The PBR was not worried about any potential backlash from partnering with the Border Patrolgetty images
The U.S. Customs & Border Protection is supporting the PBR with a $2M sponsorship deal this year that the Border Patrol believes will "bolster recruiting," according to Josh Peter of USA TODAY. The Border Patrol over the past three years has spent more than $5M on the partnership. The PBR previously had a deal with the Border Patrol from '08-11, and it was "renewed in part" because of President Trump. He ordered the hiring of 5,000 more Border Patrol agents in '17, and the PBR sponsorship gives the agency a "variety of recruiting tools, including its logo being splashed across riders and arenas and a series of TV ads running in local markets." The "possibility of any backlash" from the deal "did not scare off the PBR." PBR CEO Sean Gleason said, "We make good choices based on what's going to be good for our business and the sport. It's not politically driven." Former Acting Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Ron Vitiello, who was key in securing the partnership, said that the deal "helps to tone down the incendiary dialogue around immigration." Gleason added that PBR has "received only a couple of emails objecting to the partnership with the Border Patrol and there has been no public outcry." Peter notes during PBR events, the Border Patrol "provides color guards and, when available, mounted horse patrol, a 10-person drum and bagpipes." At certain events, the Border Patrol's "special operations group's rappelling team descends from the arena ceiling before the playing of the national anthem" (USA TODAY, 1/21).
