The Ariat Texas Rattlers, reigning PBR (Professional Bull Riders) teams world champions, were honored by Mayor Mattie Parker and the City Council as Fort Worth’s first professional sports team to bring home a national title.
Why it matters: As the only PBR team undefeated on home soil, the Rattlers have gained national recognition, becoming cultural and civic icons in the city.
On Tuesday, team co-owner Leonard Firestone and general manager Chad Blankenship presented Parker with an exclusive Fort Worth city jersey. The gifting of a city jersey — a trend among professional sports franchises like the Texas Rangers and Dallas Mavericks — marks the Texas Rattlers’ rising status in Fort Worth’s sports landscape.
The jersey’s Panther City design honors Fort Worth’s resilience, a city once mocked as “sleepy” by a Dallas columnist in the 1870s. Today, the Rattlers stand as a symbol of the city’s transformation into a thriving, dynamic metropolis with a competitive spirit.
Coming up: This special recognition came just ahead of Rattler Days, a three-day bull riding competition on Sept. 26 at Cowtown Coliseum and Sept. 27-28 at Dickies Arena, where the Rattlers will compete against nine other teams from across the country.