All About Bull Riding

Headquartered in Pueblo, Colorado, the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. was created in 1992 when a group of 20 visionary bull riders broke away from the traditional rodeo scene seeking mainstream attention for the sport of professional bull riding. They felt that, as the most popular event at a rodeo, bull riding deserved to be in the limelight and could easily stand alone. Each rider invested a hard-earned $1,000, a few of them borrowing from family and friends, to start the PBR.

In early 2007, Spire Capital Partners finalized a deal with the PBR Board of Directors to acquire the interests of many of the retired founding riders and invest in the growth of the organization. Those first 20 bull riders had turned their $1,000 into millions. Owned today by 44 cowboys, management and Spire Capital, the PBR celebrated its most successful year of existence in 2007, establishing milestones in organizational revenue, bull rider earnings, record breaking performances, and media attention. It still relishes the title of being the fastest growing sport in the country.

More than 1,200 bull riders from the >U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico hold PBR memberships. They compete in more than 300 bull riding events per year on either the elite tour, which is the Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler (BFTS), the three minor league tours, which are the Challenger Tour, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour, and the Discovery Tour, or the PBR Internationalcircuits (PBR Australia, PBR Brazil, PBR Canada and PBR Mexico). The ultimate goal for PBR athletes each year is to qualify for the prestigious PBR World Finals in Las Vegas where the coveted title of PBR World Champion is decided. The 20 original PBR founders took a serious gamble when they pooled their limited resources to fund the grass roots operation; however the risk has certainly paid off. In addition to attracting investors such as Spire Capital Partners, corporate sponsors which include Ford, Wrangler, Jack Daniel’s, Dickies, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the city of Las Vegas have brought such attention to the sport that in after just 14 seasons, the annual prize money has sky-rocketed to more than $10 million dollars.

With the success of the PBR and the increasing sponsorship interests, major television networks continue to support the PBR, as well. In 2007, eight Built Ford Tough Series broadcasts were aired on NBC and FOX Sports; all 30 events aired on the VERSUS. Additionally, foreign broadcasts reached 84 countries and more than 500 million households. Over 100 million viewers tune in each year to the PBR on network and cable television in the United States, and ratings are steadily on the rise. The 2008 season also boasts eight network broadcasts and will have 34 live BFTS events nationwide.

The combination of raw sport and quality entertainment has propelled the PBR to strong growth in live attendance as well. In 1995, 310,000 fans attended PBR events across the nation. Today the PBR attracts over 1.5 million live event attendees each year with its multi-tiered event structure. During the recent seven-day PBR World Finals nearly 90,000 people attended the live show and millions of viewers tuned in at home via network and cable television domestically as well as around the world. In its fifth year on VERSUS, the PBR World Finals showed a marked increase in ratings. Impressive audience numbers indicate that the PBR is making an indelible impression on mainstream America.

Professional bull riding is a fierce, rough, and grueling sport with roots deeply imbedded in American culture. It’s America’s original extreme sport. The PBR has evolved into a captivating and adrenaline charged sporting event that features an all star cast of the greatest bull riders and bucking bulls in the world.