By Emily Davenport-Salcedo
AMNY.com
Get your cowboy hats ready and dust off your boots: bull riding is coming back to New York.
The New York Mavericks team, belonging to the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) league, will return to the UBS Arena from October 16 to 18 for the “Go Bowling Maverick Days” event. This is a three-day competition that will bring together all the bull riding teams in the league to compete against each other.
Each day will have 5 team matches; The Mavericks will close each day by playing the last duel of the session.
The Mavericks are currently scheduled to face the Arizona Ridge Riders on October 16, the Florida Freedom on October 17 and the Texas Rattlers on October 18, although the matchup schedule is subject to change.
«We are heading to two events leading up to the final, so it is an important stage; The classification will undergo some changes for the final. “I think it’s also an excellent time for the New York market,” said Chris Pantani, general manager of the New York Mavericks.
Known as the “Concrete Cowboys”, this is the third official event that the New York Mavericks have played at their local headquarters; The team made its official debut at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in 2024 before moving to UBS Arena in 2025.
Under the direction of coach Kody Lohstroh and general manager Chris Pantani, the team is training intensely for the upcoming games at their stadium.
«Between their training and preparation sessions, they practice with rodeo bulls. They use practice bulls that help them improve timing and balance, following the usual routine. “They are all ready and excited,” Pantani said.
The team will travel to New York in advance; Some members were scheduled to attend the New York Islanders game on October 13 to introduce themselves to fans and organize promotional activities during the game.
On October 15, the team visits Cohen Children’s Medical Center to meet with patients and host games thanks to Go Bowling, the team’s business partner. Kids can take photos with team members, play on an inflatable bowling alley, and enjoy a performance by country music artist Andy Velo.
Additionally, the team is hosting an event at Maple Lanes in Rockville Center on October 15, giving attendees the opportunity to meet team members and participate in ticket drawings.
Regarding the “Go Bowling Maverick Days,” Pantani explained to amNewYork that Go Bowling will install a single lane bowling lane at the venue, thus allowing fans to play alongside the team.
The Mavericks have also partnered with Hooked IRL — a social media app designed to facilitate face-to-face encounters at live events — with the goal that rodeo fans can meet each other, whether for romantic or friendship purposes, during this weekend’s events.
“It’s possible to meet single people at the venue and hopefully make a connection—not just through the rodeo, but a romantic or other type of connection. “It’s a great way for people to meet each other at our events,” Pantani said.
«It is a way to connect single people who want to attend events but, at the same time, are looking to meet new people and make friends. For those who buy a ticket thinking “I want to go to an event, but I don’t want to go alone,” this allows them to attend knowing that they could meet other people with similar interests.
Pantani assures that those who attend the Go Bowling Maverick Days event will have an extremely exciting experience.
“It’s going to be so exciting that even if you buy a full-seat ticket, you’ll only need the front half – you’ll be on the edge of your seat for the entire show,” Pantani said.
«It brings the culture of the American West to the New York market. It is a combination of two types of athletes: the bulls are athletes in their own right and the cowboys are at the top of their discipline; “so two athletes meet, like gladiators, in the same arena to compete.”
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pbr.com.
