A Whole New Bull-Game: PBR Team Series Calls for New Production Technology, Storytelling Strategy The live broadcast now mirrors the in-venue production with the same on-air talent for both By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Thursday, August 18, 2022 - 2:33 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
With the launch of the PBR Team Series last month, an entirely new five-on-five bull-riding format has changed the face of the sport. And with that new format comes a brand-new look for both the broadcast and the in-venue show - complete with a new state-of-the art in-arena experience, as well as new cameras, graphics, and audio elements for the broadcast.
Photo by Josh Homer/Bull Stock Media
This has been a one-on-one sport for almost 30 years, and now it's about teams; that changes the entire story, says Robby Greene, who oversees TV and production for PBR. The camaraderie and team spirit add a whole new level to the story. To watch teammates and coaches on the back of these bucking chutes pulling for the guy out there [riding] is really special to watch. I'm excited to present that to our audience in a new and totally different way.
After debuting at the outdoor Cheyenne Frontier Days July 25-26, the PBR Team went into full swing with indoor events at arenas in Kansas City, Anaheim, and, this weekend, Nashville in an 11-event regular season that will be followed by championship weekend in Las Vegas in November. All PBR Team Series events are being broadcast on either CBS or CBS Sports Network or are streamed live on Paramount+ or PBR RidePass on Pluto TV.
Best of Both Worlds: Melding the Broadcast and In-Venue Shows From an operations standpoint, the live broadcast mirrors the in-venue show, with the same talent heard in the arena and on television (as opposed to two independent shows for PBR's primary Unleash the Beast series).
Photo by Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
Over the years, says Greene, people at our live events have told us, I wish I could hear the television commentators while I'm in-arena,' and then people watching on television at home say, I wish I could see and hear more of what is going on [in the arena].' So we're trying to give everybody the best of both worlds by combining these two distinctly different shows and making it one product.
As part of the single-show mentality, the CBS TV broadcast desk, captained by Kate Harrison, is prominently located in the middle of the bucking chutes rather than in a traditional announce booth. In addition, CBS has embedded sideline reporters Allen Bestwick and Matt West and dedicated cameras to each team's bucking chute - similar to coverage of dugouts in baseball broadcasts. All these elements will also be incorporated into the in-venue videoboard show, bringing fans in the stands and at home closer to the action than ever before.
We're definitely still learning, says Greene, but we're just so excited to be able to provide that same perspective to both the spectator that bought a ticket [at the venue] or that's watching at home. We can offer that perspective now from the entire talent team - both in-arena and television. Is it perfect? Not yet. But is it a product that we're proud of? Absolutely. And we're getting better every week.
Inside the Arena: Big-Time Videoboard, Lighting, Audio Upgrades The in-venue Team Series experience is almost unrecognizable compared with a traditional PBR event, with PBR's largest-ever main videoboard, a state-of-the-art theatrical lighting system, and a drastically enhanced sound system.
Arena opening during the second day of the PBR Team Series event at Honda Center, Anaheim, CA (Photo by Josh Homer/Bull Stock Media)
The new center-hung videoboard measures 55 ft. wide by 30 ft. tall and comprises nearly 5 million individual LEDs. In addition, 400 linear feet of reinforced-face LED signage surround the entire arena, replacing the traditional printed signage tacked to the fences that bulls would sometimes tear down.
The in-venue experience also features nearly 300 individual lighting elements: beams, strobes, spotlights, moving-head fixtures, fixed and flashing lights. This significantly boosts the drama factor inside the arena compared with previous PBR events, which relied heavily on each venue's house lighting.
On the audio side, a new sound system equipped with 56 line-array speakers and eight subwoofers delivers 512,000 W of sound amplification. PBR has also invested in state-of-the-art sound-reinforcement technology to improve sound levels and clarity everywhere in the arena. Dan Hickman, head of production, PBR, told the Wrangler Network that the system (developed by a German audio company specializing in high-end concert audio) dramatically improves sound clarity and allows his team to digitally steer sound away from the TV booth and other areas that require quiet.
Photo by Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media
A total of 15 semi-trucks are required to transport all this gear from venue to venue each week, and that doesn't count the trailers and trucks carrying an average of 90 bulls and 750 tons of dirt for each three-day event.
The addition of 30 seats on a new deck above the bucking chutes put VIP guests practically on top of the action. Another 18 Dirt Suites are located in the end-zone area opposite the chutes. Greene says the in-venue show now feels more like a high-profile title fight or WWE show than a rodeo.
I think I underestimated just how big the wow factor would be at one of these PBR Team events, he says. I just sit back in awe of what has been created in the arena with these 360-degree LED videoboards, the new sound system, the new people-pen structure, and the concert stage. If you didn't think a PBR could get any better, you have to come check one of these out.
Inside the Broa
North America Stories
26/03/2026
Extron and Audio-Technica have announced that their Design Solutions devices, Ce...
26/03/2026
SPORTEL Asia took place March 24-25 at the Orchard Hotel Singapore, drawing 370 participants representing more than 220 companies from 35 countries. Approximate...
