PBR Tour Proof Positive That Testing, Masks Work By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Thursday, July 16, 2020 - 4:15 pm
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Professional Bull Riders tour this past weekend was the first professional sporting event in the U.S. to have spectators indoors in the arena, and Robby Greene who oversees all of the TV and production for PBR, says the trailblazing event went very well for all involved: the fans, the production team, the riders, and the bulls.
The Denny Stanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, SD, hosted the playoffs of the new PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge on July 10-12.
Wearing masks is a must for those involved with Professional Bull Riding.
PBR's new fan safety protocols included selling only up to 50% of arena capacity to distance fans and social distancing measures in the arena
We had pod seating where if a family purchased tickets, they could sit together and then if there were singles, doubles, or three fans together they would have their own portion of a row as well as an empty space in front of and behind, says Greene. Our closed, TV only events in April through the end of June worked well, but it was great to welcome back fans and have some crowd noise while being able to hear some music.
The event with fans capped off a busy period that saw the safety protocols evolve. PBR's new team tournament had been in Las Vegas for closed events four weekends in June, and while earlier in the season the production teams were housed in RVs, at the arenas in Vegas they were able to stay on a couple of floors at the South Point Casino where the arena that was hosting the events was located. This past weekend they also were housed in a hotel.
We took over a couple of floors and had our own entrance where we would test the staff, says Greene. Everyone on our team was tested, went into self-isolation, and had meals delivered until they were all clear with a negative test.
The common thread to all of the PBR activities, says Greene, is testing. It's costly and takes a lot of work to organize, including securing a lab that can guarantee test results in a timely manner, but to date it has worked flawlessly for the PBR production team.
PBR has had eight events since Coronavirus shut down most of the sporting world in March, and the league has had no positive COVID-19 tests among production crew coming to the arena.
The inability to get testing results in a timely manner is making headlines across the country, but Greene says PBR has been able to secure facilities that offer the quick turnaround testing required.
I am actually feeling bullish as more options are becoming available including a new process that involves a swab and can give results in 15 minutes, he says. Also, there may be more affordable tests available soon, so we are improving on an already solid plan.
On August 7 and 8, PBR's production truck will head up to Bismarck, ND for the PBR Bismarck Invitational, marking the first time that event, which has now been elevated to the premier series, will be televised. The trucks are thoroughly disinfected every day during a production.
With 90% of our TV crew and utilities being the same across events, it's a simple, uniform process that people now understand, says Greene.
The biggest step to keep safe is to wear a mask at all times, according to Greene.
It's hard to do with the headset, but you have to do it, be self-aware, practice personal hygiene, and wash hands regularly, he adds. And there is no community ice chest. Instead we have one person who is tested before the event who hands out water bottles, snacks, and meals. It's all about discipline and creating new habits.
Greene is gratified with the success of PBR's comprehensive protocols, a result, he says, when communication to the team is constant, testing is comprehensive, and everyone adheres to a smart plan.
You also have to get a little lucky, but we spent a solid month coming up with the plan, he says.
The focus of the plan has evolved since PBR's return to competition in late April for closed events at the Lazy E Arena in Oklahoma.
We are continuing to learn. The most fluid part is that things can change county by county and state by state, he says. There are a lot of unknowns. But every day I wake up and am so proud of the team. There is no quit in them. Each time a challenge comes up, they find a way through it.
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PBR Tour Proof Positive That Testing, Masks Work By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director 
