Streaming service Fox Nation is dipping its toes into the world of live sports by offering Friday evening events from the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) league.
Starting in August, Fox Nation will offer “PBR Friday Night Live” from Sunrise, Florida. Fox has committed to 10 episodes of the series, with one episode debuting each week through its run. Fox Nation will also offer the league championship opener from Las Vegas in late October.
Before the live events start, Fox Nation will host a new bull riding competition series, called “Last Cowboy Standing.” The series starts on Friday, July 11.
“We could not ask for a better partner to kick off our first foray into live sports,” Lauren Petterson, the President of Fox Nation, said in a statement. “PBR is an incredibly unique sport with an unrivaled, passionate fan base, and it’s a great addition to the entire Fox Nation viewer experience.”
It isn’t the first time Fox Nation and PBR have teamed up: Earlier this year, Fox Nation offered “Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo,” which saw the iconic rock singer offer live performances in-between bull riding sets during what Fox Nation billed as a “reimagined rodeo.”
“We’re thrilled to build on our strong partnership with Fox Nation to deliver live coverage of Friday Night Teams and the second season of Last Cowboy Standing,” Sean Gleason, the CEO and Commissioner of PBR, said on Tuesday. “Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo was a breakout hit in May for Fox Nation, proving that their devoted audience is eager for exciting Western sports content. The Fox platform is a perfect stage to showcase our athletes’ stories of grit, courage, and determination.”
Fox Nation is the latest distributor to televise PBR events. The Nashville Network (TNN, later Spike TV and now Paramount Network) had live cable rights to PBR events and programming in the mid-1990s, with special events offered on NBC in the early 2000s.
Outdoor Life Network, CBS Sports and Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media have also offered live bull riding events from PBR over the years. PBR is listed as one of several creditors in Merit Street Media’s recent bankruptcy filing, and the organization pulled its programming from Merit TV over non-payment of royalties last year. The rights package obtained by Fox Nation is different from the events offered on Merit TV.
Fox Nation is part of Fox News Media, owned by Fox Corporation. The streaming service costs $6 per month and is widely available on smart TV platforms, phones, tablets and through web browsers. Fox Nation will also be part of the Fox One streaming bundle when it launches in September.
