Colorado State University Athletics
PBR Bulls & Beats to Debut at Colorado State, Headlined by Collegiate All-Star Rodeo and Opening the 2026 PBR Teams Season
3/12/2026 10:00:00 AM | General
Canvas Stadium to host three days of Western Sports action leading into concerts from Brad Paisley, Bailey Zimmerman, and Miranda Lambert
Fort Worth, Texas (March 12, 2026) – Professional Bull Riders (PBR) today announced the launch of PBR Bulls & Beats, a three-day Western sports and entertainment celebration set to debut at Colorado State University's Canvas Stadium July 10–12, opening the 2026 PBR Teams season. The marquee summer event will combine world-class bull riding, the new Collegiate All-Star Rodeo, and three major concerts into one action-packed weekend.
Leading off Bulls & Beats, the inaugural Collegiate All-Star Rodeo – produced by PBR in collaboration with Learfield College Rodeo – will take place Friday evening, July 10, showcasing top collegiate rodeo athletes from across the country. The night will conclude with a live post-event concert by three-time Grammy Award-winning global country music superstar Brad Paisley.
The weekend rolls on with the PBR Teams 2026 season opener, where the league's 10 teams face off in head-to-head bull riding games for two nights, leading into a Saturday concert from Bailey Zimmerman and a Sunday concert from the most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history, Miranda Lambert.
General Public tickets for the PBR Bulls & Beats go on sale March 23 and are available at CSURAMS.com and PBR.com
"PBR Bulls & Beats represents the next evolution of our event model in college stadiums – bringing together world-class team bull riding competition, the inaugural Collegiate All-Star Rodeo, and premier live music into one unforgettable three-day celebration," said Sean Gleason, CEO and Commissioner, PBR. "This multi-day Western sports and entertainment experience at an iconic venue will elevate the sport, expand our audience, and deliver unmatched exposure for collegiate rodeo athletes. Bulls & Beats sets the stage for the 2026 PBR Teams season and establishes a new standard for launching our championship race."
"Colorado State University is thrilled to have the PBR Bulls & Beats debut in Fort Collins at Canvas Stadium this July," said John Weber, Director of Athletics, CSU. "We are extremely proud of our CSU Rodeo team students and can't wait to have them on full display during the Collegiate All-Star Rodeo, and to host the kickoff of the PBR Teams season. I want to thank Sean Gleason and the entire PBR team for their world-class partnership that will once again bring premium competition and entertainment to our great university and Northern Colorado."
The inaugural Collegiate All-Star Rodeo will showcase two teams selected exclusively from Learfield College Rodeo partner programs, who will represent North and South regions from 19 elite collegiate rodeo programs. The teams will be coached by legendary rodeo figures Joe Beaver, Sid Steiner, Trevor Brazile, and Dale Brisby. The official rosters will be announced in June following the conclusion of the spring collegiate rodeo season.
Each of the 60 student athletes competing in the Collegiate All-Star Rodeo will receive prize money, with an escalator awarded to members of the winning team. Total prize money for the event will reach $180,000 – one of the largest single-event payouts in collegiate rodeo history.
Competition will unfold in a head-to-head, team-based tournament format across nine rodeo disciplines: bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, breakaway roping, barrel racing, goat tying, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, and team roping. Each event will feature three head-to-head matchups worth one point apiece, for a total of 27 points available. The team earning the majority of points available will be crowned champion of the Collegiate All-Star Rodeo.
PBR brought its "Last Cowboy Standing" event to Canvas Stadium at Colorado State University in July 2025. The stadium's first major Western sports event drew 25,000 fans over two days and led to plans to expand its Western sports showcase to three days in 2026, which include the PBR Major at Doak S. Campbell Stadium at Florida State University on March 13-14.
About Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley is one of country music's most accomplished and enduring artists, with a career spanning more than 25 years. A three-time GRAMMY winner and member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, he has scored 25 No. 1 singles – 21 of which he wrote himself – and became the first artist to earn 10 consecutive Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 hits. Paisley has received numerous honors including 15 Academy of Country Music Awards and 14 Country Music Association Awards, and was recently inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has amassed nearly 5 billion career streams and continues to captivate audiences with his acclaimed songwriting and showmanship. With his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, he co-founded The Store, a nonprofit grocery that empowers low-income families in the Nashville area.
