The network created by Dr. Phil McGraw has entered into a media rights agreement with the Professional Bull Riders, which was announced during the PBR World Finals on May 19.
The details
During the finals at AT&T Stadium, the broadcast crew announced CBS Sports will extend its contract through 2030 and broadcast 25 hours per year.
In addition, Merit Street Media will cover live PBR events and associated programming, totaling more than 300 hours of original content annually, according to a news release. McGraw was in attendance at the event, sitting next to Stephen Jones, Dallas Cowboys executive vice president.
In addition, Merit Street Media will air 50 episodes of PBR Now, a news and analysis program, and six Women’s Rodeo Championship Events.
The background
Merit Street Media’s broadcast schedule includes Dr. Phil, Nancy Grace, Steve Harvey, Mike Rowe, Bear Grylls and Scott Rasmussen, according to the website.
The PBR Teams series will be broadcast on Merit Street Media starting in July. There are 10 teams that compete in the series, including the Fort Worth-based Texas Rattlers.
Quote of note
“Making every ride, every round and every event available live to fans is a game changer for PBR,” said Sean Gleason, PBR’s chief executive and commissioner, in a news release. “CBS Sports continues to give us the broadest reach possible for our most premium content, while Merit Street is making PBR the anchor of their sports coverage.”
