ALBANY, N.Y. – For the third consecutive season, PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) premier Unleash The Beast tour will buck into Albany, New York, taking over MVP Arena with PBR Albany Dec. 27-28.

For two nights only, more than 30 of the best bull riders in the world will go head-to-head against the sport’s rankest bovine athletes, showcasing the ultimate showdown of man vs. beast in one of the most exciting and unpredictable live sporting events to witness.

The upcoming PBR Albany will be one of the first events of the new individual season as riders vie for early points in the race to be crowned the 2025 PBR World Champion.

When PBR last travelled to Albany in December 2023, Austin Richardson (Dallas, Texas) rode in seemingly unstoppable form, sweeping the competition inside MVP Arena to win the Unleash The Beast event in the Empire State. The premier series win was Richardson’s third of his career, and first since April 2022.

Via his win, Richardson earned a crucial 157 Unleash The Beast points, rising from No. 6 to No. 2 in the World Championship standings.

Richardson went on to win again the next weekend in New York City, but his season was cut short due to injury in mid-January. Despite not being able to conclude the year actively competing, his early season success led him to finish the 2024 gold buckle battle ranked No. 12 in the world.

The season prior, in December 2022, PBR’s Unleash The Beast returned to Albany for the first time in more than 14 years as Andrew Alvidrez (Seminole, Texas) delivered a flawless 3-for-3 effort to earn his second consecutive Unleash The Beast victory and overtake the then No. 1 rank in the race for the 2023 PBR World Championship. Alvidrez remained a World Champion contender for the remainder of the season and narrowly missed earning his first gold buckle, concluding the individual season ranked No. 7 in the standings.

Prior to the premier series event in Albany in December 2022, The elite PBR Unleash The Beast last travelled to New York’s capital in 2008 when Travis Briscoe (Edgewood, New Mexico) went a perfect 3-for-3 to win the event.

Apart from the premier series, the PBR’s expansion series, the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour, has travelled to Albany twice, holding back-to-back events in the city in 2016 and 2017.

Cody Campbell (Summerville, Oregon) won the event in 2016, and Skeeter Kingsolver (McLouth, Kansas) rode supreme in 2017.

The bull riding action for the PBR Albany begins with Round 1 at 7:45 p.m. ET on Friday, December 27, followed by Round 2 and the championship round at 7:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 28. All competing bull riders will get on one bull each in Rounds 1-2. Following Round 2 Saturday evening, the riders’ individual two-round scores will be totaled with the Top 12 advancing to the championship round for one more out and a chance at the event title.

Tickets for the two-day event go on sale Wednesday, August 14 at 10 a.m. ET, and start at $15, taxes and fees not included. Tickets can be purchased online at PBR.com and Ticketmaster.com, at the MVP Arena Box Office, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.

PBR Elite Seats are available for avid fans who want an exclusive VIP experience while enjoying the world’s top bull riding circuit. These tickets, available in three tiers, offer premium seats, personal on-site concierge at the PBR fan loyalty booth, and more. For more on elite seats, visit https://pbr.com/elite-seats-unleash-the-beast, or call 1-800-732-1727

For more information about the PBR and to see the full 2025 PBR Unleash The Beast schedule, visit PBR.com.