Townsville is just days away from hosting its fifth consecutive PBR Australia Grand Finals and the event is here to stay, until at least 2025, with Townsville City Council extending its support for a further three years.
Previously, the PBR’s national decider was held in Melbourne (2008), Tamworth (2009-2010) and Sydney (2011-2017) until it was relocated to Townsville in 2018. The event has proven to be a coup for the city with thousands of people attending the event every year from across the country and injecting over $1.6 million dollars into the local economy.
Mayor Jenny Hill says Council is proud to continue its sponsorship of the PBR Australia Grand Final through to 2025.
“We’re proud to be supporting the PBR Grand Final through a three-year sponsorship as part of our commitment to growing Townsville into a sustainable destination that embraces and participates in sports, events, and recreational activities,” Cr Hill says.
“Townsville is well-positioned to host the event thanks to our city’s array of hotels and eateries, as well as additional tourism activities for competitors and visitors to enjoy.
“I’m already looking forward to seeing how the event activates Townsville and elevates our reputation as the sports and events capital of Northern Australia.”
2022 also marks the return of interstate and international travel with riders and entertainers from all the country and overseas descending on the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre.
In 2021, the PBR Monster Energy Tour Grand Final was responsible for generating nearly 6000 visitor nights in Townsville, mostly occupied by intrastate visitors. With border restrictions no longer a factor, it is expected that more travellers will make the trip up north for the grand finals.
PBR Australia General Manager Glen Young says this year will be a fantastic return to form for spectators attending the Grand Finals especially with one of the tightest races for the national title in the sport’s history on display in Townsville.
“The PBR has a long-standing history in Townsville, with the first international event ever to run in Australia being in Townsville back in 1999,” Glen says.
“The sport has made significant strides since then and the support in Townsville continues to grow. With 1.6 million avid fans across the country, the spotlight is well and truly on Townsville as Aaron Kleier looks to make history and claim his fifth consecutive national title.”
Should Aaron be successful in his campaign for a fifth consecutive title, he will become the most successful rider in the sport’s history. Hot on his heels are previous champion Cody Heffernan (Singleton, NSW) and Qynn Andersen (Koumala, QLD). Aaron leads the two riders by 72.5 and 280 points respectively in the national standings.
The PBR Monster Energy Tour Grand Finals take over the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre this weekend, November 25th and 26th. Saturday night is sold out with limited tickets still available for Friday night at www.pbraustralia.com.au.
Images supplied.
Main image – Opening ceremony for the 2021 PBR Grand Final.
