By now many IRL fans are scratching their heads and wondering who is this PBR guy and why is he taking over IRL??

As one who has interviewed Randy Bernard and seen him in action at the Pro Bull Riders World Finals, I think I can answer that question for you.

First, consider yourself lucky the PBR is losing him to you.  He is what the sport really needs right now.  Randy is a smart, young and energetic leader with some pretty big brass balls to do some new things to get people back into the empty seats.

Randy is a very personable guy.  He has no problem getting into the stands, meeting with the fans.  At the same time he can schmooze with the sponsors just as easily.  Watching him work a room, you can see that people of all walks of life have no problem relating to him and letting their guard down around him.

If you look at the diversity of the PBR fan base, you will se that he knows what it takes to bring in the ever-important younger generation while still hanging onto the older, established fans that grew up with the sport.  At the same time attracting newer, mature  fans from both urban and rural lifestyles.

Make no mistake; he is also a very smart businessman.  I am sure he already has some great ideas and grand visions for the IRL and its fans.  He is also very driven and does not take “no” very easily.  That may be one of the reasons he is leaving the PBR.

Randy knows how to make a deal that will work, when to walk away from a deal not in his favor and he has no problem taking the heat for a deal gone wrong.  With him, the buck really does stop here.

The PBR started 18 years ago when 20 bull riders ponied up $1,000 each.  Some had to borrow the money to throw in, to create this stand-alone sport.  A little while later they talked a young businessman into becoming their CEO.  Convincing him that if he overlooks the current situation (no money, no sponsors, no real plan) that they could make this all work.

Due in large part to Randy’s hard work, leadership and a share in their vision, many of those founders cashed out in 2008 as multi millionaires.  The PBR is now firmly established as the toughest sport on dirt with a worldwide audience and an ever-growing fan base.

If there is one person who can breathe new life into the IRL, grow back its fan base and attract new sponsors; my money will be riding on Randy. Whatever they paid for him to leave PBR, it will seem like chump change in a few years.

Just watch, you will soon see why the IRL chose him to be the new CEO.  As yousee that, you may wonder why the PBR let him go…