TD Garden in Boston is preparing to host a thrilling rodeo event as the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) organization brings its ‘Unleash the Beast’ tour to the city for the first time in many years.
With over 50 trucks delivering more than 750 tons of dirt to create the rodeo arena, the event promises excitement as more than 100 bulls—each weighing over half a ton—will challenge riders for eight seconds of pure adrenaline.
PBR’s CEO and commissioner Sean Gleason expressed his enthusiasm for the event, emphasizing that the organization had long awaited the opportunity to return to Massachusetts.
“The dates would just never work out for us to try and get to Boston,” Gleason shared in a conversation from Texas. “Finally they have, and we’re extremely excited about the opportunity to return to Massachusetts. It’s been a long time for us to bring the primary tour here.”
The Boston event will mark the third stop on the 18-city tour, following the season opener at SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, and coming just a week before the league’s annual visit to Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Glen Thornborough, president of TD Garden and chief operating officer of the Boston Bruins, emphasized the commitment to diversifying live entertainment offerings at the venue.
“Bringing PBR to Boston is part of our commitment to diversifying the live entertainment experiences we offer our fans,” Thornborough noted in an email. “This is a world-class, high-energy event that’s expanding steadily across the East Coast and into major NHL and NBA arenas. We’re proud to be part of that growth and excited to introduce something bold and new to our city’s rich and exciting sports history.”
Since 1998, Worcester has hosted 25 events featuring PBR’s up-and-coming riders, establishing a strong following in Massachusetts.
Gleason stated that the organization conducted research into their fan base and marked that PBR would not only attract attendees from Boston proper but also from the surrounding regions.
“Our fans will drive from up to 200 miles to a market to see the PBR when we’re in their territory,” he explained.
Interestingly, the event is not focused on local riders from New England. Instead, the excitement will revolve around the bull riding culture itself, which has had limited exposure in the region.
While riders such as Daylon Swearingen from Piffard, New York, and Braidy Randolph from Jonestown, Pennsylvania will participate, strong New England connections in the rodeo scene are minimal.
However, Gleason remains optimistic that the thrill of bull riding will resonate with New England fans.
“I think it’s going to be an extremely successful event, much like some of the other first-market events we’ve done recently, like PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh and Crypto.com Arena in LA,” he asserted.
The PBR format aims to attract audiences in areas where rodeo and western sports are often considered unfamiliar or less popular.
Gleason pointed out the potential for PBR to establish a lasting presence in Boston as they have done in other cities.
“Pittsburgh last year was a complete sellout, and all of a sudden that became a very viable market for a PBR team. I think the same would hold true in Boston,” he affirmed.
Plans for future events in Boston are already underway, as Gleason revealed they have started discussing additional dates with TD Garden management, anticipating a successful inaugural outing with the potential for expansion into PBR’s Team Series league.
image source from：bostonglobe
