TEMECULA, CA & DENVER, CO --Outdoor Channel, America's Leader In Outdoor TV; Orion Entertainment; Ford; and the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) today announced the launch of a brand-new show on Outdoor Channel, "Ford's PBR Outdoors." Slated to air during the second half of 2012, this new show will bring together the biggest names of PBR and air exclusively on Outdoor Channel.
The series will be hosted by veteran outdoorsmen and acclaimed wildlife artist Steven LeBlanc, who has hunted and fished around the globe from Alaska to Africa. Each episode will showcase the biggest names in PBR from their wild rides in front of thousands of screaming fans to their wild hunts across North America.
"PBR's world-class talent join the ranks of Outdoor Channel's other celebrities, musicians and sports icons, who have shown that outdoorsmen and women come from all walks of life," said Jeff Wayne, Executive Vice President of Programming, Outdoor Channel. "We are excited to welcome the members of PBR to the Outdoor Channel family and to be continuing our relationship with both Ford and Orion Multimedia to launch this new unique program that showcases these PBR Pros outdoors and away from the back pen."
"Ford Trucks and PBR have been strategic marketing partners for 17 years running," says Ford's Kevin Schebil, Experiential Marketing Manager for Truck and SUV. "This new series promises to bridge PBR's fan nation to their passion for outdoor adventure and capability. We're pleased to have F-Series trucks as part of the team that brings this to life on TV and in the field."
"Anyone who understands the fans of PBR nation knows that many love the outdoors as much as they do bull riding," said PBR President and COO Sean Gleason. "Showcasing our stars both in the arena and in the field is only natural and Outdoor Channel is the ideal television habitat for such a series."
In addition to "Ford's PBR Outdoors," Denver-based Orion Entertainment also produces several shows for Outdoor Channel, including "Buccaneers & Bones," "Grateful Nation" and "Ford's Fishing Frontiers."
About the Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR)
The PBR is the world's premier bull riding organization. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the PBR. In just two decades, the dream of 20 bull riders has become a global sports phenomenon that is televised worldwide. More than 100 million viewers annually watch primetime PBR programming on networks around the world including CBS, CBS Sports Network, NBC, NBC Sports Network, and YouTube. The PBR has awarded over $100 million in prize money and 24 riders have earned over $1 million, including Justin McBride with $5.5 million -- the most of any western sports athlete in history. Nearly two million fans attend Built Ford Tough Series and Touring Pro Division events each year. For more information on the PBR, go to www.pbr.com, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TeamPBR andhttp://twitter.com/PBR.
About Orion Entertainment
With 32 series and numerous specials in production, Orion Entertainment is the world's largest independent producer of outdoor adventure television. More than 170 million Americans tune in to watch Orion productions each year. In addition to episodic television work, Orion helps the industry's largest brands harness the power of the video medium to transform their sales and marketing efforts. With the world's leading producers, editors, graphic artists, creative directors, animators and a 16,000-hour HD library, Orion is the outdoor industry's only full-service marketing solutions organization.
About Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc.
Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: OUTD) owns and operates Outdoor Channel, America's Leader In Outdoor TV, and Winnercomm Inc., an Emmy Award winning production and interactive company. Outdoor Channel offers programming that captures the excitement of hunting, fishing, shooting, off-road motorsports, adventure and the Western lifestyle and can be viewed on multiple platforms including high definition, video-on-demand, as well as on a dynamic broadband website. Winnercomm Inc. is one of America's leading and highest quality producers of live sporting events and sports series for cable and broadcast television. Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. also owns and operates the SkyCam and CableCam aerial camera systems which provide dramatic overhead camera angles for major sports events, including college and NFL football. For more information, please visit www.outdoorchannel.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.
