Professional bull riding set to welcome fans back into arena

As bull riders attempt to hang on to their rides for eight seconds on Friday night in South Dakota, they will be energized by a lively sound they haven’t heard in months — the cheers of a crowd.

Thousands of people are expected to yell and applaud from the stands as they watch one of the first indoor professional sporting events since the pandemic began. Professional Bull Riders is allowing 4,000 fans into the arena to watch the culmination of a monthlong competition that until Friday has played out before silent stands.