FORT WORTH, Texas – The PBR (Professional Bull Riders) today announced the Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by Camping World, an extension of the PBR Teams league that will bring head-to-head, team vs. team bull riding games to the sport’s elite individual tour, Unleash The Beast (UTB), providing additional exposure and fan engagement to the growing sport.
Beginning with the UTB event at Madison Square Garden in New York City on January 3 through April 26 in Tacoma, WA, the Monster Energy Team Challenge will showcase one rivalry matchup among the league’s 10 teams at each event.
During the opening night of these events, to conclude the final 12 outs of the first round, rivals from the PBR Camping World Team Series will play one head-to-head 6-on-6 game. The UTB-qualified riders in this one game will go on to compete in the remainder of the elite tour event weekend, along with non UTB-qualified riders who register a qualified ride. Any ride score from their rivalry game will be counted for the UTB weekend event title and individual 2025 PBR World Championship standings.
“Following a thrilling 2024 Teams season, we want more fans to have the opportunity to experience team competition within our exciting and very well-attended Unleash The Beast events,” said Sean Gleason, CEO and Commissioner, PBR. “Bringing one rivalry game to individual season events in the new year will give fans more chances to root for their favorite teams, provide teams additional exposure and awareness and put even more money in the pockets of bull riders.”
The head-to-head rivalry games are: Arizona vs. Oklahoma; Austin vs. Texas; Carolina vs. Nashville; Florida vs. New York; and Kansas City vs. Missouri.
The Monster Energy Team Challenge will pay out $180,000 to the participating riders over the 15 games. Since the formation of the PBR Teams league, the PBR prize pool for athletes has more than doubled, increasing from $7.2 million in 2022 to more than $15.5 million in 2024.
The league generated a 15% increase in attendance in the recently concluded 13-event season.
There will be 15 Monster Energy Team Challenge games during the UTB season with each team playing the same opponent in three rivalry games, which will not count toward the annual PBR Teams Championship. Ten games will be televised on CBS Television Network. The 2025 PBR Teams season will open on July 11 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
2025 MONSTER ENERGY TEAM CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY CAMPING WORLD
| Jan. 3, 2025 | New York, NY | Madison Square Garden | Florida vs. New York |
| Jan. 10, 2025 | Chicago, IL | Allstate Arena | Carolina vs. Nashville |
| Jan. 17, 2025 | Houston, TX | Toyota Center | Texas vs. Austin |
| Jan. 24, 2025 | Pittsburgh, PA | PPG Paints Arena | Oklahoma vs. Arizona |
| Jan. 31, 2025 | Sacramento, CA | Golden 1 Center | Missouri vs. Kansas City |
| Feb. 7, 2025 | Salt Lake City, UT | Delta Center | Oklahoma vs. Arizona |
| Feb. 14, 2025 | Indianapolis, IN | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | Kansas City vs. Missouri |
| Feb. 22, 2025 | Jacksonville, FL | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | New York vs. Florida |
| March 8, 2025 | North Little Rock, AR | Simmons Bank Arena | Missouri vs. Kansas City |
| March 15, 2025 | Louisville, KY | KFC Yum! Center | Carolina vs. Nashville |
| March 21, 2025 | Palm Springs, CA | Acrisure Arena | Arizona vs. Oklahoma |
| March 28, 2025 | Albuquerque, NM | The Pit | Austin vs. Texas |
| April 4, 2025 | Sioux Falls, SD | Denny Sanford PREMIER Center | Nashville vs. Carolina |
| April 18, 2025 | Nampa, ID | Ford Idaho Center | Austin vs. Texas |
| April 26, 2025 | Tacoma, WA | Tacoma Dome | New York vs. Florida |
Beginning in Tucson, Arizona, at Tucson Arena on Nov. 15-16, 2024, the elite Unleash The Beast will bring the world’s Top 40 bull riders and rankest bovine athletes to 25 cities across 20 states. The season will conclude with the 2025 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast in Texas. The sport’s most prestigious event will begin in Fort Worth at Cowtown Coliseum with Eliminations from May 8-11 and Ride For Redemption from May 14-15, concluding with the Championship in Arlington at AT&T Stadium from May 17-18.
For more information about the PBR and the 2025 PBR Unleash The Beast schedule, to check out ticket on-sale dates, and to purchase tickets, visit PBR.com.
Stay tuned to PBR.com for the latest news and results and be sure to follow the sport on all social media platforms at @PBR.
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media