PUEBLO, Colo. (March 17, 2010) - Being recognized alongside the NFL, MLB and NBA has been an ongoing effort for the PBR.
So an elated Ty Murray was speechless on hearing that the organization he co-founded had been nominated in the category of “Professional Sports League of the Year” by the 2010 Sports Business Awards presented by Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal and Sports Business Daily.
In a column for the upcoming issue of Pro Bull Rider magazine, Murray wrote, “We keep pushing so hard to get people to realize and understand what a great sport we have. This is more proof that we are growing and that we are getting better. More importantly, there are people who recognize the athletes we have and what they’re doing out there.”
Street & Smith judges each league on the merits of its accomplishments, as opposed to any perception of mainstream popularity.
In 2008, five leagues were nominated for the award – NFL, MLB, NBA, MLS and WTA – with Major League Soccer earning top honors.
Last year, the NBA won out over the NFL, NHL and IRL.
“We’re trying to make it better every day for our fans,” Murray wrote, “and I know I said this before, but this is really exciting.”
Although the PBR experienced a record-setting year in 2009 – the organization saw 12-percent growth in attendance and a 3-percent increase in ticket revenue – what separates the league from its fellow nominees is the unprecedented one-on-one experiences that fans are afforded with the top professional bull riders in the world.
Official Fan Club members, for example, take part in meet-and-greets and other pre-event activities, and often have access to the dirt after the event.
Even non-members can meet riders after each event as they make their way around the fence, signing autographs and posing for photos. In fact, any of the Top 40 riders who do not make themselves available to the fans are fined $500 for not participating – unless they’re excused because of injuries or conflicting media obligations.
“Fans were able to go back and meet the riders, which surprised me,” said Terri Keul, a Fan Club member, when asked what stood out about her first PBR event. “I was able to meet J.W. Hart, Cord McCoy and Lee Aiken to name a few. They were all a great bunch of guys.”
Keul attends four or five regular-season Built Ford Tough Series events each year, as well as the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas.
“You can't find a better weekend trip to take,” Keul said. “I have met friends online and at events, and every one I go to has always been a blast—always something to look forward to throughout the year.”
Murray added that it would be amazing to win the award, but the recognition is a testament to what the riders and the fans have accomplished.
“Our fans are a big part of this,” he wrote.
“The amount of support we get, and the way our fan base is growing, and what it’s allowing these bull riders to be able to do is fantastic, and without that support, none of this would be possible.”
NEWS and NOTES
PBR NOW on RFD-TV: Hosted by J.W. Hart and Justin McBride, “PBR NOW” is a weekly live one-hour TV series that airs every Thursday on RFD-TV at 10 p.m. ET. Fans are encouraged to call in with questions at 866-547-9696, or email them to pbr@rfdtv.com.
This week, tune in for a full update regarding Kody Lostroh’s injuries, as well as interviews with L.J. Jenkins and Adriano Moraes. Jeff Robinson joins Hart and McBride on the set.
See the World: Tickets for the 2010 World Cup may be purchased by calling 1-866-PBRSHOW, or visiting www.unlvtickets.com. Hotel rooms and packages can be reserved at Treasure Island, the official host hotel of the World Cup. Not only will Treasure Island be home to the riders during the World Cup, but the hotel and casino will also play host to various World Cup after parties, and be “home base” for all PBR activity during the World Cup. For more information about prices and to reserve a room now, go to www.treasureisland.com or call (800) 288-7206.
Event Center: Follow all the action from this week’s BFTS event in Fresno, Calif., by logging on to www.pbr.com and entering the “Event Center,” which is accessible from the tab located at the top of the main Web page. The Event Center provides live scoring, live blogging and event-related Podcasts and interviews.
