PBR offers "Last Cowboy Standing" as Pay-Per-View in Canada
04/12/2011
MEDIA CONTACT:
Joanna French, PR & Marketing Coordinator
Professional Bull Riders Canada
403.241.4531 office
joanna@pbrcanada.com
PBR offers "Last Cowboy Standing" as Pay-Per-View in Canada
Fans won't miss a minute of action as riders compete for $300,000
LAS VEGAS, NV (April 12, 2011) - The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) announced that fans in Canada will now be able to view the “Last Cowboy Standing” event, live from Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Events Centre on Saturday, April 16 beginning at 9 p.m. ET. The event will be available on Viewers Choice Pay Per Viewand will retail for $29.99 (Standard Definition) and $39.99 (High Definition). Viewers Choice will also offer replays of the event during the months of April and May 2011 to give viewers opportunities to catch all of the action.“We are thrilled to be able to provide the opportunity for our Canadian fans to see this unique and exciting event live,” said PBR Chief Global Events Officer Dave Cordovano. “Unlike our normal TV broadcast, viewers will be able to experience all the action just as if they were there live at the event, including opening ceremonies, all the competition, and even Flint Rasmussen.”
PBR veteran broadcaster Craig Hummer will call the play-by-play and nine-time World Champion and PBR co-founder Ty Murray will provide color commentary. Leah Garcia will do dirt-level interviews while fan favorite Justin McKee will provide special segments and features for the broadcast and work alongside in-arena announcers Brandon Bates and Clint Adkins.
Because there are no commercials or time restraints, the pay-per-view broadcast will be different than the weekly telecast on VERSUS. Fans at home will experience every minute of action, beginning with the opening, cameras will roll throughout the broadcasts, allowing fans to see:
- Pyrotechnics and rider introductions
- Every ride and wreck
- World-class entertainer Flint Rasmussen
- Special features
- Craig Hummer, Ty Murray, Shorty Gorham, and Justin McKee
- $200,000 cheque presentation to the “Last Cowboy Standing”
“Last Cowboy Standing” is a progressive elimination event featuring the Top 40 riders from the Built Ford Tough Series competing against the fiercest bucking bulls for the top prize of $200,000 – the largest one-day regular-season payout of 2011 and the second-highest one-day prize in PBR history. To take home the grand prize, a rider will have to ride at least three bulls, whose average weight is 1,700 pounds, and could get on as many as five.
Tickets for the one-of-a-kind event are still available, and can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay box office, online at www.Ticketmaster.com, and by telephone at (800) 745-3000.
Each of the 40 riders will ride a bull in Round 1. Those who reach 8 seconds in Round 1 will advance to the next round, where they will each ride another bull. This elimination format continues until there is only one Cowboy left, who wins the $200,000. There will be a minimum of three rounds and a maximum of five rounds.
The PBR has opened its DVD vault, and fans who purchase the pay-per-view will be given the opportunity to receive a free DVD by filling out and returning a rebate form. Fans who complete and return the form will be given one of six classic PBR titles: “Ultimate Showdown,” “Legendary Bulls,” “Bred For Greatness,” “And They Survived,” “Reign Of A King,” and “Bulldiculous.”
“Last Cowboy Standing” is being offered as a pay-per-view because regular PBR broadcast partner VERSUS is unable to broadcast the event live or in the same weekend because of the National Hockey League playoffs. The PBR created the opportunity for fans to catch the action of one of the most unique and exciting events as it happens.
BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR by David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by Neal.
Please visit www.viewerschoice.ca for information on how to purchase the “Last Cowboy Standing” pay-per-view event.
The PBR also announced this week that Canadian fans can again watch the Built Ford Tough Series on TSN2, Canada’s most-watched digital sports network. The one-hour broadcasts air Wednesday’s at 9 p.m. PT, 12 midnight ET (please check local listings). The broadcasts will conclude Nov. 10 with the Built Ford Tough World Finals, the richest bull riding event in the world. Held each year in Las Vegas, the Finals is where the 2011 PBR World Champion will be crowned and awarded the $1 million Built Ford Tough bonus.
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About Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Canada:
Dollars earned at Canadian events counts towards qualification to the elite PBR Canadian Cup National Finals. Upon the conclusion of the Finals, the bull rider with the most regular season and Finals points is crowned the PBR Canadian National Champion. Money won at all Canadian events counts toward qualifying on the prestigious PBR Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS). At the end of the BFTS season, the top-ranked PBR Canada rider will compete at the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas, NV. For more information on PBR Canada, go to www.pbrcanada.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pbr.canada and Twitter at http://twitter.com/PBRCanada.
About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR):
The PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 100 million viewers annually watch over 400 hours of primetime PBR programming on VERSUS, NBC, CBS and networks around the world. The PBR has awarded over $100 million in prize money and 20 riders have earned over $1 million including Justin McBride with $5.5 million, the most of any western-sports athlete in history. The PBR was nominated as 2010 Sports League of the Year at the Sports Business Journal Sports Business Awards alongside the National Football League, National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Nearly two million fans attend elite Built Ford Tough Series and Touring Pro Division events each year. For more information on the PBR, go to www.pbr.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamPBR and http://twitter.com/TEAMPBR.
© PBR Canada, Inc. 2011