Professional Bull Riding Grows In Popularity Across The US

Of all the places where a cowboy can take the ride of his life on the back of a bucking bull, New York City's Madison Square Garden might seem the least likely. But recently, the legendary arena was filled with professional bull riding fans, many of whom grew up far away from the Wild West.

"If it can infiltrate New York City, then yeah, it's coming," said Daryl Goodridge, a Bronx native.

The Garden recently hosted the PBR Monster Energy Buck Off for the 16th year, with pro bull riders taking center stage in a venue known as the home of the Knicks and Billy Joel. Bull riding is now a major spectator sport, and PBR, or Professional Bull Riders, has driven its popularity since it was founded in 1992. But PBR's growth catapulted during the pandemic, launching teams based in several cities around the country for a new type of league competition.

"Our television viewership and our ticket sales and attendance are rivaling several of the other sports," said Sean Gleason, PBR CEO and Commissioner.

The bulls are bred to buck, weighing 1800 pounds or more. They are 10 times the size of the typical bull rider who has to try to hold on with one hand for eight seconds. Those professionals riders are now holding tightly for the possibility of real financial rewards. PBR's 2022 World Champion Daylon Swearingen has earned more than $2 million in winnings.

"Once this gate opens, it's got to play out however God wants it to," Swearingen said.

Swearingen grew up in upstate New York and was at one time a wrestler. But as a bull rider, he has also earned a lifetime's worth of injuries.

"Shoulder surgery. Hip surgery. Foot surgery," he recalled. "I had a surgery on my jaw."

Those high stakes are one reason PBR is attracting so many eyeballs, including in television broadcasts on CBS Sports. The bulls have become just as much of a draw as the riders for many fans, but some animal rights activists have also claimed the activity is cruel to the bulls. Gleason says that is misinformation.

"They're not mistreated. They're worth a half a million to a million dollars," Gleason said.

Gleason sees another frontier for his league in sports betting, and he is also focused on recruiting new riders.

"We're only gated right now by the number of riders we can get on bulls," he said.

A sport that's roping in fans and proving interest in the Wild West runs coast-to-coast.