YORKTON - PBR Canada is set to mark a milestone in 2025.
This milestone is that 2025 will be the 10th season of PBR’s nationally-televised Cup Series, noted PBR Canada General Manager Jason Davidson in an interview with Yorkton This Week.
In 2025 PBR Canada will hold 10 events on the televised tour, visiting as many cities across Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan.
The regular season will conclude in Saskatoon at SaskTel Centre Oct. 24-25.
The first event goes Feb. 1, in Red Deer.
Davidson said he also anticipates another season of growth following on the heels of a highly successful decade.
“The growth in the last 10 years has been substantial,” he said, adding the growth is testament “to the product we put out,” and how fans have taken to the sport.
Davidson pointed to 2024 where they had event sell-outs in Brandon, London and Kelowna, “and considerable growth in every event.”
The interest in Brandon and London in particular have led to both being expanded to two-day events this year, which Davidson said is good news for the cowboys who get to stay in one place and compete over two days. Brandon will be held May 23-24, and London June 6-7.
The event in Ottawa at the Canadian Tire Centre home of the NHL Senators was such that Davidson said they had a call of interest from the Bell Centre in Montreal. This year the Ottawa event is June 14.
As another measure of growth Davidson noted the PBR Canada champion in 2016 earned $40,170. In 2024 top rider Nick Tetz took home $250,000.
Certainly the television exposure has been a big part of the growth.
“Our partnership with TSN has brought way more eyeballs (to the sport),” said Davidson, adding that exposure is sort of the hook to get new fans to buy event tickets where they can experience the full impact of the show from the pyrotechnics to the music to the clown and of course the bull riding.
“Now the PBR is a household name in Canada,” he said.
Davidson said they continue to add to the sport package, noting they paid out more than $1 million to athletes in 2024.
“We should cross that threshold again this year,” he said.
Riders will also have a couple of new awards to chase.
The Wrangler MVP and $25,000 will go to the cowboy riding the most bulls at PBR Canada events at all levels in 2025.
With Yorkton being the final qualifying event of the season, Davidson said rides at the event could be crucial.
The second award is for the ‘Road Warrior” the cowboy who attends the most PBR Canada events, an award Davidson said will be a gruelling one to win since “bull riding is a very dangerous sport” and staying healthy to attend events is not easy. That award will come with a cheque for $10,000.
That said the attraction of the PBR for riders is high.
“To be the best at your craft the PBR is where you’ve got to be,” said Davidson.
For the fifth time in history, the PBR Canada National Finals will be held in Edmonton at Rogers Place. After a season-long battle, the 2025 PBR Canada Champion will be crowned following the two-day, season-culminating event on Nov. 14-15.