26/03/2026
LTN will demonstrate satellite-to-IP migration solutions for broadcasters, cable networks, MVPDs, and station groups at NAB Show 2026 (Booth W2100).
The C-Ban...
26/03/2026
The Seattle Mariners have partnered with Daktronics to install an upgraded outfi...
26/03/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) has awarded National Team Partner status to organizations and individuals across more than 100 countries and territories for the Esp...
26/03/2026
Telestream has announced expanded integration between its Vantage workflow platf...
26/03/2026
FOR-A Corporation has announced a partnership with Nippon TV and NVIDIA to distr...
26/03/2026
CBS Sports and the WNBA have expanded their partnership through a new long-term, multiplatform rights agreement. CBS Sports will feature up to 20 regular-season...
26/03/2026
Zac Brown Band will star in the Sunday Night Baseball show open on NBC and Peacock, NBC Sports announced. The open was filmed at American Family Field, home of ...
26/03/2026
Major League Baseball opens the 2026 season with nationally televised games across multiple media partners. Fans can visit MLB.com/Watch for a complete schedule...
26/03/2026
DIRECTV has announced an agreement to carry nine new MLB-operated team channels, covering the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers (Detroit SportsNet), Kansas City R...
26/03/2026
Nationals.TV, the Washington Nationals' local broadcast channel, is now avai...
26/03/2026
Starting Thursday, March 26, MLB.TV will be available on the ESPN App, giving fans access to more than 2,000 out-of-market regular season games. Fans can also r...
26/03/2026
By Matt Klein
Hello to everyone reading this - whether you're a current YEP, HPA member, or just YEP-curious. I'm Matt Klein, one of the co-chairs of t...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
28 participating companies, from start-ups to blue-chips, lead the UK Group as part of the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland presence across all the Halls at N...
26/03/2026
Arkona Unveils BLADE//planner and Major Usability Enhancements at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
New graphical configuration tool and...
26/03/2026
Bitfocus showcases complete control at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
Continuing development drives advances in security, availa...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Nevion introduces powerful new Panel Builder to enhance VideoIPath broadcast con...
26/03/2026
2026 Oscar Nominated Films Powered by Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton March 25, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio used on 27 of this year's no...
26/03/2026
Leader to present full suite of advanced Test & Measurement solutions at NAB Sho...
26/03/2026
Boston Conservatory to Present New England and Collegiate Premiere of Groundbrea...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
Have a Wish Worth Dying For? Netflix's First Korean YA Hor...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
The Truthers, Starring Jose Coronado and St phanie Magnin, Pre...
26/03/2026
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on ...
26/03/2026
That gaming backlog won't clear itself - GeForce NOW is here to help. Stream the latest titles straight from the cloud across a variety of devices.
This we...
25/03/2026
Live match directors Sarah Cheadle (Sky Sports), Rob Levi (TNT Sports), and Andrew Swift (BBC Sport) sit down with the Premier League's Rachel Nightingale t...
25/03/2026
The senior from Upstate New York is manning the mic while also interning for the athletic department's sports-information team
In the live-sports-video ind...
25/03/2026
Synamedia has announced ContentArmor Edge Watermarking, a server-side solution t...
25/03/2026
SES has announced meoSphere, a medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite network targeted for operation by 2030. The first phase will pair SES-developed software-defin...
25/03/2026
TVU Networks is working with Reuters on a phased migration from satellite to a c...
25/03/2026
Nielsen has announced three senior appointments. Seth Ladetsky has been named Head of Global Sports. Trevor Fellows will lead Nielsen's advertiser and agenc...
25/03/2026
Anoki and Amagi have launched In-Scene Ads powered by Anoki ContextIQ across Amagi's portfolio of in-content ad formats for Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (...
25/03/2026
Arkona Technologies will announce a series of enhancements to its BLADE//runner platform at NAB 2026 (Booth C.1808). The updates focus on usability and workflow...
25/03/2026
Daktronics has installed two tower displays and a video wall in the Lexus Club at Petco Park in San Diego ahead of the 2026 season.
Continuing to improve the ...
25/03/2026
MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems is celebrating its 50th anniversary as NAB Show 2026 approaches. The company was founded in 1976 by Vincent Jachetta, an N...
25/03/2026
IPC, a provider of integrated communication solutions, will make its NAB 2026 de...
25/03/2026
Live production categories were led by NBC, FOX, and ESPN's NFL coverage...
25/03/2026
The Atlanta Braves and Spectrum have announced a multiyear distribution agreemen...
25/03/2026
(L-R) Charlie Tyrell and Daniel Roher attend The AI Doc: Or How I Became An Apocaloptimist Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre ...
25/03/2026
L3Harris Technologies and RFTEQ Pty Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding to ...
25/03/2026
L3Harris delivers combat-ready Torpedo Tube Launch and Recovery system, which deploys and retrieves Iver4 900 autonomous underwater vehicles through submarine t...
25/03/2026
The company expands leadership team under Chief Revenue Officer Amilcar Perez
S...
A Whole New Bull-Game: PBR Team Series Calls for New Production Technology, Storytelling Strategy The live broadcast now mirrors the in-venue production with the same on-air talent for both By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