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About Bailey Zimmerman
Bailey Zimmerman is one of country music's fastest-rising stars, known for his gritty voice and chart-topping hits. After gaining attention on social media in 2020, he broke through with the viral smash "Fall in Love," becoming the fastest debut country artist in over a decade to reach No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart. His debut album Religiously. The Album. delivered the biggest streaming debut for a country album in history and produced multiple No. 1 hits including "Rock And A Hard Place" and "Where It Ends." His sophomore album Different Night Same Rodeo debuted in the Top 15 of the Billboard 200 and Top 3 on the Top Country Albums chart, featuring collaborations with Luke Combs, The Kid LAROI and Diplo. Zimmerman continues his rapid rise with major television appearances, award nominations and his first headline arena tour.
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About Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert is a critically acclaimed groundbreaker, songwriter and superstar who has built a multifaceted career defined by honesty, conviction and an unflinching pursuit of excellence. The most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history - including the top honor for Entertainer of the Year - she has also won three GRAMMY Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards and was named to the TIME100 list. A multi-dimensional superstar, she has earned seven No. 1 solo albums and 10 No. 1 hit radio singles, while her most recent GRAMMY-nominated album Postcards from Texas extended her streak of 10 consecutive Top 10s on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Beyond music, she is an entrepreneur, bestselling author and advocate, co-founding the Big Loud Texas imprint, launching her Idyllwind and Wanda June Home brands as well as her Tex-Mex cantina Casa Rosa and raising over $11 million via her MuttNation Foundation to support animal rescue nationwide.
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About PBR (Professional Bull Riders):Â
PBR is the world's premier bull riding organization. More than 1,000 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast tour (UTB), which features the top bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR's international circuits in Australia, Brazil, and Canada. In 2022, the organization launched PBR Teams – 10 teams of the world's best bull riders competing for a new championship – as well as the PBR Challenger Series with more than 60 annual events nationwide. PBR events are broadcast on CBS Television Network and Paramount. PBR is a subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company. For more information, visit PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, X at X.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.Â
About Learfield College Rodeo
Learfield College Rodeo, a division of Learfield – the leading media and technology company powering college athletics – has played a key role in advancing collegiate rodeo through innovative partnerships, cross-campus marketing solutions, and expanded opportunities for student-athletes. Since its launch in 2023, Learfield College Rodeo has worked to elevate the visibility, competitiveness, and commercial growth of college rodeo nationwide.
About Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university that serves more than 33,000 students. Founded in 1870 as Colorado's land-grant institution, CSU ensures that students with the talent and desire for a college degree have access to world-class faculty, research and academic excellence. CSU has leading programs in veterinary medicine, occupational therapy, and atmospheric sciences, and excels in areas ranging from infectious disease to clean energy to business. CSU is rooted in the Fort Collins community, has a presence in every county in Colorado, and its academic excellence and innovation impacts the nation and the world.
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Leading off Bulls & Beats, the inaugural Collegiate All-Star Rodeo – produced by PBR in collaboration with Learfield College Rodeo – will take place Friday evening, July 10, showcasing top collegiate rodeo athletes from across the country. The night will conclude with a live post-event concert by three-time Grammy Award-winning global country music superstar Brad Paisley.
The weekend rolls on with the PBR Teams 2026 season opener, where the league's 10 teams face off in head-to-head bull riding games for two nights, leading into a Saturday concert from Bailey Zimmerman and a Sunday concert from the most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history, Miranda Lambert.
General Public tickets for the PBR Bulls & Beats go on sale March 23 and are available at CSURAMS.com and PBR.com
"PBR Bulls & Beats represents the next evolution of our event model in college stadiums – bringing together world-class team bull riding competition, the inaugural Collegiate All-Star Rodeo, and premier live music into one unforgettable three-day celebration," said Sean Gleason, CEO and Commissioner, PBR. "This multi-day Western sports and entertainment experience at an iconic venue will elevate the sport, expand our audience, and deliver unmatched exposure for collegiate rodeo athletes. Bulls & Beats sets the stage for the 2026 PBR Teams season and establishes a new standard for launching our championship race."
"Colorado State University is thrilled to have the PBR Bulls & Beats debut in Fort Collins at Canvas Stadium this July," said John Weber, Director of Athletics, CSU. "We are extremely proud of our CSU Rodeo team students and can't wait to have them on full display during the Collegiate All-Star Rodeo, and to host the kickoff of the PBR Teams season. I want to thank Sean Gleason and the entire PBR team for their world-class partnership that will once again bring premium competition and entertainment to our great university and Northern Colorado."
The inaugural Collegiate All-Star Rodeo will showcase two teams selected exclusively from Learfield College Rodeo partner programs, who will represent North and South regions from 19 elite collegiate rodeo programs. The teams will be coached by legendary rodeo figures Joe Beaver, Sid Steiner, Trevor Brazile, and Dale Brisby. The official rosters will be announced in June following the conclusion of the spring collegiate rodeo season.
