PUEBLO, Colo. – Each of this summer’s 12 PBR Camping World Team Series stops feature a unique mixture of the Western world intertwining with professional team sports while throwing in some ever-fun extracurriculars, hometown influencers and beyond to spice things up.

Hell, maybe even a couple of autographs along the way or a song or two here and there and it’s easy to see that each of the circuit’s events are surrounded with various entertainment avenues for PBR fans and home-state supporters.

The third PBR Teams: Outlaw Days is certainly no exception, as several of the team’s athletes have been in market all week making some noise for this weekend’s showcase.

From Koltin Hevalow throwing out a first pitch with the MLB’s Kansas City Royals to knocking out tons of interviews on radio row and hitting up some museum-based fun, the Outlaws understand this is their biggest and only opportunity to show out for their dedicated supporters.

And with the tour spending its Week 7 slate on the other side of Missouri, down in Springfield, home of the Missouri Thunder, there’s never been a better time to one-up their in-state rivals.

One of the many reasons this weekend’s Outlaw Days festival is kicking things up a notch once again, set to feature endless family-friendly activations, rider autograph signings and tons of giveaways, photo opportunities, musical performances and more.

This weekend, Kansas City belongs to the Outlaws.

But they’ll be sharing the spotlight with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs this weekend, as the NFL’s top dawgs are set to open the 2024-25 campaign during a Thursday Night Football showdown against the Baltimore Ravens Thursday night.

And with 2024 PBR World Champion Cassio Dias preparing to knock out a jersey swap with Patrick Mahomes and his Chiefs teammates before taking in the season-opener up on suite level with his orange and black teammates, we have a feeling he might be rocking red on Thursday.

It’s only right that the hottest team in professional football was interested in hosting Dias and company, as the world’s top-ranked bull rider competes for none other than the town’s first and only professional bull riding team, who just happen to share a hometown with the back-to-back Super Bowl Champions.

PBR and the NFL have enjoyed bordered broadcast windows on CBS Television Network for several years now, practically partnering in producing some of the biggest wows in professional sports. But for the league’s consecutive champions to invite you into their locker room means Dias and the world’s most talented bovines continue to inch closer to said superstar status on the national grid.

Naturally, the team will be saving some surprises and celebrations for the weekend’s slate of competition inside T-Mobile Center, and the fans who intend on coming inside and enjoying the show.

But, honestly, name a better way for a team to kick off their homestand than celebrating with some established champions within the football world’s “Welcome Back” celebration.

Who knows, Taylor (Swift) might even be in the house!

Once Friday rolls around, the Outlaws and their coaches J.W. Hart and Guilherme Marchi may quickly reflect on what should be an awesome experience inside Arrowhead Stadium, but they have their own championship to chase.

And that race resumes during their own opening night showdown against the year one New York Mavericks.

Bringing a healthy 11-5 record and No. 2 rank into this weekend’s slate, the Outlaws trail only the No. 1 Carolina Cowboys in essentially every statistical category possible at this point. Which might be frustrating to a certain extent but imagine how each of the league’s other eight teams feel, pretty much riding for third-place regular season honors at this point.

Of course, there’s plenty of time for both the Outlaws and Cowboys to fall apart, but that’s not in the DNA of men who report to the sport's original “Iron Man” in Hart.

Plus, Kansas City continues to be the only squad rostering three different riders currently sitting in the Top 10 of the PBR Teams MVP race heading into Week 8.

The skilled Brazilian in Dias currently occupies the No. 4 spot, officially 11-for-20 on the season, which is practically expected at this point despite this season representing just his second summertime campaign.

While we’ve seen flashes in the past, it’s his teammate Sandro Batista which may serve as the biggest shocker so far this season, for both the Outlaws and the tour in general, as he sits one spot above his teammate, now No. 3 in the MVP standings.

Now 11-for-17 on the season, he leads Dias by 4.5 points on the individual aggregate scoreboard as he continues to reinvent his star status.

Rounding out the party of Top 10 contributors, Koltin Hevalow has been on his grind just the same, officially 9-for-17 on the season.

And the scores the youngster has been producing haven’t been middle of the road efforts, either. Drumming up a career-first 90-pointer a few weekends back, he understands he is a reliable part of the team’s top-tier trio. And wants to continue being viewed as such.

Which should be easy for the Smithville, Missouri, native to do during a second-straight weekend of competition inside the state he calls home.

Individuals can make and break a team, 100%.

