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PBR adds expansion team, Oklahoma Wildcatters, backed by LIV golfer Talor Gooch

the oklahoman
·2 min read
Jul 7, 2023; Hertfordshire, ENG; Talor Gooch (USA) plays his shot from the fourth tee during the first round of the LIV Golf London golf tournament at Centurion Club. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 7, 2023; Hertfordshire, ENG; Talor Gooch (USA) plays his shot from the fourth tee during the first round of the LIV Golf London golf tournament at Centurion Club. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports

PBR adds expansion team, Oklahoma Wildcatters, backed by Talor Gooch

Talor Gooch’s FJS Ventures and PBR announced Friday that the Oklahoma Wildcatters will join PBR Teams – a bull riding league featuring the world’s top bull riders.

The Wildcatters inaugural homestand is scheduled for July 12-14 at Paycom Center, the opening weekend of the 12-event 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series season.

“Bringing a bull riding team back to Oklahoma where we intend to build a championship-caliber team in the state I love is a dream come true,” said Gooch, a Carl Albert and Oklahoma State alum. “I’ve always been a PBR fan. Team competition makes the sport even more exciting, generates coverage, and creates rabid local fan bases. I’m very excited to join a successful and experienced ownership group working toward growing a sport with vast potential.”

Previously, the Oklahoma Freedom competed at Paycom Center for the league’s first two seasons, announcing a relocation to Florida following the 2023 season.

Gooch, who was an All-American golf at OSU in 2013, competed on the PGA Tour before joining LIV Golf in 2022, earning that league's player of the year honor in 2023.

“When the Freedom relocated to Florida, our priority as a league was to make sure we would be able to serve the incredible fans in Oklahoma with a team,” said Sean Gleason, CEO and commissioner of PBR. “We’re fortunate that Oklahoma royalty in Talor Gooch stepped in to launch a local team for the long haul. Talor is a proven winner set to build something special for fans.”

The Wildcatters’ roster will begin to take shape when up to six riders will be selected in the 2024 Expansion Draft, which is scheduled to be held in New York in early April. Unrestricted free agency will open following the Expansion Draft allowing the Wildcatters the opportunity to add to their roster.  Additional riders will fill out the roster when the 2024 New Rider Draft takes place.

The 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series’ 12-event regular season begins on July 12 in Oklahoma City, hosted by the Oklahoma Wildcatters, and culminates with its championship at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Oct. 17-20).

—Staff and wire reports

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: PBR adds expansion team, Oklahoma Wildcatters, backed by Talor Gooch