Patrick Gottsch, 70, founder of the company that launched the Fort Worth Stockyards-based The Cowboy Channel, died May 18.
“It is with profound sadness that we recently announced the sudden passing of our beloved father, Patrick, who died unexpectedly early Saturday morning,” the family said in a statement on the RFD website. “Patrick was a pioneer and legend in the Western world and a fixture at rodeo events, always cheering on cowboys and cowgirls. He dedicated his life to building a 24-hour rural television network and multimedia company.”
Gottsch grew up on his family’s farm in Elkhorn, Nebraska, and attended Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Gottsch moved to Fort Worth in 1991 where he began Superior Livestock Auction, a company that introduced satellite video marketing to the livestock industry.
In 2000, he began to develop the idea of a 24-hour TV network and launched Rural Free Delivery Television, or RFD-TV, on Dish Network, expanding to DIRECTV in March 2002. Other cable agreements soon followed.
Now, RFD-TV is available in more than 50 million homes nationwide.
He expanded Rural Media Group Inc., the parent company of RFD-TV, to include The Cowboy Channel, The Cowgirl Channel, and Rural Radio 147.
The Cowboy Channel features a variety of live coverage from major Western events and rodeos across the country.
“He really brought rodeo and cowboys into people’s living rooms everywhere,” said Pam Minick, marketing director and co-owner of Billy Bob’s Texas. “His legacy is bridging the gap between rural and urban. He wanted to make sure that everyone that lived in a city knew where their food came from, how our country was founded, and connecting rural and urban communities was his goal and I think his biggest legacy.”
Gottsch and his network shined a spotlight on Fort Worth, Minick said.
“Twenty-four hours a day on both networks, you knew where it was broadcast from,” she said. “It was broadcast from the Fort Worth Stockyards.”
A friend of Gottsch, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said Gottsch shined a light on rural America with his various communication channels.
“His dedication to preserving and promoting agriculture was unmatched, and his impact on rural broadcasting was truly historic,” said Miller in a statement. “Patrick’s legacy will continue to inspire and support rural communities for generations to come.”
Gottsch married his wife, Angie, in October 2017, and they have a daughter, Rose. He also has two grown daughters: Raquel Gottsch Koehler, Gatsby Gottsch Solheim and Rose. Koehler serves as CEO of The Cowboy Channel, and Solheim serves as general counsel for Rural Media Group.
The company said there will be a private service for family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, they ask that donations be made in Gottsch’s name to the National FFA Foundation.
Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org.
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