PBA Tour’s Debut on FOX Reaches Largest TV Audience Since 2005

Nielsen Media Research says PBA Clash was watched by more than 1.7 million viewers

 

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 28, 2019) – The Professional Bowlers Association’s debut telecast on FOX Sunday reached an average audience of 1,768,000 viewers according to Nielsen Media Research figures released today by FOX. The audience watching the PBA Clash telecast was the largest to watch any bowling telecast on any network since 2005.

 

The Go Bowling! PBA Tour kicks off its 2019 season on Sunday, Jan. 6, at 11 a.m. EST when the PBA Hall of Fame Classic finals air live on FS1 from the International Research and Training Center in Arlington, Texas. The Hall of Fame Classic will be the first of 30 telecasts on FOX and FS1 in 2019, beginning in January and ending in July. The total of 60 hours of PBA coverage will nearly double the hours of  PBA television coverage in 2018.

 

Historic Tournament in China to Conclude 2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tour Season

Summer Tour to determine eight players who will compete in end-of-season special event on FloBowling

 

CHICAGO (Dec. 28, 2018) – The Professional Bowlers Association will conduct its first event ever in China when the inaugural PBA China Tiger Cup is held Nov. 8-11 at the 18-lane Suzhou Tiger Bowling Center about an hour west of Shanghai.

 

The historic tournament that will conclude the 2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tour schedule was announced on Friday by PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark, and tournament host Frank Zhao, the founder and president of Longmarch Bowling.

 

The tournament will include eight PBA Tour players who will earn expenses-paid berths based on 2019 USBC Cup points earned during the PBA Summer Tour. The eight PBA qualifiers will then join 56 PBA members from China, Korean, Japan and other Asian countries for an eight-game qualifying tournament. The top 16 bowlers after eight games will then bowl 16 games of round-robin match play for shares of the $106,000 prize fund. A special USA vs. China team event will conclude the event.

 

The eight PBA Tour stars will qualify during an eight-event PBA Summer Tour schedule between July 24 and Aug. 31. The Summer Tour events will all be live-streamed on FloBowling. The tournaments will include the Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles in Houston, Texas; the Chesapeake Open in Chesapeake, Va.; the Wilmington Open in Wilmington, N.C.; the Gene Carter’s Pro Shop Open in Middletown, Del.; the Bowlerstore Classic presented by Moxy’s Xtra Pair in Coldwater, Ohio; and the PBA FloBowling PBA Summer Swing that will include the Wolf Open, Bear Open and Aurora Open, all in Aurora, Ill.

“The PBA China Tiger Cup is another major step forward as the PBA continues its efforts to grow the sport around the world, and especially in China’s rapidly growing bowling market,” said Clark. “The China Cup joins the creation of the PBA World Series of Bowling 10 years ago, a partnership with World Bowling on the World Bowling Tour and forming PBA Japan as examples of the PBA working to expose the sport at its highest level to as many people as possible.”
 

The PBA China Tiger Cup is the culmination of a relationship between Zhao, the China Bowling Association and the PBA that began with the first contingent of six Chinese bowlers competing in the PBA World Series of Bowling in 2014 in Las Vegas after participating in a “PBA Pioneer League” program originated by Zhao to comply with PBA average requirements. Since its humble beginning, Zhao has conducted 14 PBA Pioneer League events, resulting in 94 bowlers in China and nearby Pacific Rim countries meeting PBA’s minimum average requirements and applying for PBA membership.

 

“China has huge potential for bowling,” Zhao said. “In the 1990s, there was a big boom with more than 30,000 lane beds installed in China, but it declined sharply. Thanks to bowling industry efforts recently, we have seen growth again. The PBA China Tiger Cup comes right on time to further stimulate the market.”

 

The titled sponsor of the event is Tiger Bowling which owns three centers in China. Five years ago, the company created a tournament called the Tiger Bowling Challenge involving “traditional” bowlers vs. “spinners,” referring to the standard “hook” style of bowling widely practiced around the world vs. “spinner” technique popular in several southeast Asian countries that is characterized by lightweight bowling balls propelled by a flick of the thumb. In its sixth year, the Tiger Bowling Challenge will include a series of monthly tournaments involving hundreds of bowlers competing simultaneously on the same oiling pattern at 14 centers around China.

 

"How China bowling develops depends on what we do today, said (Mr.) Lee, owner of Tiger Bowling along with several IT and investment companies. “Tiger Bowling will unswervingly grow bowling. I believe PBA China Tiger Cup will push the development of bowling in China to its new climax."

