenting folks getting arrested (and often, but not always, released) for things that are not "against the law".... LE education, hair splitting on interpretation.... An officer might easily decide to let the DA sort it out and decide whether to press charges, but that won't prevent a ride in bracelets if an officer believes it's appropriate...

[rm9792]

So if you go to both you can't carry?
If your wife takes the bullets and magazine, and you have the empty gun are you legal?

Only time I have ever seen ammo mentioned in the code is in reference to availability to a minor. Loaded/chambered=bad, not loaded=not as bad.

[jamisjockey]

Professional in the most common meaning (and no, I am not here to say that the law uses what is common) is if a person gets paid for winning at a sport type event.
Just look at NCAA Rules, they are even more strict, a person cannot be paid in money or gifts or other tangible items in lieu of money for any sport type event.
Basketball players, once they get paid, lose NCAA eligibility, football, etc etc.

But what do you consider a "sporting" event? I carried to Monster Jam. Is that a "sporting" event? What about professional wrestling?

[Teamless]

But what do you consider a "sporting" event?

That is the best question I have read in a long time (no sarcasm).
How is sporting event defined and what is / is not a sporting event.

In my eyes, I would say the following (and probably more will come to mind) and all of the below should say "Professional" in front of them
Baseball
Football
Soccer
Golf
Bowling
Basketball
Hockey

[hirundo82]

But what do you consider a "sporting" event?

A sporting event for our purposes is whatever the prosecutor can get 12 jurors to accept.

[alvins]

what about curling?

[Keith B]

Professional in the most common meaning (and no, I am not here to say that the law uses what is common) is if a person gets paid for winning at a sport type event.
Just look at NCAA Rules, they are even more strict, a person cannot be paid in money or gifts or other tangible items in lieu of money for any sport type event.
Basketball players, once they get paid, lose NCAA eligibility, football, etc etc.

But what do you consider a "sporting" event? I carried to Monster Jam. Is that a "sporting" event? What about professional wrestling?

Well, here is the catch. The dictionary defines Sport as: an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc. Athletic is defined as: of or pertaining to athletes; involving the use of physical skills or capabilities, as strength, agility, or stamina: athletic sports; athletic training.
And, Professional is defined as: following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain.

So, in defined terms, if there is a payout of money that supplies the individuals with their living and it is an athletic activity that would require the skill or physical prowess, then it could be used as an argument that it is a professional sporting activity.

I see that professional wrestling would be a physical activity and that is their profession. Also, NASCAR is considered a sport, so don't know why Monster Trucks and sprint car races, etc. that require skill be in that official definition. Rodeo is definitely a sport as it is the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) that they belong to. This could fit just about anything they wanted it to by the definition.

Now, the issue is, what was the intended meaning of a professional sporting event when the legislature wrote the bill? I don't think they were really intending for it to be that broad, and meant things like NFL, NBA, NHL, etc., but if you had a creative prosecutor that wanted to push the issue, I think they could build a case that Smack-down and Monster Jam were professional sporting events.

[Ameer]

I think the evidence in itself is the ticket stub.
It states Rodeo and Concert, so the ticket holder (or person who lost their ticket stub but is inside the ticket scanners) is expected to be there for the concert

What if you had a ticket to the rodeo but were on the event grounds at the livestock show?

I wouldn't want to be the test case, would you?

No. I agree the best is boycotting until they change the rules.

[sabre1100]

I will be at the livestock show for the better part of 3 days. Grandchild is showing livestock. I was there last year and did not carry after reading threads on this forum. Seems like there was alot of question about being 3006 posted. I would like to carry just due to parking lot to grounds. Does anyone feel I am taking a chance by carrying. I will not be attending Rodeo, nor will I have a ticket to Rodeo.

[Teamless]

What if you had a ticket to the rodeo but were on the event grounds at the livestock show?

if you are not caught inside the ticket scanners with a weapon, then you are fine, the livestock show is not a professional sporting event

[alvins]

does this article in the chronicle change anything?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/7456251.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


"The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association didn't sanction Houston's rodeo this year, and Houston may decide it's big enough to keep standing alone."