15 bucks after 15 years

Imagine purchasing a ticket for an early World Series game for $15.

That won't happen.

But this year, it will happen at the bull riding equivalent of a World Series stage.

As the Professional Bull Riders celebrates the culmination of its 15th season, the association is offering some seats for $15 during the first weekend of the 2008 World Finals in Las Vegas.

The performances are scheduled for Oct. 31 and Nov. 1-2 at the Thomas & Mack Center, and $15 is half of the price that fans would normally pay, according to the PBR's ticket operations department.

"It's like the World Series," PBR chief executive officer Randy Bernard said of the World Finals. "You have the energy and the excitement of the crowd and it's the biggest event of the year."

One reason the World Finals generates so much excitement is because there's way more world title race points awarded at the Las Vegas championships than are earned at a regular season tour stop on the Built Ford Tough Series.

For example, the winner of each round at this weekend's tour stop in Des Moines, Iowa, will earn 100 points, and the average winner will receive 300 points. But at the World Finals, the winner of each round is awarded 400 points and the average winner garners 2,500.

With a much greater amount of title race points distributed at the World Finals, the world title race can become very interesting as contenders vie for the coveted $1 million bonus that's given to the World Champion bull rider.

"We're giving our fans a chance to watch the Finals for a very, very low price," three-time World Champion Adriano Moraes said of the $15 tickets. "We cut our gains in half just to give opportunity to the fans that otherwise could not go to the Finals. We're taking money out of our pockets to give fans the opportunity to come and watch us ride." In the early rounds, riders are fresh and raring to go after the bigger points and prize money (2007 World Finals average winner Wiley Peterson earned $278,450).

At the 2007 World Finals, for example, fans witnessed some very exciting bull riding from the first three performances. Brazilian Renato Nunes won the first round with a score of 91.25 (on Grey Dog, owned by D&H Cattle Co. and the Junk Bull Co). Kody Lostroh, a Colorado cowboy, finished second with a 90.5 (Berger Bucking Bulls' Bad Medicine). In the second round, Brazilian Guilherme Marchi paced the field with a 90.75 (on Big Bend/Flying 5 Rodeo Co.'s Firewater), and Lostroh came in second for the second consecutive night after turning in a 90.50 (Page and Buck's Savage Shaker). North Carolina cowboy Brian Canter won the third round after posting an 89.5 (Palace Station Deuces Wild Chad Berger/Low/Rosen).

Another attention grabber from the 2007 World Finals' first weekend: world title race leader Justin McBride was bucked off of his first three bulls. Meanwhile, Guilherme Marchi, who was ranked third in the world title race, had moved within striking distance of McBride after staying on three head. And second-ranked J.B. Mauney also was in the title race hunt after staying on two bulls.

But we know how the race ended. McBride stayed on four of five bulls on the second weekend of the World Finals and fended off the come-from-behind threats of his challengers.

However, the first weekend of the World Finals was very important because it set the stage for a dramatic second weekend.

At the 2006 World Finals, for example, fans witnessed the talent of L.J. Jenkins in dramatic fashion. Jenkins, a 19-year-old sensation at the time, took the lead in the average and went on to win the aggregate title.

During the 2005 World Finals' first weekend, McBride stayed on his first three bulls en route to winning his first of two world titles.

In 2004, Mike Lee took the lead in the average race after staying on his first three bulls. Lee went on to win both the aggregate title and the world title.

Also, 2004 was the first year that the PBR dramatically expanded the amount of points a contestant could earn at the World Finals. In 2003, the most points a competitor could earn was 1,500 (by scoring 100 in each of five rounds and winning the average). But in 2004, a competitor had the potential to earn 6,500 points.

Today, a competitor can earn up to 500 points in each round. So in theory, a bull rider can earn up to 1,500 points during the first three days. Yet again, 1,500 was the maximum amount of points that could be earned in 2003. The difference a few years can make is staggering, with riders now able to earn 1,500 on the first weekend. Fans can see the action for only $15 a night.

"This will give fans who are thinking about coming to the World Finals and have it on their radar screen the confirmation that they will be able to swing it," said Angela Smith, a PBR public relations manager. "We've made it to where fans can see three great nights of bull riding and have money to spend in other parts of Las Vegas."

Another big move in 2004 was breaking the World Finals up into two weekends. From 1994 through 2003, the World Finals was conducted over only one weekend.

But in 2004, organizers added the first weekend with performances held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The second weekend was conducted at the Thomas & Mack Center. And adding three extra performances also swelled the number of rounds from five to eight.

At the 2008 World Finals, organizers are moving the first weekend performances from the Mandalay Bay Events Center to the Thomas & Mack Center, and fans can watch bull riding history unfold for a bargain price. Again, some seats are available for only $15 and it's a limited time offer.

"This year, what we're trying to do is create value," said Bernard, the PBR's CEO since 1995. "If we can create a solid value for our fan, and create a loyal passionate fan that will be with us for many years, then that's what we're going to try to do during this recession."

For more information, call 866-PBR-SHOW or visit www.pbrnow.com. With all that in mind, here's some questions for you, the fan:

1. Is the PBR making a great move by offering some of the World Finals tickets for $15 on the first weekend?

2. What's your best memory of watching the first three performances of the World Finals at Mandalay Bay?

3. Is the PBR making the right move by moving the first weekend from Mandalay Bay to the Thomas & Mack Center?

4. What can PBR organizers do to create value for fans?