 

The PBA China Tiger Cup adds a crowning touch to an unprecedented schedule of events for PBA players in 2019 that will include:

            ● 28 PBA Tour title events;

            ● An extensive schedule of nationally-televised events on FOX, FS1 and CBS Sports Network;

            ● An expanded schedule of live-stream coverage by PBA Xtra Frame on FloBowling, the PBA’s new online partner;

            ● A new PBA Playoffs with a $100,000 payoff to the winner;

            ● Four major championship tournaments;

            ● The return of fan and player favorites including the 10th anniversary PBA World Series of Bowling, PBA League Elias Cup, CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational, Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship, 20th anniversary PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles and more.

 

Over the course of the season, the PBA will conduct events in 24 different cities and five countries, including the United States.

 

2019 GO BOWLING! PBA TOUR SCHEDULE

(All times Eastern)

 

PBA ON FOX SCHEDULE

Dec. 23, 2018 – PBA Clash, Kegel Training Center, Lake Wales, Fla. (FOX, 2:30 or 4:30 p.m. ET, depending on viewer’s location).

Jan. 2-6 – PBA Hall of Fame Classic, International Training and Research Center, Arlington, Texas (FS1, Sunday, Jan. 6, 11 a.m., live).

Jan. 6– World Bowling Tour Men’s and Women’s Finals presented by PBA, International Training and Research Center, Arlington, Texas (FS1, Sunday, March 10, 10 p.m.).

Jan. 8-13 – PBA Oklahoma Open, FireLake Bowling Center, Shawnee, Okla. (FS1, Sunday, Jan. 13, 11 a.m., live).

Jan. 8-13 - Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship, FireLake Bowling Center, Shawnee, Okla. (FS1, Sunday, Jan. 20, 1 p.m.).

Jan. 17 – CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational presented by Go Bowling, Bowlero Woodlands, Conroe, Texas (FOX, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2 p.m.).

Jan. 22-27 – PBA Lubbock Sports Open, South Plains Lanes, Lubbock, Texas (FS1, Sunday, Jan. 27, 3 p.m., live).

Feb. 5-10 – PBA Tournament of Champions, Riviera Lanes, Fairlawn, Ohio (FOX, Sunday, Feb. 10, 4:30 p.m., live).

Feb. 12-17 – PBA Players Championship, Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl, Columbus, Ohio (FS1, Sunday, Feb. 17, 1 p.m., live).

Feb. 19-24 – Go Bowling! PBA Indianapolis Open, Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis (FS1, Sunday, Feb. 24, 3 p.m., live).

Feb. 26-March 3 – Go Bowling! PBA Jonesboro Open, Hijinx, Jonesboro, Ark. (FS1, Sunday, March 3, 5 p.m., live).

March 12, 18 – PBA World Series of Bowling X Cheetah Championship, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich. (FS1, Monday, March 18, 8 p.m., live).

March 13, 19 - PBA World Series of Bowling X Chameleon Championship, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich. (FS1, Tuesday, March 19, 8 p.m., live).

March 14, 20 - PBA World Series of Bowling X Scorpion Championship, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich. (FS1, Wednesday, March 20, 8 p.m., live).

March 12-16, 21 - PBA World Series of Bowling PBA World Championship, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich. (FS1, Thursday, March 21, 8 p.m., live).

March 21 - PBA World Series of Bowling X USA vs The World, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich. (FS1, Friday, March 22, 8 p.m.).

March 26-April 1 – USBC Masters, Gold Coast Bowling Center, Las Vegas (FS1, Monday, April 1, 9 p.m., live)

 

PBA PLAYOFFS ON FOX SCHEDULE

April 8 – PBA Playoffs Round of 24, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Monday, April 8, 7 p.m., live).

April 8 - PBA Playoffs Round of 24, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Monday, April 15, 8 p.m.).

April 9 - PBA Playoffs Round of 16, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Monday, April 22, 9 p.m.).

April 9 - PBA Playoffs Round of 16, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Monday, April 29, 9 p.m.).

April 9 - PBA Playoffs Round of 16, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Monday, May 6, 9 p.m.).

April 9 - PBA Playoffs Round of 16, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Monday, May 13, 9 p.m.).

April 10 - PBA Playoffs Quarterfinals, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Monday, May 20, 9 p.m.).

April 10 - PBA Playoffs Quarterfinals, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Monday, May 27, 9 p.m.).

