Cowboy up. Online. PBR.TV puts all the action on your computer starting on Halloween

PUEBLO, Colo. (October 25, 2008) - Every year, October 31 is a day of dressing up.

Millions of Americans will dress up as cowgirls and nurses and pirates and cowboys.

Meanwhile, the Top 45 bull riders in the world will be looking to dress up their stats during Round 1 of the upcoming World Finals, which is the perfect opportunity for the PBR to dress up the Internet with the launch of a new broadband network.

PBR.TV will provide fans with a new online destination featuring exclusive and original content along with an extensive library of event footage.

Research collected from emarketer.com indicates that over 50 percent of U.S. consumers are watching online video, and PBR.TV will allow the PBR to serve its fans online with an official video portal.

To date, PBR fans have registered 16 million views on the PBR’s exclusive YouTube.com page. An ever-growing audience of 2 million visits PBRNOW.COM, and have logged over 5 million visits this year.

During the Finals, fans who log onto PBR.TV can expect various updates throughout each day of the two-week long event.

Among the features will be access to highlights – top rides and wrecks – immediately following each round, and behind-the-scenes access for interviews and rider reactions, along with regularly updated podcasts from PBR insider Justin McKee and newcomer Reese Cates, whose popular blog has been picked up from pbrnow.com and republished online at espn.com throughout the 2008 season.

Finals veterans know about funnyman Flint Rasmussen’s daily talk show in the Fan Zone on the Enterprise Stage, and PBR.TV will be broadcasting highlights from each of Flint’s five performances, which will include an opening monologue, rider interviews and, of course, interaction with PBR fans.

The PBR’s latest online venture was initiated by Andy Thwaite. The newly-hired VP of Digital Media worked with Chief Operating Officer Sean Gleason in conceiving the new project and bringing it to fruition in the past month.

“This is an exciting launch for the PBR,” Thwaite said, “allowing us to bring fans closer to the sport.”

Prior to joining the PBR, Thwaite was in the sports industry at IMG Media in London. IMG is the largest independent sports programming producer and distributor in the world.

Working in digital media, Thwaite helped various clients, leading sports organizations, sports brands and sports publishers develop their digital media business; including advising the International Olympic Committee on their new media rights for 2014 and ’16 Games along with building and activating new media business plans for Manchester United FC.

Thwaite will also oversee PBR MoBull and the continued development of PBRNOW.COM, which during the Finals will be provide complete coverage throughout each and every day of the event.

In addition to daily features and event coverage, fans can also log on to read regularly updated blogs from Ty Murray, Cord McCoy and Austin Meier.

—by Keith Ryan Cartwright