ACM 43 Moves To Sunday Night This Year, With Hopes Of Higher Ratings

On one hand, you could call it a surrender to American Idol's drawing power during the week (last's year's ACM TV ratings were pretty good unless you compared them to Fox's that same night), or on the other you could term it a great way to spend a weekend in Las Vegas:

The leadup:

Fremont Street Experience
Friday, May 16th, 6:30pm

Randy Owen will perform at Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is the title sponsor of the two-day party featuring free, open-to-the-public musical performances and boot-stompin’ fun.

5th Annual Motorcycle Ride
Saturday, May 17th, 9am

More than 25 all-star country artists will participate in the Academy of Country Music 5th Annual Charity Motorcycle Ride benefiting the Academy of Country Music Charitable Fund on Saturday, May 17, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. For the fifth time in the Motorcycle Ride’s history, country duo Montgomery Gentry will host the event.

Artists participating in this year’s event are Keith Anderson, Bluefield, Sarah Buxton, Carolina Rain, Stephen Cochran, Ira Dean, 2 Foot Fred, Randy Houser, Emma Mae Jacob, Jamey Johnson, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Cody McCarver, Jeremy McComb, Richie McDonald, Craig Morgan, Heidi Newfield, James Otto, The Road Hammers, The Roys, Rhonda Townes, Whiskey Falls Tommy Lee Wilson, and Wolf/Hollywood Yates.

The Academy of Country Music Charity Motorcycle Ride will kick-off from the Las Vegas Harley-Davidson, which is the largest Harley-Davidson dealership in the nation. Riders will cruise through the Nevada desert and along the mountains, circling back until they reach Fremont Street, where the ride culminates in a live concert—free and open to the public—featuring past and present Academy of Country Music Award nominees and some of country’s best new artists.

Academy of Country Music Celebrity Golf Classic
Saturday, May 17th, 11am

Rascal Flatts will host the Academy of Country Music Celebrity Golf Classic, a fund-raising effort benefitting the Academy of Country Music Charitable Fund to be held on Saturday, May 17th, 2008 at TPC Las Vegas in Las Vegas. The golf tournament will exclusively cater to a sold out group of 100 golfers at TPC Las Vegas, which is considered the home of professional golf in Las Vegas.

Academy of Country Music Charitable Fund’s New Artists’ Party for a Cause
Saturday, May 17th, 6:30pm

Top New Male Vocalist nominees Luke Bryan, Jack Ingram and Jake Owen, Top New Female Vocalist nominees Sarah Buxton, Kellie Pickler and Taylor Swift and Top New Vocal Duo or Group nominees Carolina Rain and Lady Antebellum will perform live during the second annual Academy of Country Music Charitable Fund’s New Artists’ Party for a Cause™ Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 6:00 PM in the MGM Grand Marquee Ballroom in Las Vegas. (Nominees The Wreckers are unable to perform.)

All proceeds from the show will benefit the Academy of Country Music Charitable Fund. Tickets for the event are available to the public for $50.00 and may be purchased through the MGM Grand Box Office and Ticketmaster outlets.

Fremont Street Experience
Saturday, May 17th, 6:30pm

Sugarland will perform at Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is the title sponsor of the two-day party featuring free, open-to-the-public musical performances and boot-stompin’ fun.