April 27-29 – DHC PBA Japan Invitational Tokyo Port Bowl, Tokyo, Japan

June 1 - PBA Playoffs Final Four, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FOX, Saturday, June 1, noon, live).

June 2 - PBA Playoffs Championship Round, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FOX, Sunday, June 2, noon, live).

 

PBA LEAGUE ON FOX SCHEDULE

July 16 – PBA League Quarterfinals, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Tuesday, July 16, 7 p.m., live).

July 16 – PBA League Quarterfinals, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Tuesday, July 16, 9 p.m., live).

July 17 – PBA League Semifinals, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Wednesday, July 17, 9 p.m., live).

July 18 – PBA League Elias Cup Finals, Bayside Bowl, Portland, Maine (FS1, Thursday, July 18, 9 p.m., live).

 

PBA TOUR FINALS ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK

July 19-21 – PBA Tour Finals, Red Rock Lanes, Las Vegas (CBS Sports Network, July 20, 3 & 5 p.m.; July 21, 3, 5 and 7 p.m.)

 

PBA SUMMER TOUR/USBC CUP SCHEDULE ON FLOBOWLING

July 25-28 – PBA Summer Tour Storm PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles, Copperfield Bowl, Houston, Texas (live, FloBowling; USBC Cup points event)

Aug. 9-11 – PBA Summer Tour Chesapeake Open, AMF Western Branch, Chesapeake, Va. (live, FloBowling; USBC Cup points event).

Aug. 12-14 – PBA Summer Tour Wilmington Open, Ten Pin Alley Family Fun Center, Wilmington, N.C. (live, FloBowling; USBC Cup points event).

Aug. 16-18 – PBA Summer Tour Gene Carter’s Pro Shop Open, Mid-County Bowling & Entertainment Center, Middletown, Del. (live, FloBowling; USBC Cup points event).

Aug. 21-23 – PBA Summer Tour Bowlerstore Classic presented by Moxy’s Xtra Pair, Pla-Mor Lanes, Coldwater, Ohio (live, FloBowling; USBC Cup points event).

Aug. 24-31 – PBA Summer Tour FloBowling PBA Wolf Open, Parkside Lanes, Aurora, Ill. (live, FloBowling; USBC Cup points event).

Aug. 24-31 – PBA Summer Tour FloBowling PBA Bear Open, Parkside Lanes, Aurora, Ill. (live, FloBowling; USBC Cup points event).

Aug. 24-31 – PBA Summer Tour FloBowling PBA Aurora Open, Parkside Lanes, Aurora, Ill. (live, FloBowling; USBC Cup points event).

 

PBA TOUR FALL SCHEDULE

Sept. 4-9 – Storm Lucky Larsen Masters, Baltiska Bowlinghallen, Helsingborg, Sweden.

Sept. 27-Oct. 4 – Thailand Open, Blu-O Paragon, Bangkok, Thailand.

Oct. 23-30 – U.S. Open, Victory Lanes Family Entertainment Center, Mooresville, N.C. (live, CBS Sports Network).

Oct. 31-Nov. 6 – Kuwait Open, Kuwait Bowling Center, Kuwait City, Kuwait.

Nov. 8-11 – PBA China Tiger Cup, Suzhou Tiger Bowling Center, Suzhou, China.

# # #

PBA Spare Shots

 

PBA STARS ASSIST WITH MOOKIE BETTS’ HOLIDAY FUND-RAISER

Mookie Betts’ emergence as a major league superstar with the world champion Boston Red Sox, combined with his high-level bowling skills, has developed into a mutually beneficial relationship with the Professional Bowlers Association over the past three years.

 

Most recently, a fund-raising celebrity bowling event created 35 years ago in Betts’ Nashville area hometown by his mother, Diana Collins, reached a new peak when a team of PBA stars (Tommy Jones, Bill O’Neill, DJ Archer, Dino Castillo and Shawn Maldonado) joined Betts, Red Sox teammate David Price and a number of other Nashville area celebrities to raise money in support of disadvantaged families associated with The National Bowling Association’s Music City Senate.

 

And while they were in town for the celebrity fund-raiser at LTA Bowling Lanes in Murfreesboro, Tenn., the PBA players also donated their time and knowledge to Collins’ new youth bowling clinic at Smyrna Lanes in nearby Smyrna, Tenn.

 

The celebrity fund-raising event (subtitled “AIM” for Acts Inspired by Mookie) carried on a tradition established by Collins when she was still in high school: raising money to help people facing medical or economic hardships, especially around the holidays.

