(Editor's note: PBR media release)
PUEBLO, Colo. -- Ahead of the launch of the 2021 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast season Saturday in Ocala, Fla., the league has announced a major format change for the premier series. PBR is introducing one-day competitions, which will create daily winners, further intensifying the race for the PBR World Championship and accompanying $1 million bonus.
The format change will afford the world’s best bull riders more opportunities to earn world points, while guaranteeing that fans will see a winner every time they attend or tune-in to an Unleash The Beast tour stop.
The 2021 season – now comprised of one-day competitive showdowns all season long – is projected to host more than double the amount of premier series competitions compared to past seasons.
“Every time a fan buys a PBR Unleash The Beast ticket, they want to see a championship round and a winner. The new format makes that a reality,” said PBR CEO and Commissioner Sean Gleason. “Additionally, there is now the potential for more outs per weekend, giving riders more opportunities to garner points. By emphasizing winning, these changes will make our gold buckle race even more exciting and enhance the fan experience.
“Additionally, this change can help keep our industry moving forward by allowing us to remain flexible in places where health guidelines may change quickly and without notice.”
For every premier series event, each calendar day of action will constitute a competition.
Each competition will be comprised of two rounds. The Top 30 riders in the world will attempt one bull each in Round 1 of the competition, with the Top 12 advancing to the championship round. If fewer than 12 qualified rides are logged in the first round, the remaining positions will be filled on buck off time.
Riders will be awarded world points for their finish in each round and the competition aggregate. The rider with the most world points at the conclusion of each competition will be crowned the competition winner. One rider will have the chance to earn a maximum 140 world points at each competition.
At the conclusion of each weekend of action, the rider with the most world points earned across all the competitions will be anointed the event winner, presented with a Montana Silversmith’s belt buckle and presented a $10,000 bonus. The event winner will not receive additional world points.
The new format for the PBR Unleash The Beast will debut on Jan. 16-17 in Ocala, Florida for the season-launch PBR Monster Energy Invitational at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion where riders will begin their quest to qualify for the season-culminating 2021 PBR World Finals on Nov. 3-7 in Las Vegas.
PBR has also increased the number of world points available at the World Finals for the upcoming season. One rider will now be able to earn a maximum of 2,160 world points at the five-day World Finals, further intensifying the 2021 World Championship race.
