By Michaela Gordoni
Fox Nation joined hands with Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Camping World Team Series for exclusive PBR Friday Night Live broadcasts in its first sports rights deal.
The series kicks off on Friday, Aug. 8 and will finish Oct. 24. Ahead of the live coverage, Fox Nation will release LAST COWBOY STANDING Season 2 on the network. Over 10 weekly episodes, fans will get to see amateur bull riders competing to join a PBR team, Deadline reported this month.
The competing teams include the Austin Gamblers, Arizona Ridge Riders, Carolina Cowboys, Florida Freedom, Kansas City Outlaws, Nashville Stampede, Oklahoma Wildcatters, Missouri Thunder, New York Mavericks and Texas Rattlers.
Fox Nation, a streaming buddy to Fox News, recently passed 2 million paying subscribers.
Fox News reported the PBR is the global leader in bull riding, with over 1,000 competitors in over 200 events every year. Last year, PBR had over 1.43 million attendees at its events. Its broadcasts reached over 288 million households across 67 countries and territories.
The PBR, like the UFC and WWE, is part of TKO Group Holdings. Endeavor acquired the PBR as Ari Emanuel and his executive team were building it into a conglomerate. Endeavor sold the PBR and two other assets to Silver Lake for $3.35 billion.
Fox Nation president Lauren Petterson said the streamer “could not ask for a better partner to kick off our first foray into live sports. PBR is an incredibly unique sport with an unrivaled, passionate fan base, and it’s a great addition to the entire Fox Nation viewer experience.”
Fox Nation tested the market in May with Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, which streamed rodeo and musical performances. It performed well for the streamer.
PBR CEO and commissioner Sean Gleason said, “We’re thrilled to build on our strong partnership with Fox Nation to deliver live coverage of Friday Night Teams and the second season of LAST COWBOY STANDING. Rock’s Rock N Rodeo was a breakout hit in May for Fox Nation, proving that their devoted audience is eager for exciting Western sports content. The Fox platform is a perfect stage to showcase our athletes’ stories of grit, courage, and determination.”
“We’re very excited that along with bringing fans Friday night Teams events live and offering compelling shoulder programming such as Last Cowboy Standing, FOX will be actively promoting our sport across its broader network,” Gleason added. “This valuable exposure is another boost for an expanding sport moving into the mainstream.”
Those interested in subscribing to Fox Nation can join for $4.99 per month.
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