Paramount+ Aims for More Macho Street Cred with 5-Year Bull Riding Rights Package

¿Quién es más macho? ¡Paramount+ es más macho!

David Ellison took another step in crusade to convert Paramount+ into the manliest streaming service around. The streamer signed a 5-year deal to be the primary streaming home of the the main PBR (Professional Bull Riders) tour, “Unleash The Beast.” Events will be available on Paramount+ beginning December 12.

This news comes not long after Paramount+ paid $7.7 billion for the next 7 years of UFC rights. Like UFC, PBR is owned by the TKO Group.

Paramount has history with the PBR. The company’s free service, Pluto TV, has offered the exclusive PBR RidePass channel since 2021. Some events will continue to be available on CBS, as they have been for decades.

Last month, CBS aired its highest-rated PBR broadcast ever, reaching an average of 2.70 million viewers.

The Second Coming of Spike TV?

If you look back at the history of the TV channel now called “Paramount Network,” you see there is a history of male-focused content there. From 1983-2000, it was called The Nashville Network. In 2003, the channel was rebranded as Spike TV – “The First Network for Men.”

In 2018, it became Paramount Network, and its dude roots emerged with the release of the smash-hit series “Yellowstone.” Series creator Taylor Sheridan became a golden goose for Paramount, cranking out testosterone-fueled shows like “Landman” and “Tulsa King.”

Although Sheridan’s content has been the backbone of Paramount+, Ellison’s hand-picked business leaders rubbed Sheridan the wrong way. He’ll be leaving for NBCUniversal and Peacock as soon as his Paramount deal expires.

It’s unclear who Ellison will turn to for more nouveau John Wayne content to fill Paramount+, but between the UFC and PBR deals, it’s clear the company is putting its male audience first.