As of last Friday, the sale of the Precision Rifle Series was finalized. As opposed to posting a "canned" press release in regards to my purchase of the PRS, it's better that I outline why I bought the PRS and what I see as the future of the PRS.
I'm a competitive shooter just like everyone else here in the PRS Facebook Members Group. I, as we all do, want to see the sport of long range competitive shooting grow. I also want to see the long range competitive shooting community come together to help further that growth. Fragmentation within the community will only hinder its long-term growth. By helping the sport grow, it benefits the shooting community as a whole (shooters, match directors, ranges, sponsors, etc.). Long range competitive shooting is currently growing at a fast pace, and the PRS will take an active role within the community to help ensure we keep that momentum.
Going forward, the PRS will focus additional efforts at the club level. With the 2017 season halfway through, there is not a lot of changes that can be made at this point. What I can do is suspend the $5 per shooter fee that the clubs pay to the PRS to upload scores for the remainder of the season and pass along any club level sponsorship money that was received in 2017 by the PRS. This means 100% of the club level sponsorship money paid will go towards helping support the club level finale for each region. That includes any money received before I took ownership in 2017.
The only changes in 2017 for the two-day national level matches this year will be in regards to helping provide support where needed and in regards to prize money. For the remainder of the 2017 season, I will reinstate the two-day match winner's check but increase it from the $1000 to $5000. The biggest change will be in regards to the winner of the finale. The winner of the finale will receive a $25,000 check. Second place will receive $12,500, and third place will receive $7500. The Tactical Division winner will receive $5000. The prize money for the overall series winner will remain the same as 2016. At the end of the 2017 season, I will reevaluate the prize money amounts and how they will be divided among the various matches and finale. I haven't looked at the membership subscriptions revenue in depth, but primarily the membership fees paid into the PRS will help determine the prize money for 2018.
For 2018 most of our efforts will be focused on helping support the community and growing the sport. For example, in 2018 the PRS will have a more active presence in the western states. We are currently working on getting more matches out west on the 2018 schedule and will be adding at least one more for the current 2017 season. Jake Vibbert will be hosting a PRS two-day match towards the end of this season. We will be posting the details of Jake's match by early next week.
The current staffing within the PRS will remain the same. We will be naming a director for the Gas Gun Series soon. I have brought on Ryan Castle to help me directly with some of the projects I'm working on regarding the long-term growth of the PRS. You will see him or myself at the remaining two-day matches along with some of the club level matches.
Brian Dennis