 

“The idea was just to help someone,” Collins said, adding that while the amount of money raised has yet to be calculated, “it has increased tenfold” over the past five years as her talented son has steadily risen to stardom in major league baseball.

 

In a year in which Betts was named American League Most Valuable Player, won the AL batting championship, was selected as AL Defensive Player of the Year, earned Silver Slugger and Gold Glove honors, played in the MLB All-Star Game and helped the Red Sox win the World Series, he coincidentally became one of bowling’s most prominent spokesmen because his bowling talent was a topic in almost every discussion of his considerable athletic abilities.

 

From the PBA perspective, he has participated in the PBA World Series of Bowling twice (rolling a 300 in the 2017 Scorpion Championship in Reno) and he will join NBA star Chris Paul and friends for the third time as a participant in the CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational at Bowlero The Woodlands in Conroe, Texas. The annual CP3 Invitational will air on FOX on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 3) at 2 p.m. EST. In addition, PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark presented Betts with his PBA 300 game ring during pre-game ceremonies at Fenway Park in Boston last summer.

 

PBA’S INTERNATIONAL FANS CAN WATCH PBA ON FOX TELECASTS ON FLOBOWLING

An important benefit of the PBA’s new relationships with FOX Sports and FloBowling will result in expanded access to PBA telecasts for fans around the world.

 

FOX and FS1 telecasts, live or tape-delayed, will serve American viewers exclusively, reaching an estimated 120 million homes on FOX or 90 million homes on FS1 while also live streaming the shows on the FOX Sports Go app.

 

FloBowling will simultaneously live-stream all FOX/FS1 shows to the international audience as the shows air. That means that in addition to the hundreds of hours of PBA Tour coverage already scheduled to air on FloBowling, including qualifying and match play rounds in addition to FloBowling-exclusive tournaments, international subscribers will be able to watch PBA Tour finals televised by FOX Sports as they happen.

 

American viewers will not be able to watch FOX/FS1 shows as they air, but they will be archived “on demand” on FloBowling for seven days after they air.

 

To subscribe to FloBowling, visit FloBowling.com.

 

2019 WEBER CUP SET FOR MANDALAY BAY IN LAS VEGAS 

The 2019 Weber Cup will make its debut on American soil at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, June 18-21, Matchroom Multi Sport has announced.

 

The 20th annual competition will involve teams of European and American PBA stars, competing in a Ryder Cup-style series of individual and team matches.

 

The tournament will be played over four sessions, one per day, on specially-installed lanes in Mandalay Bay from June 18-21. Tickets will be available in January. News on the captains and team selection process for the 2019 Weber Cup will be announced shortly. Matchroom Multi Sport will work in partnership with the PBA Tour to ensure a successful American debut for one of bowling’s most popular international competitions.

 
“We are excited to be taking the Weber Cup stateside in 2019 and are delighted to be working with both the PBA and Mandalay Bay Resort,” Matchroom Multi Sport COO Emily Frazer said. “The Weber Cup has always had a loyal fanbase in Europe and we hope that many of those supporters will join us in Las Vegas, and be joined by a raft of U.S. fans who will finally be able to see this great event in America.”
 
“It's exciting to have the Weber Cup come to the USA,” PBA Tour Commissioner Tom Clark added. “Our PBA players have always enjoyed taking part in the competition and fans love the drama. With news to come regarding how PBA results will help determine a spot on each team's roster, it adds another incentive for the players on our Tour. May the best team win!"
 
Ticket details for the 2019 Weber Cup will be published at webercup.com in the new year. Fans can follow @WeberCup on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get all the latest news first.

 

PBA REGIONAL UPDATE: MINIER, MALDONADO REPEAT AS DOUBLES CHAMPS

Former U.S. Senior Open champion Rick Minier and two-time PBA Southwest Region Player of the Year Shawn Maldonado, both from Houston, teamed up again to successfully defend their title in the sixth annual PBA50/PBA Houston Emerald Bowl Southwest Doubles, presented by Bowling Dynamix, Sunday.
 
The winning duo finished the eight-game qualifying portion of the event in third place and after winning all of their doubles matches leading into the final position round match, they still trailed the team of Paul Fleming of Fort Worth, Texas, and Anthony Lavery-Spahr of Pasadena, Texas, by 19 pins. Minier and Maldonado then finished in style, rolling their high game of the tournament to take the match, 544-473, and claiming the title and the $5,000 winners’ check.
 
The win was Minier’s 14th in PBA Regional competition and Maldonado’s 10th.

