PBR EVENT TO TAKE PLACE ABOARD USS LEXINGTON

Team Event on Iconic Aircraft Carrier to Support Military Charities,
The First In A New Series of Annual Bull Riding Fundraisers

PBR (Professional Bull Riders) has announced a first-of-its kind event, the PBR Air Force Reserve Cowboys for a Cause, which will take place on the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi, Texas and be broadcast on CBS Television Network Saturday, December 5 at 12:00 pm ET / 11:00 am CT. The special event will also be covered on CBS Sports Network pre-shows on Friday night and Saturday in the lead-up. 

PBR Air Force Reserve Cowboys for a Cause is an invitational team event featuring five teams of three cowboys, riding to support military members and their families through a new charity initiative.

PBR will construct a bull riding arena on the 872-foot long launch deck on top of the famed air craft carrier known as “The Blue Ghost,” bringing in 300 tons of dirt and steel and more than 15 miles of copper and fiber optic cables to support the event and television broadcast. Bucking bulls will be brought on board via the ship’s still-functioning aircraft elevator, the same system that brought planes up to the flight deck from the hangar during battle. Aircraft aboard the ship will be used as set pieces around the arena.

The exhibition event will not count for world points. While the event is closed to the general public, PBR will offer exclusive viewing for VIP guests, ultimate experience ticket packages, and members of the military.

This special event marks the launch of PBR Cowboys for a Cause: Every Second Counts, a new PBR initiative that will raise money for charitable organizations.

PBR and its sponsors will donate to Operation Homefront, an organization providing financial support, housing and various resources to U.S. military families, for each second each cowboy stays on his bull, for up to eight seconds, the PBR standard for a qualified bull ride. PBR chose a military charity as the first beneficiary of the new program to acknowledge and thank members of the armed forces and their families for their sacrifices made for our country.

“As we get ready to close out a very challenging year, PBR wants to present an early holiday gift of an unforgettable bull riding event atop the grand and historic USS Lexington to the fans who support us through thick and thin and to military families who sacrifice so much for everyone,” said PBR Commissioner Sean Gleason.

“While we’ve bucked bulls in Times Square, on Huntington Beach, and in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard, the deck of the USS Lexington has long been on our list of iconic places for the most exciting eight seconds in sports. We’re excited and honored to partner with the Air Force Reserve to bring this once-in-a-lifetime event to life. Air Force Reserve’s motto is ‘Fly, Fight, & Win,’ which represents the spirit embodied in our own ‘Be Cowboy’ mantra.”

“We are excited to partner with PBR and the USS Lexington on this special event,” said Dan Weinberg, EVP, Programming, CBS Sports. “We always work with our partners to innovate and bring unique content to our viewers and this showcase exemplifies that commitment.”

PBR, the first major professional sport to safely return to competition and then welcome fans inside an arena during the COVID-19 pandemic, brought fans a team competition earlier this season. The Monster Energy Team Challenge competed in closed, televised events from South Point Arena in Las Vegas throughout June, and then in mid-July hosted fans in the arena in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with new fan safety protocols in place.

PBR will bring its industry-leading COVID-19 protocols to Corpus Christi for the event.

A select number of fans can experience this special event firsthand. The ultimate experience, including hotel, premium food and beverage, and VIP access, is available for purchase at PBR.COM. 
                                                                                                                   ~ PBR Media