Thankfully for the Outlaws, these three have been carrying the load lately. Guys like Brennon Eldred, Julio Cesar Marques and tour newcomers in Maikon Calixto Rocha and Heitor Santos Ferreira have been taking turns providing complementary saucy strikes, a big reason why the team has been successful in eight of their last ten games.

Specifically winning seven of their last eight matchups, the team saw their spicy six-game winning streak come to an end last weekend in Springfield but didn’t waste any time in getting another one started courtesy of their Sunday afternoon finale win over the Nashville Stampede.

The party will be fun. The rides will be rank.

But if the Outlaws aren’t able to parlay some potential success at their homestand into the 2024 PBR Teams Championship by capturing the coveted gold buckle, will it all have been for nothing?

The Chiefs have set the standard for Kansas City’s sporting expectations just like the area’s BBQ community continues to set and raise the bar for what some good home cooking looks, smells and tastes like.

So, while they know they’ll have the support of tens of thousands of die-hard bull riding fans and Kansas City supporters throughout the weekend, they ultimately know their goal is to bring some hardware back to the community which has gotten pretty damn used to a good time (and parade!).

Set to host the No. 7 New York Mavericks during Friday night’s finale, Kansas City will round out their hometown weekend via clashes against the No. 4 Austin Gamblers before hosting their rival Missouri Thunder Sunday afternoon for another Show Me State Showdown matchup.

With the Florida Freedom and Texas Rattlers getting the opening night off, the Thunder will suit up alongside the Oklahoma Wildcatters, Austin Gamblers, Nashville Stampede, Carolina Cowboys, Missouri Thunder, Arizona Ridge Riders and New York Mavericks in getting the show started Friday night inside T-Mobile Center.

Fans can stay tuned to PBR.com and @PBR social media channels for the latest news, league updates and beyond. And be sure to catch all of this weekend’s action on Merit Street, the Merit+ App and CBS Television Network as the PBR Camping World Team Series rages on!

MVP RACE HEATS UP AS FIVE RIDERS BRING 10+ CONVERSIONS INTO KANSAS CITY For a majority of the 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series season, we’ve seen either Florida Freedom superstar John Crimber or two-time PBR Teams MVP Jose Vitor Leme occupy the league’s top spot. Crimber enjoyed the honors for two weeks earlier this season after passing up Cassio Dias and teammate Elizmar Jeremias, but it’s been the two-time World Champion in Leme who’s held the rights for each of the past three weekends.

Leme, now 13-for-19, is one of two riders with 13 conversions so far this season. Naturally, the other is Crimber, who’s been successful in 13 of 21 opportunities. Since Crimber jumped to the top of the race in Week 3, it’s mainly been the two all-stars who have been viewed as potential runaway favorites. But a quick glance at the individual aggregate scoreboard shows some additional company is attempting to put their name in the MVP race. And both of the cowboys just so happen to be riding for the hometown Kansas City Outlaws this weekend.

We’ve seen Dias, who’s 11-for-20, regularly put on a show for fans inside arenas around the country for more than a whole year now. But it’s his teammate Sandro Batista who ultimately serves as one of the bigger surprises on the big board. Sitting in the No. 3 spot, one place ahead of the 2024 PBR World Champion, he’s been a weapon as the team’s leadoff man this season. Rather efficient, as well, ever apparent via the talent’s 11-for-17 start to the campaign.

The orange and black unit’s supporters will get to see their pair of league-leaders in action this weekend inside T-Mobile Center and very much expect to hear the buzzer following their attempts.

That same crowd will also need to keep an eye on Sage Steele Kimzey, the fifth and final man who’s racked up double-digit 8-second efforts in 2024. Operating in Carolina’s closer role the entire season, he’s been the definition of clutch for the Cowboys. He hasn’t walked-off as many games as Leme, who continues to operate as the industry’s walk-off king. But he really hasn’t been in position to have the opportunity that many times either, as his loaded lineup has typically already secured the win by the time Kimzey’s turn comes around.

At the same time, he doesn’t care about the situation. He’s just been showing up to ride, regardless of what’s on the line. And it’s been working just fine.

Just 270.25 points behind Leme, essentially three qualified rides, he’s easily within striking distance of the crown. Especially when you consider Carolina is participating in three games this weekend.

With several guys just short of the 10-ride mark, including Brady Fielder, Eduardo Matos, Cooper Davis, Paulo Eduardo Rossetto, Koltin Hevalow and Eduardo Aparecido each bringing nine qualified rides into Week 8, Leme and Crimber will very much need to zoom in on their head-to-head competition while looking out for any of the pack’s given hotshots.