 

● PBA Regional competition resumes in the new year over the Jan. 11-13 weekend with the PBA50 Patton Amusement and Genesis Western Open presented by Ebonite at West Valley Bowl in Tracey, Calif.

 

● The PBA Central and Southwest Regions will hold their first events of 2019 over the Jan. 18-20 weekend. Legend Lanes in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, will host the PBA/PBA50 Don Vay Memorial Central Doubles while South Plains Lanes in Lubbock, Texas, hosts the Lubbock Sports Southwest Open presented by Ebonite.

 

● The only regional event on top for the Jan. 26-27 weekend is the PBA Japan Region’s Roto Grip Cup and Shark Open at PBA Fuji Bowl in Iruma, Japan.

 

● For complete PBA Regional schedules, rules and entry information, visit pba.com, open the “schedules” tab and click on PBA Regional Tours to find the event(s) in your area…and remember, you can follow “live scoring” for all PBA Regional events on pba.com (easily accessible for Apple and Android device users using the PBA app).

 

QUICK NOTES:

● Eddie Hernandez from Del Rio, Texas won two CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational presented by Go Bowling! VIP passes for the event on Jan. 17 at Bowlero Woodlands in Conroe, Texas.  He won by entering AMF Bowlero’s sweepstakes that was held on Instagram. Tickets are available for fans to attend the CP3 event at pba.com/tickets. 

 

● The World Bowling Tour Men’s and Women’s Finals, presented by the PBA, will be contested at 1:30 p.m. CST on Sunday, Jan. 6, following the live FS1 finals of the PBA Hall of Fame Classic at the International Research and Training Center in Arlington, Texas. The WBT Finals will air on FS1 on Sunday, March 10, at 10 p.m. EST. The men’s finalists, based on World Bowling Tour points accumulated in 2018, will be Texan Anthony Simonsen, England’s Stuart Williams and EJ Tackett of Bluffton, Ind. Women’s finals will be American stars Danielle McEwan and Liz Johnson, and Poland’s Daria Pajak. The WBT Finals will use World Bowling’s experimental “current frame” scoring system whereby players earn 30 pins for a strike; 10 pins plus the total from their first shot of that frame for a spare, and actual pinfall for an open frame.

 

● Speaking of the PBA on FOX and FS1: in addition to the first airing of tournament finals previously announced, fans who miss a telecast are reminded to check their local listings for FOX’s extensive schedule of re-broadcasts.

 

● Triple Shift Entertainment President Robby Spigner, a former PBA member and son of three-time PBA Tour titlist Bill Spigner, has announced the company has acquired 10 bowling centers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area from the Anderson Companies. Spigner also announced five-time PBA Tour champion Mike Fagan is joining the company as Director of Business Development. Fagan recently earned his MBA from the University of California-Berkeley.

 

Go Bowling! PBA Tour Makes 2019 Debut with PBA Hall of Fame Classic

All-star field begins quest for PBA Playoffs berth at International Training and Research Center Jan. 2-6

 

ARLINGTON, Texas (Dec. 27, 2018) – The Go Bowling! Professional Bowlers Association Tour makes its 2019 debut with the $100,000 PBA Hall of Fame Classic from the International Training and Research Center Jan. 2-6. The finals will air live on FS1 on Sunday, Jan. 6, at 10 a.m. (CST).

 

The new season begins with the first PBA Tour event ever held in the International Bowling Campus’ research and U.S. Olympic training facility. It gets underway on Thursday, Jan. 2, when a field of 70 of the PBA Tour’s top players from around the world start qualifying in the PBA Hall of Fame Classic. Qualifying rounds will be live-streamed in their entirety by PBA’s online video streaming partner, FloBowling, continuing Friday and Saturday to determine the five players who will advance to Sunday’s stepladder finals telecast.

 

The Hall of Fame Classic will be the first competition points event in a 13-tournament series as players begin pursuit of 24 berths in the PBA Playoffs that will be held in April in Portland, Maine. The unique total pinfall, no match play format will be contested on the PBA’s 44-foot Carmen Salvino lane conditioning pattern.

 

The PBA Hall of Fame Classic weekend also will include the first Hall of Fame inductions ever held in the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame on Saturday, Jan. 5, when PBA Tour stars Patrick Allen of South Salem, N.Y., and Mika Koivuniemi of Finland; long-time PBA tournament host Jim Doty of Indianapolis, and veteran bowling journalist Bob Johnson of Las Vegas will be enshrined. The induction ceremonies will be live-streamed by FloBowling.

