Release - PBR's premier tour returns to Tampa
August 22, 2025
Contact: Angela Lanza (813.301.6893, alanza@viniksportsgroup.com)
PBR’s Premier Tour Returns to Tampa After A 13-Year Hiatus on Jan. 23-24
A Lot’s Changed but PBR Still Has the Rankest Bulls Matched with Ridiculously Courageous Athletes in Epic David vs. Goliath Matchups all Night Long
Tickets are on sale now
TAMPA, FL – As Florida’s Tom Petty sang, “The waiting is the hardest part.”
For those in the Tampa Bay area and beyond, the waiting is over. For the first time since 2012, PBR (Professional Bull Riders) will bring its elite Unleash The Beast to Tampa, January 23-24, 2026. The best riders and rankest bulls in the world will meet at Benchmark International Arena for the most unpredictable and explosive 8 seconds in sports wrapped in a rock-show, family-friendly production.
The trip to Tampa will be the sixth event of the 18-event 2026 Unleash The Beast season.
Over two days, the riders and bulls will go head-to-head with the action starting at 7:45 p.m. EST Friday night and continuing 6:45 p.m. EST Saturday to announce an event champion.
When the tour last came to Tampa in 2012, Guilherme Marchi walked away the event champion, edging out second-place Chase Outlaw by three-fourths of a point, riding three bulls on the weekend. Marchi, the 2008 PBR World Champion, would go on to become the most prolific rider in PBR history, registering 635 qualified rides.
While PBR will sell fans the whole seat, most fans only use the edge. Tickets are available at PBR.com and ticketmaster.com. PBR Rewards members can call 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 two 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 (800) 732, 1727.
Stay tuned to PBR.com for the full 2026 Unleash The Beast schedule announcement along with the latest news and results. Be sure to follow the sport on all social media platforms at @PBR.
EVENT FAST FACTS
- 750 tons of dirt (1.5 million pounds) are brought in to transform Benchmark International Arena into a bull-riding mecca.
- The dirt is a special clay-sand blend establishing a firm enough surface for the bulls to buck hard but soft enough so that every rider is not injured when thrown like a rag doll.
- It takes 7 semi-trucks to haul in the equipment for the event.
- A crew of about 30 works around the clock to prepare the venue.
- Over 50 of the rankest bucking bulls on the planet will be on site.
- PBR bulls are remarkable animal athletes born to buck. Each is a member of a special breed: The American Bucking Bull.
- By virtue of competing in PBR, they get the best food and care, avoiding a very brief career in the meat packing industry.
- The average PBR bull weighs 1,800 pounds.
- The average bull rider? Just 140 lbs.
About PBR (Professional Bull Riders):
PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 1,000 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast tour (UTB), which features the top bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, and Canada. In 2022, the organization launched PBR Teams—10 teams of the world’s best bull riders competing for a new championship—as well as the PBR Challenger Series with more than 50 annual events nationwide. PBR events are broadcast on CBS Television Network, Paramount+, the CW Network, and FOX Nation. PBR is a subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company. For more information, visit PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, X at X.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.
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For more information contact:
Taylor Riemersma – TRiemersma@pbr.com
TICKETS: Tickets for this event are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. Advanced parking passes are available at ParkWhiz.com. Visit benchmarkintlarena.com or call 813.301.2500 for more information.
– BenchmarkIntlArena.com –