SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The most exciting eight seconds in sports is ready to make its return to Sioux Falls.
The stage at the Premier Center is nearly set for PBR Unleash the Beast.
“The root of the PBR is to guarantee the fans, when they come to a show, to see the greatest bull riders in the world on the greatest bulls in the world,” said Flint Rasmussen, senior vice president of fan engagement.
The three-day event kicks off Friday with something new to Sioux Falls. Of the 44 individual bull riders scheduled to compete, 12 will also be part of a team challenge. It’s a preview of the PBR Team Series which starts in July.
“A few events, on the first night, we throw in a team element as part of that show,” Rasmussen said.
There are ten teams in the series, including Friday’s competitors representing the Nashville Stampede and Carolina Cowboys.
“Even the coaches are superstars. Nashville has Justin McBride, one of our greatest world champions. The legendary Jerome Davis is the Carolina coach, and so we just want people to see what we’re trying to accomplish, how that head to head competition goes,” Rasmussen said.
“It’s just another way to get fans to interact, so I think it’s really cool and it’s a cool way to keep progressing the sport forward,” professional bull rider Ezekiel Mitchell said.
Mitchell isn’t part of the team competition, but the Texas native needs to perform well in Sioux Falls to qualify for a spot in next month’s World Finals.
“This is going to be the last three-day event of the year,” he said. “That means we have more points up for grabs than any other event for the rest of the year, so this is kind of crunch time for everybody to start making their move.”
As every bull rider attempts to hang on for eight seconds, don’t underestimate the importance of the fans.
“The energy of the crowd carries over to what’s going on in those chutes, simple as that, football players know it, basketball players know it, baseball players know it, bull riders are the same,” Rasmussen said.
This is the fifth consecutive season the PBR’s top tour has visited Sioux Falls.
The competition gets underway at 7:45 Friday and Saturday night, and wraps up at 1:45 Sunday afternoon.
