PUEBLO, Colo. – For our dedicated fans who have had their tickets secured since spring of 2023, during last year’s showdown inside Dickies Arena: Let this article serve as a resource in navigating all that the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast have to offer.
For any folks who have been debating making the trip down to the historic Dallas-Fort Worth area: There’s A TON of interactive, entertainment-driven, everything-cowboy action scattered throughout two weeks of Western fun …
… Not to mention, the best bull riders, rankest bovines and greatest all-around rodeo athletes the world has to offer!
So, be sure to grab your tickets to the drama-driven playoff gauntlet and plan to swing by AT&T Stadium for a can’t-miss-moment, as Kid Rock prepares to put on quite the show May during Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo!
1. Flashy Format: When the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast invades The Lone Star State May 9-19 during the most exciting two weeks of professional bull riding action, fans will be treated to an electric new competition format. Featuring three separate stages, contestants will need to ride their way through the progressive elimination system.
With the first two stages set to take place inside the legendary Cowtown Coliseum, the Top 45 riders in the world will initially be invited to Cowtown Coliseum May 9-12 during the first, the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Eliminations.
Following four intense rounds of head-to-head dances, the Top 15 riders ranked in the Unleash The Beast World Championship standings will officially secure their spot inside AT&T Stadium, which will host the final leg of the tournament (2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Championship).
Those outside of the Top 15 (realistically the Top 16, as No. 7 Austin Richardson will miss the endgame showdown due to injury) will need to excel during the second stage, as the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Ride For Redemption will welcome top-ranked cowboys from the Velocity Global standings in addition to riders who weren’t able to get the job done during Eliminations.
Once the top-performing individuals from Ride For Redemption (May 15-16 inside Cowtown Coliseum) have given it their all, they’ll join the Top 15 in painting a final picture of world title contenders. From there, it’s plain and simple.
Four rounds. Two days. ONE World Champion.
With more than 1,000 points available throughout the three-leg tournament overall, ANYHTING is possible during the season-ending showcase!
2. Cowtown Coliseum: Primed to host the two opening segments of this year’s 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast, the legendary venue is stepping into the spotlight once again, more than 100 years after originally being constructed back in 1907.
And as soon as you step inside, you’ll understand the historical lore and old-school vibes.
In a world where we’re always seeking more, sometimes it’s good to press the ole reset button and remember our roots. Simple as that: Fresh dirt, rank bulls and some of the rowdiest fans in the country are set to collide inside Cowtown Coliseum May 9-12 and May 15-16 as the most talented riders in the world attempt to punch their ticket to AT&T Stadium.
The 2024 Women’s Rodeo World Championship will also host a set of competitions inside Cowtown Coliseum May 13-16, featuring two rounds of qualifying action (May 13-14), followed by the Semi-Final (May 15) and Showdown Round (May 16).
The fun doesn’t stop there, as Ultimate Bullfighters will keep the fun going on both Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11, as the industry’s most-skilled bullfighters evade, escape and entertain bulls for 60 seconds at a time during the ever-popular Midnight Bullfights!
With the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo set to entertain fans on May 18 (with shows at both 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.) and Mexico In Our Blood taking the stage May 19, featuring cultural celebrations, competition and beyond, the historic venue is set to entertain in a variety of ways!
The entire schedule of events inside Cowtown Coliseum for the two-week celebration can be viewed here!
3. AT&T Stadium: It’s Jerry’s World (we’re just riding in it!)
Home to the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL), the state-of-the-art complex will host the last of three World Finals stages (2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Championship) May 18-19 as the dramatic 2024 UTB season concludes in thrilling fashion!
This isn’t just a HUGE spot to throw a season-ending party. It’s HUGE for the sport, as the tour is set to welcome tens of thousands of fans during the enticing, two-day finale!
Between dozens of top-tier food and drink options, elegant viewpoints scattered throughout the stadium and the “World Champion” vibe a Championship event deserves, it’s not just fans that are excited to make their way to the beautiful venue. Riders, themselves, are amped up to ride at the prized site, in front of the most dedicated fans in the sport!
Taking the grand stage alongside the best bull riders in the world, competitors from the Women’s Rodeo World Championship will conclude their season-long race as well, with the organization’s season-deciding showdowns are set to entertain fans May 18-19.
4. Exercise & Exploring: With an extra city and venue in play this time around, the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast will provide several opportunities for fans, riders and tour personnel alike to stay active throughout the two-week spectacle!
Strolling throughout the historic Fort Worth Stockyards is a treat in itself. With tons of food and beverage offerings, endless entertainment (musical acts, fun for the kids, interactive exhibits at the Stockyards Stampede, etc.), the strip is a hot spot day and night. So we figured it would be a great spot to stretch the legs!
Hundreds of fans are set to run in the Ariat 5K/3K Boot Trot Race once again (where participants are invited to jog/run in cowboy boots for some additional flare! albeit not required) on Saturday, May 11, beginning at 8 a.m.
What better way of working off some of those opening weekend beers than running with the Texas Rattlers mascot, competing for results-based prizes and earning a bit of a post-game snack, courtesy of Chef Tim Love? (as runners will be treated to a breakfast catered by the renowned cook!)
The first 500 fans to sign up will receive a commemorative t-shirt and participant medal, so be sure to get your spot reserved and get those boots ready!
RELATED: PBR, Ariat partner to bring unique 5K/3K Boot Trot Race back to Fort Worth Stockyards
If the fun run isn’t calling your name, there will be countless opportunities to get some steps in while enjoying the vibes! None more epic than a quick stroll over from AT&T Stadium on Saturday, May 18 as Flint Rasmussen and Matt West kick off the festivities with the fan-favorite rider Arrival Show.
