PUEBLO, Colo. ― The Professional Bull Riders has joined forces for the fourth consecutive year with the American Forces Network to bring the 2015 PBR Built Ford Tough Series to more than 1 million American service members, Department of Defense civilians and their families worldwide.
In 2012, troops overseas were able to enjoy the PBR World Finals from Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center on AFN. In 2013, AFN expanded its efforts and broadcasted several BFTS events.
This year, the BFTS will be available for all the PBR fans overseas defending our country. The first 2015 PBR event broadcast on AFN was at the Monster Energy Buck off at the Garden, from “the world’s most famous arena,” Madison Square Garden on January 16-18. From that weekend forward, every Built Ford Tough Series Championship Round of every competition will now be broadcast worldwide on AFN.
“We are excited and honored to be able to continue to offer PBR events to our service men and women around the world,” PBR Chairman and CEO Jim Haworth said. “It is but a small consideration and a way for us to say ‘thank you’ for their hard work and dedication to protecting our rights and freedoms.”
The PBR is part of an extensive sports lineup on AFN including ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and live and delayed broadcasts of the NFL, NBA, NASCAR, MLB, NHL, NCAA football, NCAA men’s and women’s basketball, MLS soccer, PGA Tour, and other highly-rated team competitions.
“We are pleased to continue and strengthen our relationship with the Professional Bull Riders,” Corey Slutsky, chief of AFN sports programming said. “To bring the action and excitement of the Built Ford Tough Series to the U.S. military service members and their families deployed around the world, allows us to continue to provide the best sports to our deserving audience.”
The PBR features the world’s Top 35 bull riders and the fiercest bucking bulls in the country. Twenty-seven events will take place across 18 states in the United States this year, culminating with the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas Oct. 21-25 at the Thomas & Mack Center. The best bull riders in the world will compete all season, trying to accumulate the valuable points needed to rise to the top and become the PBR World Champion, a title that comes with a $1 million bonus and the coveted PBR World Champion buckle.
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