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At the PBR Camping World Team Series 2024 Draft in Nashville
I can say with certainty that I have drank a few PBR drafts in a Nashville bar. But, I had never attended a PBR Draft in a Music City drinking establishment. At least not until Wednesday, May 29, 2024 when the 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series held their fourth annual selection of new bull riders to compete in their upcoming season that begins in just a few short weeks.
This year's draft took place at DraftKings Sports & Social and PBR Cowboy Bar.
The event was held at the recently opened DraftKings and PBR Cowboy Bar that are together a part of Nashville Live! - a new multi-level dining and entertainment destination on 2nd Avenue in the heart of downtown. The 50,000-square-foot building is the former home of the George Jones Museum and features a different venue on each level along with an elevated rooftop experience, AVA Rooftop Bar and a 10,000-square-foot event space, The Gallery. Patrons at the draft enjoyed unobstructed views of the Cumberland River and Nissan Stadium. Inside, memories of the 2019 NFL Draft that was held nearby were re-kindled as announcements of "on the clock" and "the pick is in" echoed throughout the expansive room.
18-year-old John Crimber was the top pick in the 2024 PBR Draft.
On Wednesday evening in Nashville, Tennessee, the Florida Freedom selected teenage phenom John Crimber (Decatur, Texas) with the No. 1 overall pick. The selection created a rarely seen dynamic in professional sports, with Crimber now set to ride for his father, Florida Freedom Head Coach Paulo Crimber.
The PBR Draft was held in Nashville in 2024.
"I'm excited to get rolling and bring a championship to Florida," the younger Crimber said moments after being selected. "It's an honor to join the Freedom alongside my dad. He's been there my whole career, and I don't think much is going to change, except he might get on my butt a bit more for falling off."
The Nashville Stampede are on the clock.
"I couldn't be any happier," Head Coach Paulo Crimber added. "All of the riders I selected came right in order. I was blessed to still have them available when my turn came around. I think we did great with youth; we have all young kids, and they are all hungry to ride. They are talented and they are tough. I am excited to see how the new season starts."
There was anxious moments in the draft room for the Austin Gamblers.
The selection of Crimber marked a youth movement for the PBR Teams as more than half of the riders taken in the first two rounds could not even legally drink an adult beverage inside the venue. Eleven of the first twenty picks were 20 or under and there was plenty of energy in the room in anticipation of the upcoming third season for PBR Teams. Not to be outdone - the New York Mavericks - an expansion squad chose Maverick Smith with their first pick in Round 3 so it was obviously meant to be.
The Missouri Thunder were hospitable to Team MCN at dinner time.
At DraftKings Sports & Social - PBR Teams were set up in war room style as they deliberated their weighty choices. We spent some time studying the cool and flashy logos of the two expansion teams - the New York Mavericks and Oklahoma Wildcatters. But, it was the Missouri Thunder who showed us their friendly mid-western hospitality when they let the team from MCN slide into their V.I.P. booth for a few minutes so that we could eat a fine southern meal of hot chicken, pork sliders, fired green tomatoes and mac & cheese that was generously provided for all attendees.
PBR's Flint Rasmussen wasn't clowning around in Nashville.
Stars and special guests were on hand but we were especially happy to see the always gregarious Flint Rasmussen who has traded in his makeup kit for a more serious role as a PBR sideline reporter. In Nashville, he emceed rounds two through five while enthusiastically welcoming all the new members to the growing PBR Teams family.
We met some members of the Stampede on the streets of Nashville.
Upstairs at the after-party music was provided by the talented Andy Velo. Raised in North Georgia, Andy knew at just 11 years old that he wanted to spend his life in country music. Right after high school, Velo started going out on the road with then rising country artist, Corey Smith. He was able to learn first-hand from that experience what all it took, behind the scenes to become a touring artist. In 2012, he officially made his move to Nashville and hasn't looked back since - enjoying every second of the ride along the way.
The New York Mavericks will play their debut season at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The PBR Camping World Team Series is an elite league featuring the world's top bull riders competing on teams in five-on-five games leading to a Team Championship at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. During the 2024 season, the league's third, each of the 10 teams – Austin Gamblers of Austin, TX; Arizona Ridge Riders of Glendale, AZ; Carolina Cowboys of Greensboro, NC; Florida Freedom of Sunrise, FL; Kansas City Outlaws of Kansas City, MO; Nashville Stampede of Nashville, TN; New York Mavericks of Brooklyn, NY; Oklahoma Wildcatters of Oklahoma City, OK; Missouri Thunder of Ridgedale, MO; and Texas Rattlers of Fort Worth, TX– will host a homestand. Neutral-site games to be announced are planned as well.
Andy Velo played a smart, thematic set of both drinking and cowboy songs at the after party.
Related Links: For more information on PBR TEAMS and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - PBR Teams | Nashville Live | Andy Velo | PBR Teams and the Nashville Stampede Return for a Wild Weekend Campout in Music City | PBR Team Champions the Nashville Stampede Bring the Big Buckle Home to Broadway
