The Professional Bull Riders and RFD-TV are excited to announce that two-time PBR World Champion Justin McBride and PBR Ring of Honor member J.W. Hart will return as hosts of “PBR NOW” on RFD-TV beginning July 28 at 9 p.m. ET.
The complete schedule is available at www.rfdtv.com. The show will also be available online each week at www.pbr.tv.
Joining McBride and Hart will be PBR co-founder and Ring of Honor Member Jerome Davis. Hart will be part of every show while McBride and Davis will alternate each week. McBride will be on the first episode while Davis will make his debut on Aug. 4.
“’PBR NOW’ is a great program with a passionate audience,” says PBR President/COO Sean Gleason. “We worked diligently with RFD-TV to get it back on the air, and we’re extremely excited for our fans. The show will provide compelling insight into a tight World Championship race as we finish the last third of the season.”
RFD-TV has created a special advertising package to benefit Rider Relief Fund. Longtime PBR partner Wrangler was the first to take advantage of the special package which donates 100 percent of the net revenue to RRF. RRF is a non-profit charity that benefits any athlete injured while competing in the sport of bull riding at any level. The new advertising package is part of RFD-TV’s commitment to RRF, which included a $100,000 donation at the Last Cowboy Standing event in Las Vegas in April.
“We are so proud to support the Rider Relief Fund,” said Patrick Gottsch, founder and president of RFD-TV. “Hopefully this first $100,000 is but an advance, and with the support of our 2011 ‘PBR NOW’ on RFD-TV advertisers and viewers we plan on being back in Las Vegas in October to make another donation at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals.”
“PBR NOW” on RFD-TV will include highlights from the previous week’s Built Ford Tough Series event, a preview of the upcoming stop, and a week-by-week look at the standings heading toward the Built Ford Tough World Finals. Each week will have interviews with the best riders, leading up to the richest bull riding event in the world. The Finals is where the 2011 PBR World Champion will be crowned and awarded the $1 million Built Ford Tough bonus.
The show will also include updates from the Touring Pro Division, introducing fans to the up-and-coming riders battling to make their way to the BFTS, and take a look at the best bulls. Fans will be able to interact and be part of the show by submitting questions and comments on Twitter and by email.
About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)
The PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 100 million viewers annually watch over 400 hours of primetime PBR programming on VERSUS, NBC, CBS and networks around the world. The PBR has awarded over $100 million in prize money, and 20 riders have earned over $1 million, including Justin McBride with $5.5 million – the most of any western-sports athlete in history. The PBR was nominated as 2010 Sports League of the Year at the Sports Business Journal Sports Business Awards, alongside the National Football League, National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Nearly 2 million fans attend Built Ford Tough Series and Touring Pro Division events each year. For more information on the PBR, go to www.pbr.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamPBR and http://twitter.com/TEAMPBR.
About RFD-TV, LLC
Rural Media Group, Inc. (RMG) is a privately held Delaware-based “C” corporation, which owns and operates the world’s largest portfolio combining rural-based satellite/cable delivered media and entertainment companies. Launched in December 2000 and now in its 10th year of broadcasting, RFD-TV is the nation’s first 24-hour television channel dedicated to serving the needs and interests of rural America with programming focused on agriculture, equine and rural lifestyle, along with traditional country music and entertainment. Production originates in studios located in Nashville, Tennessee, for RFD-TV, RFD HD, and RURAL TV, the company’s new international channel. RFD-TV The Magazine now has more than 180,000 paid subscribers for its bi-monthly publication, and the company continues to operate “RFD-TV The Theatre” in Branson, Missouri. For more information, visit www.rfdtv.com.
