GREAT EIGHT – After a one-year hiatus, the Built Ford Tough Series will visit Arizona this week for the Bass Pro Chute Out. It is the eighth year the BFTS has been to Phoenix, but the BFTS has stopped in Arizona 16 times overall, including six consecutive stops in Glendale (2007-2012) and two in Tucson (1997-1998). The PBR will buck bulls at the US Airways Center in Phoenix beginning at 8 p.m. MT on Saturday, March 8, and at 2:50 p.m. PT on Sunday, March 9.
ON DECK – The BFTS makes a stop in Tacoma, Wash., next week for the PBR Passport Invitational. The Tacoma Dome will host the PBR Saturday, March 15, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 16, at 2:50 p.m.
PAST PHOENIX EVENT WINNERS – Both two-time World Champions Chris Shivers and Justin McBride have won the Phoenix event. Here is a complete list of past winners in Phoenix:
Gilbert Carrillo (1999)
Norman Curry (2000)
Jim Sharp (2001)
Cory Melton (2002)
Justin McBride (2004)
Ross Coleman (2005)
Chris Shivers (2006)
FORMAT – This weekend, the Top 35 bull riders on the BFTS will compete in Round 1 on Saturday night and Round 2 on Sunday afternoon, facing one bull in each round. The riders with the Top 15 scores after two rounds will advance to the Built Ford Tough Championship Round on Sunday for an additional ride and a chance at the $30,000 event title.
POSSIBLE POINTS – There are 900 possible points available in Phoenix, as the winner of the event will receive 300 points and each of the three round wins is worth 100 points plus the ride score.
PROVIDING PROTECTION – The Dickies® Bullfighters this weekend are Jesse Byrne of Okotoks, Alberta; Shorty Gorham of Cotulla, Texas; and Frank Newsom of Paoli, Okla.
TELEVISION BROADCAST – PBR LIVE will broadcast the Bass Pro Chute Out at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 8 and 5:50 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 9.
The Bass Pro Chute Out will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network Sunday, March 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The broadcast will have Craig Hummer providing play-by-play, color commentary from J.W. Hart and dirt-level interviews will be handled by Leah Garcia.
Sunday will be a PURE PBR broadcast that will also include commentary from Dickies® Bullfighter Shorty Gorham. The PURE PBR broadcasts provide a new approach, including everything from candid moments between rides to various opportunities for the broadcasters to not only explain, but also visually illustrate whatever point they’re trying to make. Expect Hummer, Hart and Gorham to take viewers inside the world of the PBR, spending one-on-one time with riders before their respective rides and giving viewers a chance to listen in on the one-of-a-kind conversation.
BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR by David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer and creative lead.
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