Each of the 60 student athletes competing in the Collegiate All-Star Rodeo will receive prize money, with an escalator awarded to members of the winning team. Total prize money for the event will reach $180,000 – one of the largest single-event payouts in collegiate rodeo history.
Competition will unfold in a head-to-head, team-based tournament format across nine rodeo disciplines: bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, breakaway roping, barrel racing, goat tying, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, and team roping. Each event will feature three head-to-head matchups worth one point apiece, for a total of 27 points available. The team earning the majority of points available will be crowned champion of the Collegiate All-Star Rodeo.
PBR brought its "Last Cowboy Standing" event to Canvas Stadium at Colorado State University in July 2025. The stadium's first major Western sports event drew 25,000 fans over two days and led to plans to expand its Western sports showcase to three days in 2026, which include the PBR Major at Doak S. Campbell Stadium at Florida State University on March 13-14.
About Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley is one of country music's most accomplished and enduring artists, with a career spanning more than 25 years. A three-time GRAMMY winner and member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, he has scored 25 No. 1 singles – 21 of which he wrote himself – and became the first artist to earn 10 consecutive Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 hits. Paisley has received numerous honors including 15 Academy of Country Music Awards and 14 Country Music Association Awards, and was recently inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has amassed nearly 5 billion career streams and continues to captivate audiences with his acclaimed songwriting and showmanship. With his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, he co-founded The Store, a nonprofit grocery that empowers low-income families in the Nashville area.
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About Bailey Zimmerman
Bailey Zimmerman is one of country music's fastest-rising stars, known for his gritty voice and chart-topping hits. After gaining attention on social media in 2020, he broke through with the viral smash "Fall in Love," becoming the fastest debut country artist in over a decade to reach No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart. His debut album Religiously. The Album. delivered the biggest streaming debut for a country album in history and produced multiple No. 1 hits including "Rock And A Hard Place" and "Where It Ends." His sophomore album Different Night Same Rodeo debuted in the Top 15 of the Billboard 200 and Top 3 on the Top Country Albums chart, featuring collaborations with Luke Combs, The Kid LAROI and Diplo. Zimmerman continues his rapid rise with major television appearances, award nominations and his first headline arena tour.
Â
About Miranda Lambert
Miranda Lambert is a critically acclaimed groundbreaker, songwriter and superstar who has built a multifaceted career defined by honesty, conviction and an unflinching pursuit of excellence. The most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history - including the top honor for Entertainer of the Year - she has also won three GRAMMY Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards and was named to the TIME100 list. A multi-dimensional superstar, she has earned seven No. 1 solo albums and 10 No. 1 hit radio singles, while her most recent GRAMMY-nominated album Postcards from Texas extended her streak of 10 consecutive Top 10s on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Beyond music, she is an entrepreneur, bestselling author and advocate, co-founding the Big Loud Texas imprint, launching her Idyllwind and Wanda June Home brands as well as her Tex-Mex cantina Casa Rosa and raising over $11 million via her MuttNation Foundation to support animal rescue nationwide.
Â
About PBR (Professional Bull Riders):Â
PBR is the world's premier bull riding organization. More than 1,000 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast tour (UTB), which features the top bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR's international circuits in Australia, Brazil, and Canada. In 2022, the organization launched PBR Teams – 10 teams of the world's best bull riders competing for a new championship – as well as the PBR Challenger Series with more than 60 annual events nationwide. PBR events are broadcast on CBS Television Network and Paramount. PBR is a subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company. For more information, visit PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, X at X.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.Â
About Learfield College Rodeo
Learfield College Rodeo, a division of Learfield – the leading media and technology company powering college athletics – has played a key role in advancing collegiate rodeo through innovative partnerships, cross-campus marketing solutions, and expanded opportunities for student-athletes. Since its launch in 2023, Learfield College Rodeo has worked to elevate the visibility, competitiveness, and commercial growth of college rodeo nationwide.
About Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university that serves more than 33,000 students. Founded in 1870 as Colorado's land-grant institution, CSU ensures that students with the talent and desire for a college degree have access to world-class faculty, research and academic excellence. CSU has leading programs in veterinary medicine, occupational therapy, and atmospheric sciences, and excels in areas ranging from infectious disease to clean energy to business. CSU is rooted in the Fort Collins community, has a presence in every county in Colorado, and its academic excellence and innovation impacts the nation and the world.
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