Professional Bull Riders has gotten into the over-the-top saddle, looking to lasso rodeo fans with a Netflix-style subscription streaming service.
PBR, which is owned by Endeavor (formerly known as WME-IMG), on Monday launched RidePass, a digital-streaming service offering 500-plus hours per year of exclusive live event coverage, news and commentary programs, and original and scripted series.
RidePass costs $7.99 per month or $83.88 for an annual membership (which comes out to $6.99 monthly). Users can sign up for a 21-day free trial.
PBR has a broadcast-rights deal for major events with CBS, its longtime TV partner. As a companion to the TV coverage, the new RidePass network will present related programming, showing the action from PBR insiders “on and off the dirt.” The day after CBS broadcasts of PBR events, RidePass members will have access to full on-demand replays.
All told, PBR’s RidePass will expand fan access to more than 150 live PBR and Western-sports events. That is slated to include additional coverage of PBR’s premier and non-televised tours, international coverage of the sport’s top tours in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico, and live rodeo events.
“Fans have been asking for more live-event coverage, more access to the sport’s compelling personalities, and additional ways to celebrate cowboy values,” PBR CEO Sean Gleason CEO said in a statement. “RidePass will allow fans to stream everything from their favorite PBR and rodeo events to original Western-themed sports series available nowhere else.”
WME-IMG, which adopted Endeavor as the name of the holding company last fall, acquired Pubelo, Colo.-based PBR in 2015 for about $100 million.
PBR RidePass is Endeavor’s third OTT service. The company’s UFC mixed-martial arts org operates UFC Fight Pass, and in late 2015 IMG launched Made to Measure (M2M), an ad-supported digital fashion network.
RidePass’ first live-streaming event will be PBR’s St. Louis Invitational Presented by Express Employment Professionals from Scottrade Center on Saturday, Feb. 17. The first streaming rodeo event will be a showdown to be held at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas in conjunction with PBR’s Last Cowboy Standing, with two rodeo performances on May 5-6.
Original series available at launch include “Keepin’ It 90,” featuring two-time PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney and popular Western personality Dale Brisby; and “In Color,” with in-depth interviews with current and past PBR stars.
At launch, RidePass is available for iOS and Android mobile apps and on the web (at ridepass.com). It will be available on streaming devices including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku later this year, according to PBR.