PUEBLO, Colo. – PBR (Professional Bull Riders) today announced improvements in the world standings points system across all its tours effective for the 2020 season.

The new points system approved by the PBR Competition Committee simplifies the current format by reducing the number of points available proportionally across all territories and tours. This will make the points easier to calculate and track – in rounds, full event finishes, and the World Championship race – and will provide more riders the potential opportunity to earn points.

RELATED: View the new world points system HERE

For example, an elite series PBR Unleash the Beast round win will now award the top rider in the round 20 points instead of the previous 100 points. Second place is worth 10 points, third place is 9 points, fourth place 8 points, and so on down to one point for 11^th place. Similarly, a PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity round win that was worth 50 points will now award 7 points.

Additional enhancements to the points system include:

• More points available (in relative terms) for the 15/15 Bucking Battles.
• More points available at the World Finals relative to other events.
• A greater emphasis on the aggregate finish particularly benefitting riders deeper in the rounds (positions 5 to 11).
• More points will available to some bull riders who previously had not earned points in a round because their rides were scored in the mid- to lower-round standings.
• Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour events will now also be giving points to placings in the short round.

Similar proportional points reductions apply across all tours including all Finals events. PBR reviewed all points for all tours globally and proportionally reduced the amounts to be given to ensure fairness across the board and a strong path to the World Finals for every rider.

PBR applied this new point system to prior years and found it does not result in a material change in determining the World Champion or the top 10 riders in the world standings. It does allow a better path for Velocity Tour/Touring Pro Division riders to enter the top 35 throughout the season. It also allows riders seeded in the Unleash The Beast at the start of the season to receive more relative points for “middle of the pack” performance.

“The new simplified PBR points system across all tours provides many benefits to riders and fans,” said Sean Gleason, CEO, PBR. “Among the improvements made, the enhanced system tightens the competition by rewarding points to more riders covering their bulls and slightly narrows the gap between lower- and top-round finishers while keeping an emphasis on finishing high on every out. There will be more opportunities for riders to accumulate enough points to win a paying position whereas in the past they wouldn’t have been paid.  And finally, it will be much easier for fans to follow their favorite riders in their hunt for a world title.”