Unleash the Beast Series

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The Unleash the Beast Series (UTB) is the Premier Series of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). Monster Beverage Corporation is the current series sponsor for the premiership since 2018. From its founding in 1994 through 2002, it was sponsored by Anheuser-Busch (Bud Light Cup Series), and the Ford Motor Company (Built Ford Tough Series) from 2003 through 2017.[1][2][3] The UTB series was televised on CBS Sports Network from January 2018 through May 2024. It has been televised on TUDN and streamed on Vix Premium, both in Spanish, since 2024. By November 2024, the UTB series will be televised live in English on Merit Street and streamed live on the Merit+ application. The top 40 riders and top bulls compete at each event. It culminates at the PBR Unleash the Beast World Finals at the end of the regular season. The UTB series includes 24 events across the United States each year. Pyrotechnics, pulsating music, and special effects open each event.[1] UTB events range from one to three days, with all 40 riders competing in the long rounds, then the top 12 returning to the Championship Round to determine the event winner. [4]

  • The third Major of the year was the Last Cowboy Standing, which took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from 2011 through 2018, with the exception of the one-off year in 2012 when the event was held at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.[7] In July 2019, the Last Cowboy Standing event found a new home at Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[8] In 2020, Cheyenne Frontier Days was canceled for the first time in its 124-year history. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It ultimately effected the Last Cowboy Standing event as well.[9] Cheyenne Frontier Days returned in 2021, as did the Last Cowboy Standing event.[10]

Major events offered competition in different formats, bonus bulls, and more prize money.[4] The PBR did not visit New York City or Los Angeles in 2021 because of COVID-19 restrictions in said locations, and the Iron Cowboy event took place at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, that year in the summer instead of its usual run in the winter.[14] The UTB series returned to Madison Square Garden in New York City[15] and Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) in Los Angeles in 2022.[16] Since said year, neither Cheyenne or Nashville are events on the UTB schedule. Nashville is now a stop on the PBR Team Series schedule. In 2022 and 2023, Cheyenne was also a Team Series event, but in 2024, the Last Cowboy Standing returned to Cheyenne; only now as a stop on the PBR's lower-level Challenger Series.[17]

After a two-year hiatus, Majors returned to the Premier Series in 2024. These events include the Monster Energy Buck Off at the Garden in New York, New York; the Wrangler Long Live Cowboys Classic in Sacramento, California; and the Ty Murray Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[18]

15/15 Bucking Battles are offered at some UTB events. This type of event matches the top 15 bull riders against the top 15 bulls in attendance. The matching is random. There is a separate purse for this event. Points are earned at the rate of 1 and 1/2 times the round points. Points do not factor into the event winner but do count toward the UTB standings. The winner is the bull rider with the highest ride score. The 15/15 Bucking Battles are broadcast on CBS.[4]

Qualifying for the PBR World Finals used to be based on points earned at all of the PBR's tours, which included the UTB elite tour, mid-level (Velocity Tour), and entry level (Touring Touring Division) tour, and the International tours. International tours include Australia, Brazil, and Canada. [19] However, beginning in 2023, only points won on the UTB series count towards the PBR World Finals and world championship race.[20] Mexico also had a PBR tour, but the COVID-19 pandemic and financial struggles were major factors that led to its eventual shutdown in 2023. The top 40 riders in the UTB standings according to points earned, the Velocity Tour champion, the top three point earners in the Velocity Tour after the conclusion of its finals event, and the highest ranked finishing international rider not already ranked inside the top 35 of the UTB standings all compete at the World Finals.

Since 2024, the PBR World Finals are held at two different venues in two different cities in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex; the first six days at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, then the final two days at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.[21] The event's prize money also increased from $2.7 million to 3.13 million. This includes the $1 million bonus to the World Champion, who also receives a trophy cup and championship gold belt buckle. The latter of which the value increased from $10,000 to $20,000 in 2018.[3][19]

  1. ^ a b "Monster Energy Expands Relationship with Professional Bull Riders". Professional Bull Riders. www.pbr.com. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  2. ^ 2020 PBR Media Guide, PBR Tours and World Finals, p. 8.
  3. ^ a b 2020 PBR Media Guide, The PBR & Bull Riding Basics - PBR Belt Buckle, p.25.
  4. ^ a b c d 2016 PBR Media Guide, PBR USA Tours - Built Ford Tough Series, p.43.
  5. ^ "2017 PBR World Champion Lockwood Wins Monster Energy Buck Off At The Garden". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  6. ^ "Joao Ricardo Vieira earns third Iron Cowboy title". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  7. ^ "Kaique Pacheco Wins Third Career Last Cowboy Standing". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  8. ^ "PBR Last Cowboy Standing To Be Held At Cheyenne Frontier Days In 2019". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  9. ^ "Cheyenne Frontier Days canceled for 1st time in 124 years". 9 News. May 27, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  10. ^ "PBR Last Cowboy Standing 2021". Professional Bull Riders. July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  11. ^ "Teel Wins Music City Knockout In Nashville". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  12. ^ "Professional Bull Riders in Nashville". Visit Nashville TN. July 12, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  13. ^ "PBR Returns to Nashville in 2021". Professional Bull Riders. August 22, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  14. ^ "PBR Iron Cowboy 2021". Professional Bull Riders. August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  15. ^ "PBR Returns to New York City". Professional Bull Riders. January 8, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  16. ^ "PBR Returns to Los Angeles". Professional Bull Riders. February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  17. ^ "Ezekiel Mitchell wins Camping World PBR Last Cowboy Standing in Cheyenne, Wyoming". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  18. ^ "Major events returning to PBR Premier Series in 2024". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  19. ^ a b 2016 PBR Media Guide, Built Ford Tough Series Scoring - World Finals Qualification, p.29.
  20. ^ "New points system for PBR in 2023". Profesional Bull Riders. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  21. ^ "PBR goes old school, set to open World Finals with Elimination Rounds inside historic Cowtown Coliseum May 9-12". Professional Bull Riders. Retrieved February 23, 2024.