Press Release

10/21/2019

Grand Rapids — The bull riders of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) are headed back to Michigan, for the fourth consecutive year, and ready to buck Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 7:00 PM in Van Andel Arena.

As the tenth stop of the 2020 PWVT season, the Grand Rapids Classic will feature the top young-gun bull riders facing off against the rankest bucking bulls in the business, all vying for the world points on the line.

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Monday, October 28 at 10:00 AM. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability.

As Saturday night gets underway each rider will face one bull during Round 1 before the 10 riders with the highest scores advance to the championship round. The overall event winner will be the rider who has earned the most points over two rides.

In addition to the coveted event buckle and world standings points, winners of each PWVT event are guaranteed at least one opportunity to compete at a PBR: Unleash The Beast regular-season event where they can attempt to win enough points to join the Top 35 bull riders in the world and earn a spot competing at the sport’s premier level.

In 2018, after a week of frigid temps swept across the Midwest, Scottie Knapp (Edgewood, New Mexico) brought the heat in front of a sold-out crowd on Saturday night in Grand Rapids and did just that.

Following an 82.5-point ride aboard Southern Charm (New Frontier Rodeo) in Round 1, the Michigan crowd erupted as the New Mexico cowboy rocketed from the chutes recording the highest score of the championship round with 88 points aboard Bandit (Mike Miller Bucking Bulls).

The win earned Knapp 170 world points and an invite to the Unleash The Beast Iron Cowboy at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles which would catapult his 2019 season landing him on the premier series throughout year.

Riders like Knapp, from all over the world including Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand, will be competing head-to-head for the win in Grand Rapids.

The 2020 PWVT will culminate with the Velocity Tour Finals at South Point Arena in Las Vegas, leading into the PBR’s 2020 World Finals at T-Mobile Arena. The winner of the PWVT Finals, the second- and third-place finishers, the top international performer, and the 2020 PWVT Tour Champion, will each qualify to compete at the PBR World Finals and a chance to be the 2020 PBR World Finals Event Champion.

About the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT) began in 2014 as the premier expansion tour for the PBR. The PWVT, the sport’s fastest-growing tour, brings the excitement and top-levels of cowboy and bovine talent that fans have come to expect from the sport’s leader to cities across the U.S. The tour, which is fully produced and operated by PBR, will visit 32 cities in the 2020 season. Beginning in 2019, RideTV became the television home of the PWVT. The PWVT is proudly supported by Pendleton Whisky, Lucas Oil, the United States Border Patrol, Boot Barn, Pneu-Dart and the South Point Hotel and Casino.


About PBR PBR is the world’s premier bull riding organization. More than 700 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast Tour (UTB), which features the top 35 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, Canada and Mexico. PBR’s digital assets include RidePass, which is home to Western sports. PBR is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global entertainment, sports and content company. For more information, visit PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR. Media Contact: Mandi McCary / mandi@mmgnv.com / 702-277-7107

About ASM Global Van Andel Arena is managed by ASM Global. ASM Global is the world’s leading venue management and services company. The company was formed by the combination of AEG Facilities and SMG, global leaders in venue and event strategy and management. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 300 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. From Aberdeen to Anchorage, and Sydney to Stockholm, its venues connect people through the unique power of live experiences.

ASM Global’s diverse portfolio of clients benefit from the company’s depth of resources and unparalleled experience, expertise and creative problem-solving. Each day, the company’s 61,000 passionate employees around the world deliver locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to deliver maximum results for venue owners, and operations, and amazing experiences for guests. By consistently looking for new ways to envision, innovate and empower the spaces and places that bring people together, ASM Global elevates the human spirit while delivering the highest value for all stakeholders. For more information, please visit www.asmglobal.com.