Talor Gooch is a RangeGoat during his day job. At night, he runs with the bulls.
Gooch’s FJS Ventures and Professional Bull Riders announced Friday the Oklahoma Wildcatters will join PBR Teams, a league featuring the world’s top bull riders. Gooch, the 2023 LIV Golf Player of the Year and Oklahoma native, alongside Preston Lyon, CEO/President of Lyon Sports Group, formed FJS Ventures to invest, operate and/or own sports properties. The Oklahoma Wildcatters is the company’s first business venture.
“Bringing a bull riding team back to Oklahoma where we intend to build a championship-caliber team in the state I love is a dream come true,” Gooch said in a release. “I’ve always been a PBR fan. Team competition makes the sport even more exciting, generates coverage, and creates rabid local fan bases. I’m very excited to join a successful and experienced ownership group working toward growing a sport with vast potential.”
The Wildcatters’ roster will take shape when up to six riders will be selected in the 2024 Expansion Draft, which is scheduled for early April in New York. Unrestricted free agency will open following the expansion draft. Additional riders will fill out the roster when the 2024 New Rider Draft takes place.
Oklahoma’s previous PBR team, the Freedom, moved to Florida after the 2023 season.
“When the Freedom relocated to Florida, our priority as a league was to make sure we would be able to serve the incredible fans in Oklahoma with a team,” said Sean Gleason, CEO and commissioner of PBR. “We’re fortunate that Oklahoma royalty in Talor Gooch stepped in to launch a local team for the long haul. Talor is a proven winner set to build something special for fans.”
The 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series’ 12-event regular season begins on July 12 in Oklahoma City, hosted by the Oklahoma Wildcatters, and culminates with its championship at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Oct. 17-20).