This coming weekend the Professional Bull Riders will kick off their new season with their annual stop at Madison square Garden. One of the more innovative sports brands in fan engagement and experience, the PBR has survived the economic woes of some of its biggest partners to again become a property worth following for new ways to test the digital marketplace (especially in the mobile space) to keep their core fans interested while the Tour goes around to some far outposts, while also finding angles to lure in casual fans who may never see a bull but who like thrill sports and the various platforms that can be created to follow and have some fun in the digital space.
New York has been a critical stop for the PBR for its kickoff event each January, a time when they can show brands that a sport with western roots can holds its own on Madison Avenue. Every year some new engagement is brought to the front by the PBR in New York, whether it is a parade of bulls on Sixth Avenue, new television partners, new gaming opportunities or the ability to bring companies into the space for the first time. This year however, the PBR, along with the History Channel, may be bringing another niche to the forefront in the manicured dirt of MSG. It is professional jousting, and like the PBR, is a sport which is long on action and personality but unlike the PBR is short on grassroots and mainstream engagement. However it is a made for TV spectacle, and needs really little explanation.
Now jousting has been on the come as an event for several years, both abroad and in the United States. The current form looks to take tough guys from varied backgrounds (think a little early MMA on horseback) and drop them into a storied competition with new age technology and branding opportunities. The PBR partnership, with the startup Full Metal Jousting group, will try and ride the core of PBR followers in both New York and later on in Anaheim, to grow awareness and interest. The thought is that if you enjoy the thrill of bull riding, can lances and armor be that far away. Jousting does have all the elements for modern TV spectacle, short of Snooki being the damsel in distress. Most of all it has a TV partner willing to promote, and an event partner willing to share the spotlight to grow together.
Will it find it’s niche? Hard to say. Already there is competition in the jousting arena, with National Geographic well into its own jousting stars show, “Knights of Mayhem.” one thing any edgy startup doesn’t need to sell to brands and potential fans is confusion as to who is with who, so a little working together would be great. Second, one other barrier are the competitors themselves. One of MMA’s greatest hooks is that you get to see the human emotion up close and personal, with little barrier in place. The jousting participants (hopefully) are sheathed in armour (Under Armour sponsor anyone?) and riding horses. Yes we get lots of backstory for a taped reality show, and we can learn and feel for the contestants and their stories (also one of MMA’s greatest selling points) but the drama beneath the armour loses some of the appeal for the spectator. Can jousting continue its comeback from Medieval Times? It has action, science, an appeal to a male demo and great in arena drama, as well as those nice broadcast partners. Do we need night after night of jousting? Probably not.
More importantly than whether jousting succeeds, what we may be seeing is that the mainstream interest and acceptance of the PBR is growing to a point where 0ther startups can partner to test new waters for activation and engagement. We have sen it in the digital space with the PBR and now in the event space. Jousting and bulls may make for an interesting combination, whether they make great business sense will be TBD. Sharpen your lances and lock away the bulls.
