NEW YORK, N.Y. – (January 6, 2026) — PBR (Professional Bull Riders) today announced the launch of the PBR Teams Monster Energy Team Challenge (METC), an innovative Teams tournament that will debut at Madison Square Garden on January 9 and be televised nationally on CBSand streaming on Paramount+.
The Monster Energy Team Challenge will be contested throughout the PBR Unleash The Beast (UTB) season, bringing a new layer of competition and added intensity to select UTB events. During 10 Unleash The Beast events, teams will compete in two head-to-head games per event, featuring 4-on-4 matchups for a total of 16 outs per event. Madison Square Garden will host a blockbuster doubleheader to start the tournament when a heated rivalry hits Broadway as the Austin Gamblers tangle with the Texas Rattlers. In the nightcap, the 2025 PBR Teams Champion Carolina Cowboys battle the New York Mavericks.
The teams, which will compete in the fifth season of the PBR Teams league from July – November, will accumulate wins and losses throughout the 10 Monster Energy Team Challenge events with the top four teams advancing to the METC Championship Tournament. The final four format in all three locations will feature one 7 x 7 head-to-head matchup per game (14 total outs).
The championship tournament will span three Unleash The Beast events during the stretch run of individual competition – Albuquerque (March 27), Billings (April 17), and the UTB regular season finale in Tacoma on April 24 – when the remaining teams will battle in head-to-head 7 x 7 games in an elimination format to determine the inaugural Monster Energy Team Challenge champion.
“The Monster Energy Team Challenge represents the continued evolution of PBR’s team competition and gives teams a year-long presence,” said PBR CEO and Commissioner Sean Gleason. “By integrating PBR Teams action directly into the Unleash The Beast and showcasing it on a national stage like CBS, we’re delivering more competition storylines, must-ride situations, and opportunities for fans to engage with the sport.”
The Monster Energy Team Challenge, which does not affect PBR Teams regular season standings when the new season begins in July, builds on the momentum of PBR Teams, which was launched in 2022 and concluded its fourth season in October 2025, blending individual excellence with coaching decisions and team strategy to create more must-watch moments throughout the season.
Riders competing in the METC during UTB weekends will accumulate UTB points and receive prize money for all qualified rides in their quest for an individual championship, which culminates at the PBR World Finals in May.
On the first day of the UTB event, all UTB-qualified riders whose Teams are not competing that weekend will compete on their Round 1 bulls. After those rides are completed, the four Teams selected for the METC will compete in two head-to-head 4-on-4 games to conclude Round 1. Rides in the head-to-head games will count toward both the METC competition and the UTB long round.
Additional details, including team matchups and broadcast schedules can be found here: pbr.com/metc
For more information, visit PBR.com and follow @PBR on social media.
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