PUEBLO, Colo. (May 17, 2024) – PBR (Professional Bull Riders) today announced media rights agreements with CBS Sports and Merit Street Media™ that will bring fans the most LIVE bull riding television coverage and shoulder programming in the sport’s history. Under the new agreements, every event day in the PBR Unleash The Beast individual tour and PBR Teams league will now be broadcast LIVE in dedicated windows on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. As a result, PBR will have more than 325 hours of total programming for the sport annually and its network broadcasts will be available in more homes than ever before.
CBS Sports, PBR’s media partner since 2012, has extended its agreement through 2030 to carry PBR events on the CBS Television Network and Paramount+, increasing annual broadcast coverage to 25 hours a year. CBS Sports will showcase PBR’s premier events in both the PBR Unleash The Beast individual tour and PBR Teams league.In continuing to set the bar for Western sports events coverage and athlete storytelling, PBR on CBS reached over 31 million viewers in 2023. Average viewership for PBR on the CBS Television Network events was over 900,000 viewers per broadcast in 2023.
Merit Street Media, the news and entertainment cable network founded by Dr. Phil McGraw, has reached an agreement for Merit Street Television to carry live PBR events and associated programming for the growing sport, producing more than 300 hours of total original PBR content annually. Beginning in July, in its first partnership with a major professional sport, Merit Street will carry PBR Teams events; the full schedule for PBR Unleash The Beast, the sport’s premier individual competition series; and 50 episodes of PBR Now, a news, information, and analysis program.
RidePass, PBR’s Western Sports and Lifestyle channel on PlutoTV, will move to Merit+, the free streaming and VOD destination of Dr. Phil’s Merit Street network available from their favorite device or connected TV including the 24/7 live broadcast feed.
The Merit Street agreement also includes greater exposure for women’s rodeo, carrying six two-hour WRWC (Women’s Rodeo World Championship) events, through the WRWC’s partnership with PBR.
“Making every ride, every round, and every event available live to fans is a game changer for PBR,” said Sean Gleason, CEO and Commissioner, PBR. “CBS Sports continues to give us the broadest reach possible for our most premium content, while Merit Street is making PBR the anchor of their sports coverage.”
“We are excited that CBS Sports will continue our decades long partnership with the PBR and showcase the sport for years to come,” said Dan Weinberg, Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports. “PBR’s aptitude for growth and dynamic spirit have pushed them to new heights, and we look forward to delivering PBR to viewers across the country on CBS and Paramount+, with more broadcast hours than ever before.”
“I can’t think of any better way for Merit Street to begin sports programming than with PBR,” said McGraw. “Coming from Texas, I know how important this sport is to the state and to see it grow across this country has been both exciting and deserving.”
“This partnership represents another tremendous step towards Merit Street becoming the preeminent news, information, and entertainment network in America,” said Joel Cheatwood, EVP/COO, Merit Street Media.
About CBS Sports
CBS Sports, a year-round leader in cross-platform sports coverage, broadcasts a portfolio of events on the CBS Television Network, including THE NFL ON CBS; college football, including the BIG TEN ON CBS; college basketball, including the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship; golf, including The Masters®, PGA Championship and PGA TOUR; soccer, including the UEFA Champions League and NWSL; and CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR. In addition, the division includes CBS Sports Network, the 24-hour cable home of CBS Sports which televises live sports programming throughout the year, including college football and basketball games, soccer matches from UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, Concacaf and NWSL, as well as a full slate of original programming and studio coverage. CBS Sports also delivers an extensive lineup of global soccer coverage on Paramount+, including every UEFA club competition match, all Serie A matches as well as Concacaf national team competitions. CBS Sports’ multi-platform offerings include CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports apps for mobile and connected TV devices; the 24/7 streaming sports news network CBS SPORTS HQ; the free 24-hour soccer streaming network CBS SPORTS GOLAZO NETWORK; 247Sports; MaxPreps; CBS Sports fantasy games; and SportsLine.
About Merit Street Media™
Merit Street Media is a premier multi-platform destination media brand spearheaded by Dr. Phil McGraw, the esteemed best-selling author and award-winning television host.
Launched April 2024, Merit Street creates and distributes compelling content across diverse platforms, reaching audiences nationwide. The backbone of Merit Street’s media presence is its television network, established in partnership with Trinity Broadcasting Network. This fully distributed, cable, satellite, and free over-the-air broadcast media brand extends its reach to over 80 million homes.
The network boasts a rich tapestry of original and acquired programming, anchored by the nightly talk show, “Dr. Phil Primetime.” Situated in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, the expansive Merit Street studios span 5 acres and serve as the dynamic hub for the brand. Here, multiple daily live news broadcasts will unfold, embodying Merit Street Media’s commitment to delivering engaging and informative content. Visit www.meritstreetmedia.com.
About PBR (Professional Bull Riders):
PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 800 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast tour (UTB), which features the top bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, and Canada. In 2022, PBR launched the PBR Team Series—now 10 teams of the world’s best bull riders competing for a new championship—as well as the PBR Challenger Series with more than 60 annual events nationwide. The organization’s digital assets include PBR RidePass on Pluto TV, which is home to Western sports. PBR is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company. For more information, visit PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.
PROVIDED COURTESY OF PBR TO TENN TEXAS MEDIA
