PBR Teams Announces Expansion

PBR Teams announced plans for its second phase of expansion, with the league intending to grow from 10 to 12 teams for the 2027 season.

The expansion, approved unanimously by PBR Teams owners, marks a significant milestone in the league’s continued growth. PBR Teams launched in 2022 with eight teams playing five-on-five bull riding games, leading to an annual championship at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. In its first wave of expansion, the league expanded to 10 teams ahead of the 2024 season.

“Our second expansion in five years marks the next step in the continued growth of one of North America’s fastest-growing sports leagues,” stated Sean Gleason, CEO and Commissioner, PBR in the announcement. “With strong interest from prospective ownership groups, we’re excited to introduce team competition to two new North American cities.”

For the league’s fifth season in 2026, teams include the Arizona Ridge Riders of Glendale, Arizona; Austin Gamblers of Austin, Texas; Carolina Cowboys of Greensboro, North Carolina; Florida Freedom of Sunrise, Florida; Kansas City Outlaws of Kansas City, Missouri; Missouri Thunder of Springfield, Missouri; Nashville Stampede of Nashville, Tennessee; New York Mavericks of Belmont, New York; Oklahoma Wildcatters of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Texas Rattlers of Fort Worth, Texas. Neutral-site games are scheduled for Anaheim, California, and Fort Collins, Colorado, are planned for the 2026 season.

PBR Teams follows the existing structure of professional bull riding with the same basic rules for judging and scoring qualified eight-second bull rides. In events staged in a tournament-style format, all teams compete in head-to-head matchups against a different opponent each day. Each game features five riders per team squaring off against another team. Full team rosters are comprised of seven riders on the Protected Roster and three Reserve Roster riders. The team with the highest aggregate score of qualified rides among its riders is declared the winner of each game.

PBR is part of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. Since its inception, PBR Teams has experienced steady increases across key metrics. The league welcomed 272,315 fans during the 2025 season, while broadcasts reached 28 million viewers nationwide. Momentum continues into 2026, with ticket sales for team home events pacing ahead of last year.

The league’s “on-the-dirt” performance has also reached new highs. Competitive balance remains a cornerstone of elite team bull riding, with four different champions crowned in the league’s first four seasons. The level of competition is fueled by skilled riders and a quality roster of bulls. The league will evaluate several markets in the U.S. and Canada for team locations as part of a structured sales process with decisions to be announced in the future.