PBR Opens the Gate on 2021 Season with Gwinnett Invitational on Jan. 8-9
By: Easton Colvin
ATLANTA – For the first time in nearly 15 years, PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) elite Unleash The Beast (UTB) tour will buck its first bulls of the season in Georgia. Bringing the world’s Top 35 bull riders and rankest bovine athletes to the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth, Georgia, America’s original extreme sport will provide back-to-back nights of white-knuckle entertainment to the first market on the 2021 PBR schedule on January 8-9.
After having to cancel the 2020 Gwinnett Invitational due to event restrictions following the onset of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in March, PBR Commissioner Sean Gleason vowed to be back.
“We want to thank our loyal fans who couldn’t attend the event last March,” Gleason said. “We greatly appreciate their patience and continued support, and wanted to welcome them back. We’re excited to bring fans another full season of bull riding with comprehensive and industry leading protocols in place for safe events.”
Tickets for the 2021 Gwinnett Invitational will be available on Friday, November 13, and start at $22. In conjunction with PBR’s industry leading safety protocols, tickets will be sold in PODs, minimizing crossover and interaction between fan groups. PODS are available in groups from 2-8 seats. Tickets are available via PBR.com/Tickets or AXS.com, or by calling 1-800-732-1727.
Last time PBR opened a season in Duluth, reigning and two-time PBR World Champion Jess Lockwood (Volborg, Montana) was just 10 years old. Three-time PBR World Champion Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil) was embarking on the final season of his legendary career and finished second in the event to Mike Lee (Decatur, Texas), with both going a perfect 3-for-3 on the weekend.
During 2020 PBR was the last major professional sport in North America to host events during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, shuttering the Gwinnett Invitational to fans to produce a made-for-TV bull riding event. The event marked the return of Brazilian star Dener Barbosa (Paulo de Faria, Brazil), who capped off a perfect 3-for-3 performance with a 91-point conquering of Bullseye in the Championship Round.
For an enhanced PBR experience, fans can now purchase PBR Elite Seats and Premium Experiences, which provide a behind-the-chutes look into the toughest sport on dirt.
Premium options include early entry, premium seating options, pre-event question and answer sessions with PBR stars and a PBR 101 presentation.
The 2021 PBR UTB season consists of 26 stops, bringing the toughest athletes on Earth to cities such as New York City, Kansas City, St. Louis, Sacramento, Detroit, Ft. Worth and many more. The season culminates with the PBR World Finals at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, November 3-7. The 2021 PBR World Champion – the bull rider who earns the most world standings points during the season – will receive the coveted gold World Championship belt buckle and a $1 million bonus.
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