OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Ahead of the second season for the ground-breaking PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Teams league, the Oklahoma Freedom, the Sooner State’s first-ever professional bull riding team, today announced their 2023 game and broadcast schedule.
The 2023 PBR Teams season will include a three-day homestand hosted by each of the eight founding teams, accompanied by two, two-day neutral site events. During event days, each of the league’s eight founding teams will compete in one five-on-five bull riding game against another team, with each team competing in 28 games throughout the regular season. The Teams Championship returns to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on October 20-22.
The Oklahoma Freedom will hold their second-annual homestand, and sixth event of the regular season, Freedom Fest on Sept. 8-10 at Paycom Center. During their event, they will play the Carolina Cowboys (Sept. 8), Texas Rattlers (Sept. 9), and Arizona Ridge Riders (Sept. 10).
During the regular season, the Freedom will compete in a rivalry series with the Texas Rattlers, celebrating bull riding’s version of the Red River Showdown.
The Freedom will take on the Rattlers on Aug. 3 in Kansas City, Missouri; Aug. 20 in Nashville, Tennessee; Sept. 9 during the second night of their homestand in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Oct. 6 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Throughout the campaign, the Oklahoma Freedom will also play the reigning PBR Teams Champion Nashville Stampede four times as they look to bring the title back to Oklahoma this October.
Every game will be carried by CBS, including seven “Game of the Week” broadcasts, CBS Sports Network, or Pluto TV. The Oklahoma Freedom will be featured in two Game of the Week broadcasts. Their telecasts will include their showdown with the Carolina Cowboys in Greensboro, NC airing on Sept. 24, and their final rivalry game with the Texas Rattlers in Fort Worth, Texas airing on Oct. 7.
The Oklahoma Freedom’s complete 2023 PBR Teams game schedule is:
Week | Date | Venue | Away | Home |
1 | 7/24/2023 | Cheyenne, WY | Oklahoma Freedom | Arizona Ridge Riders |
1 | 7/25/2023 | Cheyenne, WY | Oklahoma Freedom | Kansas City Outlaws |
2 | 8/3/2023 | Kansas City, MO | Texas Rattlers | Oklahoma Freedom |
2 | 8/4/2023 | Kansas City, MO | Oklahoma Freedom | Kansas City Outlaws |
2 | 8/5/2023 | Kansas City, MO | Oklahoma Freedom | Nashville Stampede |
3 | 8/12/2023 | Anaheim, CA | Missouri Thunder | Oklahoma Freedom |
3 | 8/13/2023 | Anaheim, CA | Nashville Stampede | Oklahoma Freedom |
4 | 8/18/2023 | Nashville, TN | Carolina Cowboys | Oklahoma Freedom |
4 | 8/19/2023 | Nashville, TN | Missouri Thunder | Oklahoma Freedom |
4 | 8/20/2023 | Nashville, TN | Oklahoma Freedom | Texas Rattlers |
5 | 8/25/2023 | Austin, TX | Oklahoma Freedom | Nashville Stampede |
5 | 8/26/2023 | Austin, TX | Oklahoma Freedom | Missouri Thunder |
5 | 8/27/2023 | Austin, TX | Oklahoma Freedom | Austin Gamblers |
6 | 9/8/2023 | Oklahoma City, OK | Carolina Cowboys | Oklahoma Freedom |
6 | 9/9/2023 | Oklahoma City, OK | Texas Rattlers | Oklahoma Freedom |
6 | 9/10/2023 | Oklahoma City, OK | Arizona Ridge Riders | Oklahoma Freedom |
7 | 9/15/2023 | Ridgedale, MO | Oklahoma Freedom | Carolina Cowboys |
7 | 9/16/2023 | Ridgedale, MO | Austin Gamblers | Oklahoma Freedom |
7 | 9/17/2023 | Ridgedale, MO | Oklahoma Freedom | Missouri Thunder |
8 | 9/22/2023 | Greensboro, NC | Kansas City Outlaws | Oklahoma Freedom |
8 | 9/23/2023 | Greensboro, NC | Oklahoma Freedom | Carolina Cowboys |
8 | 9/24/2023 | Greensboro, NC | Austin Gamblers | Oklahoma Freedom |
9 | 9/29/2023 | Glendale, AZ | Oklahoma Freedom | Austin Gamblers |
9 | 9/30/2023 | Glendale, AZ | Nashville Stampede | Oklahoma Freedom |
9 | 10/1/2023 | Glendale, AZ | Oklahoma Freedom | Arizona Ridge Riders |
10 | 10/6/2023 | Ft Worth, TX | Oklahoma Freedom | Texas Rattlers |
10 | 10/7/2023 | Ft Worth, TX | Arizona Ridge Riders | Oklahoma Freedom |
10 | 10/8/2023 | Ft Worth, TX | Kansas City Outlaws | Oklahoma Freedom |
In 2022, during the league’s inaugural season, the Freedom made history as the first team to win their homestand, going a perfect 3-0 in gameplay inside Paycom Center with each win delivered by Derek Kolbaba in dramatic, walk-off fashion.
When the dust settled, the Freedom finished the 2022 season fourth in the league after a hard-fought push during the inaugural PBR Teams Championship in Las Vegas. The surprising twists and turns of the league’s inaugural season were captured in the critically acclaimed docuseries, The Ride, streaming now on Prime Video. The series prominently features several members of the Freedom’s roster including Captain Eli Vastbinder and fan-favorite Chase Outlaw.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Cord McCoy and Assistant Coach Kody Lostroh, the team will return a talent-packed roster including Kolbaba, Vastbinder, Outlaw and Tate Pollmeier who had a breakthrough individual rookie season in 2023, leading the team in the World Championship race, finishing No. 16.
During the upcoming season, Pollmeier will compete side-by-side with his younger brother Coy Pollmeier, who was selected by the team in the fifth round of the 2023 PBR Teams Reserve Roster Draft.
The remainder of the roster includes two-time PBR World Champion Jess Lockwood, Briggs Madsen, Brady Turgeon, Casey Roberts (Pre-Season Injured Reserve), Alex Cerqueira, Elizmar Jeremias, Roscoe Jarboe and Jacob O’Mara.
The Oklahoma Freedom will host their second annual homestand, Freedom Fest, on Sept. 8-10 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at Paycom Center. The action begins at 7:45 p.m. CT on Friday, September 8, 6:45 p.m. CT on Saturday, September 9, and 1:45 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 10.
Tickets for the event are on sale now and start at $20, taxes and fees not included. They can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the Paycom Center Box Office, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.
Three-day ticket packages are available, offering fans a 15% discount on select price levels.
For more information about Oklahoma Freedom, visit https://pbr.com/teams/freedom/, Oklahoma Freedom on Facebook, @OK_Freedom_ on Instagram, or @OKfreedom_ on Twitter.