PBR honored by Sports League of the Year nomination

MEDIA CONTACT: Jack Carnefix Senior Manager of Public Relations 719.242.2800, ext. 719-242-2800 office jcarnefix@pbr.com

NEW YORK, N.Y. (May 20, 2010) - The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) announced that it was honored to be nominated for Professional Sports League of the Year by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal and Sports Business Daily. 

It is the first time that the PBR has been nominated for the award alongside 2010 winner National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. 

The 2010 Sports Business Awards recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in the business of sports for the period from January 1, 2009, through February 28, 2010. Professional major and minor leagues whose central offices are located in North America were eligible.  

“We congratulate the NFL on being selected as the winner, and feel that being considered for this award is just further evidence that the PBR has taken our place among major-league sports,” said PBR COO Sean Gleason. “It is an honor to be nominated, and one that we share with our fans and our sponsors, but most importantly with those who have made this all possible: the bull riders and bulls.” 

"We are growing our sport one brick at a time," PBR founder and nine-time World Champion Ty Murray told ESPN.com. "It's harder for people to appreciate what we do because everyone can play football, basketball or baseball." 

The award was presented on Thursday during an awards celebration at the New York Marriott Marquis, which is the official host hotel for the PBR event each year in New York City. 

One of the fastest-growing sports, the PBR is the premiere bull riding organization in the world with the best riders from the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. More than 100 million viewers tune in each year to the PBR on FOX, NBC, VERSUS and on a host of networks across the globe. With approximately 400 hours of prime time programming annually PBR ranks among the most prolific sports on air, in addition to attracting over 1.5 million live-event attendees each year with its two-tiered event structure, which includes the marquee Built Ford Tough Series and Touring Pro Division.  

Despite a sluggish economy and decreased discretionary consumer spending, the PBR had one of the most successful years in its history in 2009, with a 12 percent growth in attendance and a 3 percent increase in ticket revenue.

The introduction of a $10 ticket further enhanced the PBR as an affordable family entertainment option, while also producing increased attendance and ticket revenue. The PBR – the most fan-friendly sport in America – introduced several new initiatives in 2009, including access to behind-the-chutes seating and more access to its athletes outside the venue, with autograph signings and photo opportunities at fan zones, and drafts and activities at partner properties, including those of Bass Pro Shops. The increased accessibility not only rewarded long-time fans, but won the hearts and minds of those experiencing the PBR for the first time.

During a time when many organizations scaled back, the PBR was aggressive with marketing, event production and operations, which resulted in increased attendance, interest and awareness. The opportunistic approach was proven effective by three sold-out performances at the annual Madison Square Garden event in January 2010. 

The PBR worked closely with each of its business partners to restructure relationships in the best interest of both parties. The PBR invested more resources into its aggressive client services model to ensure maximum opportunities for partners, developing and introducing new and creative programs to maximize visibility and consumer interaction. 

The aggressive direction in 2009 resulted in significant brand growth as the PBR continued to develop business in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. In addition to having more sellouts in the United States, the World Cup in Brazil was sold out, with over 80,000 attending each night. The PBR was recognized by more media outlets around the globe than in any other year, including shows on Country Music Television and RFD-TV as well as national talk show appearances and extensive coverage in regional and national publications. 

The PBR implemented initiatives to bring services in-house, not as a cost savings but rather to gain better control when managing core initiatives. Rather than negotiate favorable contracts with third-party service providers, the organization chose to bring core business functions internally to ensure quality and effectiveness. The result was growth in fan club membership and revenue, improved customer service, more effective event marketing and increased merchandise sales.  

And despite the tough economic landscape, the organization did not cut any charitable or community relations programs. The group added new programs in 2009, including but not limited to Garth Brooks’ Teammates for Kids, and the Wild, Wild West Festival whose proceeds benefit non-profit organizations in the PBR’s hometown of Pueblo, Colo. 

For more information on the Professional Bull Riders, please visit www.pbr.com or contact Jack Carnefix at (719) 242-2800 or jcarnefix@pbrnow.com or Sara Broun at (719) 242-2800 or sbroun@pbrnow.com. 

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For more on the PBR, please visit www.pbr.com, www.teampbr.com, www.pbr.tv, www.myspace.com/teampbr, twitter.com/teampbr, or www.pbr.com/worldfinals/.  

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