PUEBLO, Colo. – In 2014, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) teamed up with Allentown, Pennsylvania’s PPL Center for the arena’s first-ever dirt event. This year, the PBR’s Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) returns Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26, for the Allentown Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires. 

The Allentown Invitational will be the third East Coast BFTS event this year as its 2015 season started in Baltimore and spent three days in New York City. The event offers the sport’s Northeastern fans one last opportunity to see the PBR’s toughest stars before they head to Las Vegas on Oct. 21-25 to compete in the $2.3 million Built Ford Tough World Finals.

The nationally-televised BFTS features the Top 35 bull riders in the world and the fiercest bucking bulls in the country. For more than two hours each night, fans will witness exhilarating 8-second rides and heart-stopping wrecks as the PBR’s courageous athletes risk it all against their opponents, who can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds.

Tickets for the Allentown Invitational go on sale Friday, June 12, and can be purchased at PPLcenter.com by phone at 610-347-TIXX or at the PPL Center box office. Prices range from $15 to $100. The bull riding action begins at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 25, and 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 26. 

All Top 35 bull riders will get on one bull each in Rounds 1 and 2 on Friday and Saturday. After Round 2 on Saturday, the competitors’ individual two-round scores will be totaled and the Top 15 men will advance to the Built Ford Tough Championship Round for one more ride and a chance at the $30,000 event title.

PBR stars scheduled to compete during this two-day event include four former PBR World Champions as well as the current World Champion: Silvano Alves (2014, 2012, 2011), J.B. Mauney (2013), Renato Nunes (2010), Guilherme Marchi (2008) and Mike Lee (2004), along with fan favorites L.J. Jenkins, Ryan Dirteater, this season’s top rookie, Kaique Pacheco, and defending Allentown Invitational champion, Fabiano Vieira.

Friday’s competition will air on CBS Television Network on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. ET, while Saturday night’s action will be shown on Sunday on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can also catch each night of the action in real time on PBR LIVE via CarbonTV.com. PBR LIVE is now available at no charge to all fans and media.

While this is the second time the BFTS has visited Allentown, it will be the sixth time the tour has stopped in Pennsylvania.  

Allentown will be one of 27 stops on the 2015 PBR Built Ford Tough Series schedule. The season kicked off Jan. 2-4 at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore and will conclude at the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas on Oct. 21-25 where the 2015 PBR World Champion, the bull rider who has earned the most points during the 2015 season, will be crowned, receive the coveted World Championship belt buckle and a $1 million bonus.

The BFTS is televised every week on CBS, CBS Sports Network,the home of the PBR, and networks around the world. BFTS telecasts are produced for the PBR under a multi-year agreement with David Neal Productions, a Los Angeles-based production company led by 34-time Emmy® Award winner and Peabody Award winner David Neal, who serves as executive producer.