 

The PBA Hall of Fame Classic will include an all-star field of PBA Tour champions including four-time PBA Tour Player of the Year Jason Belmonte, reigning PBA Tour Finals champion EJ Tackett, PBA Clash winner Marshall Kent, 2018 Player of the Year Andrew Anderson, 2018 Rookie of the Year Kamron Doyle, PBA Hall of Famers Chris Barnes, Parker Bohn III, Norm Duke and Walter Ray Williams Jr., and players from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, England, Finland, Ireland, Mexico, Poland and Sweden including the PBA’s emerging stars.

 

PBA fans are invited to attend the Hall of Fame Classic in person (tickets to all PBA events can be ordered on pba.com (https://www.pba.com/Tickets). Fans also can follow the tournament as it happens on the PBA.com Live Scoring feature (download the free PBA.com app through iTunes or the Google Play stores), or by accessing the PBA’s extensive array of social media outlets through the PBA Network.

 

Following the Hall of Fame Classic, the Go Bowling! PBA Tour’s January schedule includes the PBA Oklahoma Open and Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship at FireLake Bowling Center in Shawnee, Okla., Jan. 8-13; and the Lubbock Sports Open at South Plaines Lanes in Lubbock, Texas, Jan. 22-27. The finals of all January events will air on FS1.

 

PBA HALL OF FAME CLASSIC SCHEDULE

International Training and Research Center, International Bowling Campus, Arlington, Texas

(All times are Central Standard)

 

PBA Lane Oiling Pattern: Carmen Salvino 44

 

Wednesday, Jan. 2

9 a.m. – Pro Tour Qualifier (PTQ), 6 games

2 p.m. – Squad A practice session

4 p.m. – Squad B practice session

 

Thursday, Jan. 3

10 a.m. – Squad A, 7 qualifying games

5 p.m. – Squad B, 7 qualifying games

 

Friday, Jan. 4

10 a.m. – Squad B, 7 qualifying games

5 p.m. – Squad A, 7 qualifying games

      Top 18 after 14 games advance to Round 3

 

Saturday, Jan. 5

10 a.m. – Top 18, 7 qualifying games

     Top 5 after 21 games advance to stepladder finals

6 p.m. – PBA Hall of Fame dinner, International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame

 

Sunday, Jan. 6

10 a.m. – Top 5 stepladder finals, live on FS1

1:30 p.m. – World Bowling Tour Men’s and Women’s Finals (WBT current frame scoring system), taped to air on FS1 on Sunday, March 10, 9 p.m.

 

PBA Tour Finals Returns in 2019 With CBS Sports Network

Live Coverage July 20-21 From Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas
2019 will be first of four-year agreement with CBS Sports Network

 

CHICAGO (Dec. 26, 2018) - Professional Bowlers Association CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark has announced a new four-year agreement with the CBS Sports Network to air the PBA Tour Finals beginning in 2019.

In another Go Bowling! PBA Tour first, the CBS Sports Network will provide an unprecedented 10 hours of live coverage of the showcase event from the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa in Las Vegas July 20-21, 2019.

The 2019 edition of the PBA Tour Finals will feature the top eight players in points from the 2018 and 2019 season through the USBC Masters in April. 

 

In the previous two PBA Tour Finals, won by EJ Tackett in 2017 in Orlando and Jason Belmonte in 2018 in Detroit, the top eight money earners were awarded with a PBA Tour Finals berth, however, that eligibility requirement will switch to the top eight in points beginning with 2019.

 

The 2019 PBA Tour Finals will incorporate the same format as 2018 with the eight-player field divided into two four-player groups. The field will bowl four games of qualifying in their respective groups on a different oil pattern each game. The four game scratch totals for each player will be used to determine the seeding for a separate stepladder finals in each group. The final match of each group’s stepladder will be a best of three-game match with ties broken by a 9th and 10th frame roll off. The two group winners will then meet in another best-of-three game championship match that will also use a 9th and 10th frame roll-off should there be a tie after two games.

 

The PBA Tour Finals is also a unique opportunity for bowling fans to make a trip to Red Rock to witness eight of PBA’s elite players do battle at one of Las Vegas’ premier resorts.

 

A detailed tournament schedule with ticket information and lane conditions will be announced at a later date.

