PBR’s Best Return to Albuquerque for 21st Consecutive Year

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – For the 21st consecutive year, the PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) will return to Albuquerque for the Ty Murray Invitational, presented by the Isleta Resort and Casino, March 17-19.

Albuquerque fans will be treated to intense action at WisePies Arena, aka The Pit, as 35 of the world’s top bull riders take on the rankest bulls in the sport, all to gain valuable points that go toward the PBR world standings. Ticket prices for the three-day event range from $18 to $153. Tickets can be purchased at the WisePies Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations and ticketmaster.com. The Ty Murray Invitational will begin at 7:45 p.m. on Friday, March 17; 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 18; and 1:45 p.m. on Sunday, March 19.

Scheduled to compete in Albuquerque, are reigning PBR World Champion Cooper Davis, former PBR World Champions J.B. Mauney (2013, 2015), Silvano Alves (2014, 2012, 2011) Mike Lee (2004) and 2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi, as he continues his pursuit of recording a historic 600 rides. Currently, the 34-year old is seven rides away from becoming the first rider in PBR history to reach 600 qualified rides.

Albuquerque will also get to see a group of young guns who have taken the 2017 season by storm. Led by last week’s winner in Little Rock, Derek Kolbaba, 2015 Rookie of the Year Kaique Pacheco, Claudio Montanha Jr. and Koal Livingston will be looking to claim the event title as well.

Joining the PBR’s best in New Mexico will be special invitee, Cody Jesus (Window Rock, AZ), the 2016 Indian National Finals Rodeo bull riding champion.

For an enhanced PBR experience, fans can also purchase PBR Elite Seats, which provide a behind-the-scenes look into the toughest sport on dirt. This once-in-a-lifetime experience includes early entry; tickets to a premium seating section; a catered reception; a 60-minute, backstage tour by a PBR Host, featuring a PBR 101 presentation and visit with the sport’s fiercest bulls; and the opportunity for photos and autographs from the top PBR stars. After the event, PBR Elite Seat ticketholders also will be given premium dirt access, where they can get their complimentary 8 Seconds PBR program, Elite Seat lanyard and other memorabilia autographed by the Top 35 bull riders in the world.

The PBR Elite Seats are available for $300 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or by contacting the PBR Customer Service Department at 800-732-1727.

The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network – the home of the PBR – and networks around the world. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with 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.

Fans also can watch each round in real time on PBR LIVE available at no charge. Fans also can watch the action via the PBR LIVE app, available for download on Google Play and iTunes.

The Ty Murray Invitational is the 11^th stop on the 2017 Built Ford Tough Series schedule. The season kicked off Jan. 6-8 in New York City at Madison Square Garden and will conclude at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas Nov. 1-5, taking place at T-Mobile Arena. After five days of competition, the 2017 PBR World Champion, the bull rider who earns the most PBR world standings points during the season, will be crowned and receive the coveted $10,000 World Championship belt buckle and a $1 million bonus.