Just one of the many attractions set to attract thousands of fans to Cole Hauser's Ultimate Tailgate Party!
Special guests, merchandise, lawn games, several musical acts, activations from PBR Teams, Michelob ULTRA Mobile Bar and beyond are set to surround the pre-event tailgate running from 4:30-7:30 p.m. CT, with all fans who have a ticket to the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Championship able to enjoy the fun!
5. Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo: If it seems like PBR has a knack for getting into some fun, new adventures … well that’s 100% true, as the organization is teaming up with Kid Rock on Friday, May 17 to produce one of the most unique and electric musical rodeo crossovers in Western sports history!
Featuring six teams, rostered to the nines with the most talented rodeo professionals in the world, tens of thousands of fans will begin the weekend inside AT&T Stadium by watching on as the never-before-seen format makes its debut! With athletes competing head-to-head while representing their teams and hoping to take home several gold medals before claiming the event’s top prize, this is a CAN’T MISS EVENT.
The athletes out on the dirt are going to put on the show, no doubt. But it’s the legendary coaches like Charmayne James, Trevor Brazile, “Sid Rock” Sid Steiner and company that really take the star power to the next level, as the living legends will pass on their knowledge to their respective teams while reigniting their competitive fires.
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Of course, fans joining us inside Jerry World on Friday won’t just be treated to the reimagined rodeo, as Kid Rock himself is set to perform three shows sprinkled throughout the evening. Which is quite the opportunity to enjoy some old-school fun while hearing from the rock n’ roll superstar up close and personal!
Tickets for this one are going FAST (like, almost sold-out fast).
So, if this is on your radar as PBR continues to think and ride outside of the box, you’d be wise to save your spot and get your game face ready!
6. Spreading Our Wings – Arlington: Young, wild and free will be the vibes in Arlington for the second weekend of season-culminating fun as Unleash The Beast storms into new territory in bringing the fun to AT&T Stadium May 18-19. For as much as we love the old-school feel that Cowtown Coliseum and the entire Fort Worth Stockyards present, it’s always good to make some new friends while supporting different local businesses!
With downtown Arlington less than a mile-and-a-half away from Jerry World, fans will have the opportunity to enjoy plenty of beer, barbeque and sunshine as the final two rounds of World Finals action transition the tour east!
Depending on how much downtime you’ve planned before each night’s lineup, fans can allocate some time for a day of fun at Six Flags, catch a Texas Rangers game or dive into the past, with several historical museums scattered throughout the city.
The WNBA's Dallas Wings will also be hosting a pair of home contests throughout the week (May 15 & May 18), while it's possible the NHL's Dallas Stars are still in postseason contention, as they currently battle it out with the NHL's Las Vegas Golden Knights.
TLDR: There's plenty going on throughout the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area!
7. Ear Entertainment: There’s just something soothing about combining Western sports with some good ole rock n’ roll: Exactly what PBR and Kid Rock are primed to do later this month as Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo invades AT&T stadium Friday, May 17. Featuring three different performances from the event’s boss man himself, fans will be treated to the sights and sounds of the all-world performer. And … you never know who else he might bring with him!
A bit earlier in the week, fans will listen on as Jelly Roll headlines the Never Forget Concert (already sold-out) on Tuesday, May 14 inside Billy Bob’s Texas as the breakout star puts on a show to remember! Proceeds from sales will go towards the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Homeless Veteran Program, which provides housing and supportive services as part of its goal to eradicate veteran homelessness in the United States.
Outside of the two formal shows, tons of pre-and-post-show musical acts will be scattered throughout the Fort Worth Stockyards, Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall and beyond during the first week of action in Fort Worth. Of course, the show won’t stop there, as Weekend Two attendees will enjoy some tunes, brews and grooves outside of AT&T Stadium as well, featuring two afternoons of rock n’ roll, country and ALL of our World Finals favorites!
8. Dramatic Finish: If there’s two lowest common denominators in this whole thing, we’d say they involve:
Having A LOT of fun and watching the World Championship race play out!
In a season where rookies have absolutely dominated the premier series landscape (with No. 1 Cassio Dias lighting the tour on fire, alongside world title contender No. 2 John Crimber not far behind), only three remain in the UTB’s Top 10 as things currently sit. Which means the veterans have performed over the final stretch, as rookies held more than half of the spots within the tour’s Top 10 at several points throughout the season.
But that’s what we want down south, right? A competitive mix of first-years and well-established riders. We’re talking about guys like No. 3 Dalton Kasel, who’s been red-hot here over the second half of the season as he continues to chase down what would be his career-first gold buckle.
Sprinkle in a few touches of No. 4 Eduardo Aparecido (who’s riding like a 23-year-old, NOT the 33-year-old veteran that he is!) and No. 5 Alan de Souza (who just won consecutive events in Washington State despite also coming in above the three-decade mark) and it’s easy to see why this thing could truly come down to a dramatic finish.
After seeing Rafael Jose de Brito escape last year’s showdown with triple threat honors (capturing each of the World Finals event title, 2023 PBR Rookie of the Year honors while being crowned the 2023 World Champion), will we see a rookie in Dias or Crimber run away with the world title for a second-straight season? Or will one of the many experienced pack hopefuls be able to complete an epic come-from-behind run in stealing the show?
Sure, you can catch a majority of next week’s action on CBS Sports Network and RidePass on Pluto TV …
… but it won’t be NEARLY as exciting as being there and witnessing it all with your own two eyes!
So, it’s time to pack those bags, secure your tickets and get ready to see how it all plays out May 9-19 as the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast prepares to put on the BIGGEST show of the year!
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