 

CURRENT 2018 GO BOWLING! PBA TOUR POINT LIST      

(Top 25 as of Dec. 26, 2018)     

1. Andrew Anderson, 24,195     

2. Anthony Simonsen, 20,909    

3. EJ Tackett, 19,842    

4. Kristopher Prather, 18,546     

5. Stuart Williams, 18,026         

6. Jason Belmonte, 17,469        

7. Marshall Kent, 16,867

8. Bill O'Neill, 15,737     

9. Jakob Butturff, 15,607           

10. Dom Barrett, 14,075

11. Tom Smallwood, 12,853      

12. Kyle Troup, 12,613

13. Sean Rash, 11,946  

14. Tom Daugherty, 10,617       

15. Matt O’Grady, 10,185          

16. Richie Teece, 9,831 

17. Wes Malott, 9,646

18. Darren Tang, 9,140 

19. Tommy Jones, 9,009           

20. Matt Sanders, 8,945

21. Francois Lavoie, 8,898         

22. Jason Sterner, 8,577           

23. Ronnie Russell, 8,570

24. Chris Barnes, 8,565

25. Ryan Ciminelli, 8,236

 

About PBA

Entering its 61st season in 2019, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is an organization of more than 3,000 of the best bowlers from 27 countries who compete in Go Bowling! PBA Tour, PBA International Tour, PBA50 Tour, and PBA, PBA50 and PBA-PWBA Women’s Regional events. In 2018, the PBA celebrated its 59th consecutive year of nationally-televised competition, reaching bowling fans around the world who follow PBA activities through the PBA Network which includes Xtra Frame on FloBowling, the PBA’s exclusive online bowling channel, FOX Sports, FS1 and CBS Sports Network, and the PBA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. PBA sponsors include Barbasol, Brunswick, Ebonite International, FloBowling.com, GoBowling.com, MOTIV, 900 Global, PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game, Storm Products and the United States Bowling Congress, among others. Learn more at www.pba.com.

Marshall Kent Wins 2018 PBA Clash in Landmark FOX Sports Telecast

Kent defeats Dom Barrett, 218-215, in title match after surviving two elimination roll-offs

 

LAKE WALES, Fla. (Dec. 23, 2018) – Four-time PBA Tour winner Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash., outlasted seven other top money earners from the 2018 Go Bowling! PBA Tour season to win the PBA Clash, taking home the $25,000 winner-take-all first prize while ushering in a new era of sports television coverage for the PBA on FOX Sports.

 

Kent defeated seven-time tour and 2018 U.S. Open winner Dom Barrett of England, 218-215, in the title match that aired on FOX Sunday after surviving two elimination roll-offs at the Kegel Training Center.

 

Down by 18 in the eighth frame, Kent finished the match with five strikes to go around Barrett who left a 10 pin on his first ball of the 10th frame after a double in the eighth and ninth frames, ending his hopes for the win. 

 

The Clash marked PBA’s landmark debut on FOX which will begin its 2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tour coverage with the PBA Hall of Fame Classic at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 6 on FS1.

 

The eliminator format event showcased the season’s top eight money earners from the 2018 season. Joining Kent and Barrett in the field were other top earners Jason Belmonte, Anthony Simonsen, 2018 Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year Andrew Anderson, EJ Tackett, Stuart Williams and Jakob Butturff.

 

The telecast began with each bowler rolling a 10th-frame opening round with the low score eliminated. Seven players advanced to the second round where all players competed in a one-ball low-man-out format with the last two survivors bowling a complete game in the title match.

 

In the 10th frame round, Tackett, the 2016 Player of the Year and the only three-time winner in 2018, was eliminated with an eight count for the frame after leaving the 2-4-10 split. 

 

Kent and Barrett went on to survive the one-ball elimination rounds to advance to the title match.

 

For the unique format, Kent kept things simple using the same ball for the entire tournament while making his adjustments with ball speed and angles to the pocket.

 

“I prepared like I do for any other tournament,” said Kent, who benefited from two crossover strikes in the one-ball elimination rounds. “There weren’t a lot of frames to bowl and there was no re-oiling (of the lanes) so I just made it work with one ball.”

 

After the 3-6-7-10 split and an open in the fifth frame of the title match, Kent put his ability to adjust to the test and got back on track with a strike in the sixth and a nine-spare in the seventh before striking the rest of the way.

 

“It was pressure all the way but I love the pressure,” Kent said. “The last half of the match I was able to find some area to the right so I just needed to play smart from that point.  Obviously, the most pressure was on the strike in the ninth so after I got that strike and all three in the 10th I felt like I did my part; then it was just wait and see what Dom does.”

