Add another sports entity hoping to be able to hold an event or series of games before the end of the year at SaskTel Centre, pending COVID-19 pandemic approval!
On-line tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 21 through TicketMaster for the P-B-R Canada’s elite Canadian Cup Series’, fan-attended, Saskatoon Classic on October 29 and 30. Naturally, the hopes of being able to hold this event at that time are contingent on the ever-evolving regulations and directives from the provincial government and Saskatchewan Health Authority. That also goes for the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials in November and the home seasons for the Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League, scheduled to start in late June, the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades in October and the National Lacrosse League’s Saskatchewan Rush in November. For now, based on P-B-R Canada’s “Be Safe Cowboy” guidelines and rules and regulations from the S-H-A, a series of protocols are in place for the event to be held at SaskTel Centre. They include selling limited arena capacity for fans with appropriate physical distancing, digital ticketing, touchless and cashless concession and merchandise sales, increased sanitation in high-contact areas and hand sanitizer stations throughout SaskTel Centre. Following is the news release from P-B-R Canada…..
PBR Canada’s Elite Cup Series Returns to Saskatoon with Fan-Attended Event Oct. 29-30
Tickets for the PBR Saskatoon Classic at SaskTel Centre on-sale Friday, May 21 at 10:00 a.m. CST
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan – For the 13th time in league history, PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada will buck into Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and SaskTel Centre, holding the elite Canadian Cup Series’ fan-attended PBR Saskatoon Classic Oct. 29-30.
PBR Canada’s Cup Series regularly features Canada’s best riders alongside some of the league’s top international athletes, squaring off against the rankest bucking bulls from across the nation. Fans will witness exhilarating 8-second rides and wrecks throughout the action-packed event as the PBR’s courageous bull-riding athletes face off against their 2,000-pound opponents.
In cooperation with local government and through the dual activation of the PBR’s “Be Cowboy Safe” guidelines, and Saskatchewan Health COVID-19 rules and regulations, SaskTel Centre and PBR have instituted a series of protocols to enhance the safety of guests, including:
- PBR will sell limited arena capacity to fans to physically distance groups and minimize fan crossover when entering and exiting their seats.
- Focus on digital ticketing and minimal person-to-person contact where possible.
- Touchless and cashless sales at all concession and merchandise stands throughout SaskTel Centre.
- Increased sanitization of high-contact areas including doors, railings, concession counters, merchandise stands, bathrooms and elevators.
- Hand sanitizer stations have been placed throughout the venue to promote hand hygiene.
PBR Canada last travelled to Saskatoon in 2019 when The Hub City welcomed the league for the season’s Finals, as one of the most fiercely contested national title races in league history came to a climactic end.
Going a flawless 4-for-4 to win the season-culminating event inside SaskTel Centre, Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York) completed a come-from-behind surge to rise from No. 4 to No. 1 in the national standings, capturing the 2019 PBR Canada Championship.
Following his dominant performance in Saskatoon in 2019, Swearingen went on to contend for the PBR World Championship in 2020, concluding the year a career-best No. 9 in the world.
Other past event winners in Saskatoon include: Cody Coverchuk (2018 – Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan); Edgar Durazo (2017 – Moctezuma, Mexico); Zane Lambert (2017, 2016 – Ponoka, Alberta); Brady Oleson (2015 – Blackfoot, Idaho); Aaron Roy (2014, 2009 – Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan); Rosendo Ramirez (2014 – Huichapan, Mexico); Scott Schiffner (2013 – Strathmore, Alberta); Ty Pozzobon (2012 – Merritt, British Columbia); Dusty Ephrom (2011 – Kenosee Lake, Saskatchewan); Harve Stewart (2011 – Stephenville, Texas); and Mike Lee (2010 – Decatur, Texas).
PBR Canada’s return to Saskatoon also comes on the spurs of the league’s resilient 2020 campaign which concluded with Dakota Buttar (Kindersley, Saskatchewan) winning his career-first PBR Canada Championship.
Winning a league-leading four regular-season events, Buttar punctuated his record-setting season in momentous fashion. Delivering a near perfect 5-for-6 effort at the three-day, four-event 2020 PBR Canada Finals Week, logging two additional event victories, Buttar never relinquished the No. 1 ranking, finishing the year 240.17 points ahead of No. 2 Lambert.
The bull riding action for PBR Canada Cup Series’ Saskatoon Classic begins at 7:00 p.m. CST on Friday, October 29 and Saturday, October 30.
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, May 21, and start at $25, standard fees may apply, and can be purchased online at TicketMaster.com.
The 2021 slate of events marks the fifth season for the PBR Canada Cup Series as a unified competitive series traveling across the country and broadcast on TSN. Stay tuned to PBRCanada.com for the complete 2021 event and broadcast schedule, to be announced in the coming weeks.
All future PBR Canada events are subject to change, planned in accordance with directives issued by relevant government and health authorities given the evolving regulations during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