WHICH VERSION OF THE FLORIDA FREEDOM WILL SHOW UP INSIDE T-MOBILE CENTER? The 5-on-5 series very much features a “What have you done for us lately?” moniker, as teams have plenty of talented riders on their respective rosters and ultimately want to get each of their guys some reps, when they can. Coaches are very much aware of their most-talented tier of riders, but sometimes sitting them out, letting them get some rest or even building up some emotion from the sidelines can be beneficial in the PBR Teams landscape.

Hell, Crimber, himself, has endured some ups and downs during his rookie season with the Florida Freedom. Just as the red, white and blue squad has done as a whole here over the first seven showdowns. Lately, however, Crimber and his Florida-based unit have been one of the hotter teams on tour after earning wins in four of their last five games. Crimber continues to lead the charge, in general, sure.

But it’s been much more of a group effort these past two weeks than it was during the first half of the season. Likely a very welcome site for Head Coach Paulo Crimber.

If Elizmar Jeremias can keep knocking them down, back in the ride column last weekend and a man who began the summer with a perfect 3-for-3 slate, he’ll be a quality contributor for the Freedom. Now 7-for-13 on the year and finding the 8 in three of his last four attempts, he’s ranked No. 15 in the MVP race and has already been providing some rank rides for Florida.

Just like Joao Lucas Campos has been, who’s just a few spots behind his teammate, rocking a 6-for-12 slate and No. 21 rank heading into the weekend. Providing his team with some points in three of his last five outs, he’s one of many international talents who have benefitted from sharing a locker room with the Crimber boys.

Bringing an 8-8 record and No. 3 rank in the league standings into T-Mobile Center this weekend during a set of matchups against the Texas Rattlers and New York Mavericks yet posting zero or one-ride efforts in five of their eight losses so far, which version of the Florida Freedom will show up inside the home of the Kansas City Outlaws?

2024 PBR TEAMS: OUTLAW DAYS MATCHUPS Friday, September 6: Oklahoma Wildcatters vs. Austin Gamblers Nashville Stampede vs. Carolina Cowboys Missouri Thunder vs. Arizona Ridge Riders New York Mavericks vs. Kansas City Outlaws Saturday, September 7: Nashville Stampede vs. Oklahoma Wildcatters Carolina Cowboys vs. Arizona Ridge Riders Florida Freedom vs. Texas Rattlers Austin Gamblers vs. Kansas City Outlaws Sunday, September 8: Texas Rattlers vs. Carolina Cowboys New York Mavericks vs. Nashville Stampede Oklahoma Wildcatters vs. Florida Freedom Missouri Thunder vs. Kansas City Outlaws FOLLOW ALONG This weekend’s PBR Teams: Outlaw Days showcase in Kansas City, Missouri, is set to begin Friday, Sept. 6 at 7:45 p.m. CT as the Oklahoma Wildcatters and Austin Gamblers get the three-day showcase started inside T-Mobile Center.

With competition set to continue Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7:45 p.m. CT and conclude Sunday, Sept. 8 at 1:45 p.m. CT, the seventh of ten homestand events will see the world’s best bull riders lay it all on the line with just six weeks remaining until the 2024 PBR Teams Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, Oct. 18-20!

Fans can tune into Merit Street and the Merit+ App on Friday, Sept. 6 beginning at 8 p.m. CT to take in the four opening night games. The first three games of night two’s slate, airing on Saturday, Sept. 7, will also air on Merit Street and the Merit+ App starting at 8 p.m. CT. All of Championship Sunday’s Outlaw Days action will air on Sunday, Sept. 8 beginning at 5 p.m. CT.

RELATED: Where to Watch: Outlaw Days

The Week 8 “Game of the Week,” featuring the Austin Gamblers and Kansas City Outlaws, is set to air on CBS Television Network on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 2 p.m. CT.

Spanish broadcasts of all three days of action will also air on TUDN, with night one’s action airing on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 2 p.m. CT, Saturday’s slate airing on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 2 p.m. CST and Sunday’s showdowns airing on Monday, Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. CT.

Fans can keep an eye on PBR.com and @PBR social media channels for the latest news, scores, wrecks and more! And be sure to download the Merit+ App to watch all of this season’s exclusive action!

Photo courtesy of Josh Homer/Bull Stock Media