 

The revolutionary Specto StrikeTrack was introduced during the Clash telecast, giving viewers the ability to follow the path of the ball going down the lane while providing ball performance data in real time. StrikeTrack is similar in concept to the FOX Sports FlightTrack system used on PGA Tour telecasts that tracks the flight of a golfer’s shot.   

 

The Clash marked the return of veteran FOX sportscaster Rob Stone as play-by-play PBA announcer after a five-year absence, again teaming with color commentator and PBA Hall of Famer Randy Pedersen along with sideline reporter Kimberly Pressler.

 

The telecast also included features on all eight players, a preview of the 2019 season and presentations by PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark to Andrew Anderson for his Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year Award and Kamron Doyle for his Harry Golden PBA Rookie of the Year honor. 

 

2018 PBA CLASH FINAL RESULTS

(aired Sunday on FOX Sports)

 

Championship Match

Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., ($25,000) def. Dom Barrett, England, 218-215.

 

10th Frame Elimination Round One (low score eliminated): Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 30; Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 30; Anthony Simonsen, Austin, Texas, 29; Dom Barrett, England, 28; Jakob Butturff, Chandler, Ariz., 20; Jason Belmonte, Australia, 20; Stuart Williams, England, 19; EJ Tackett, Bluffton, Ind., 8 (Tackett eliminated).

 

One-Ball Low-Man-Out Elimination Rounds (low first ball count after each frame eliminates players to determine final two players for championship match. Players tying for low score advance to another frame to break tie)

Round 2 – Anderson eliminated.

Round 3 – Belmonte eliminated.

Round 4 – Simonsen eliminated.

Round 5 – Butturff eliminated.

Round 6 – Williams eliminated (Kent and Barrett rolled strikes to advance to the title match).

 

About PBA

Entering its 61st season in 2019, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is an organization of more than 3,000 of the best bowlers from 27 countries who compete in Go Bowling! PBA Tour, PBA International Tour, PBA50 Tour, and PBA, PBA50 and PBA-PWBA Women’s Regional events. In 2018, the PBA celebrated its 59th consecutive year of nationally-televised competition, reaching bowling fans around the world who follow PBA activities through the PBA Network which includes Xtra Frame on FloBowling, the PBA’s exclusive online bowling channel, FOX Sports, FS1 and CBS Sports Network, and the PBA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. PBA sponsors include Barbasol, Brunswick, Ebonite International, FloBowling.com, GoBowling.com, MOTIV, 900 Global, PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game, Storm Products and the United States Bowling Congress, among others. Learn more at www.pba.com.

 

PBA Spare Shots

FOX SPORTS JUST KEEPS ADDING GOOD NEWS FOR PBA FANS

As the debut of the Go Bowling! PBA Tour rapidly approaches its debut on FOX, FOX Sports continues to add good news to its budding relationship with the PBA.

First, FOX has created a bowling page on FoxSports.com, its official website, that will be filled with PBA player interviews and other news of interest to bowling fans. The website presence means additional availability of PBA news to millions of sports fans around the world, and includes a link to pba.com where fans can find all kinds of additional schedule, background and statistical information.

Secondly, FOX has announced an extensive schedule of re-airs of PBA telecasts, including 14 re-broadcasts of Sunday’s PBA Clash on FS1 and FS2. That means that fans who may miss the initial telecast will have ample opportunities to watch the shows when they re-air. Because the schedules are so extensive, it’s always best to check your local listings for dates and times for those telecasts.

Third, a few FOX stations have exercised their options to pre-empt Sunday’s PBA Clash telecast from its regularly-scheduled 2:30 or 4:30 p.m. time (depending on your home market) and will air the show at a different time. A handful of the 210 markets with FOX stations have elected to re-schedule the telecast. Included are: Atlanta, Augusta, Charlotte, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Green Bay, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Tampa. Fans in those markets should check their local listings for the re-scheduled air time on FOX, and also check their FS1 and FS2 channels for PBA Clash air times.

Fourth, a video preview of Sunday’s PBA Clash is now available on PBA’s YouTube channe1 if you’d like to get a sneak peek at the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvlnHsugY78.

Finally, the PBA Tour will be available in a variety of other outlets, including satellite radio. Viewers can live stream the PBA shows on the FOX Sports app, through the FOX and FS1 streams. The shows will be available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store or on connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs will be available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

TEXAN WINS IBM/HF “HALL OF FAME VIP EXPERIENCE” RAFFLE

David Gonzalez of Brownsville, Texas, is the winner of the IBM/HF’s Hall of Fame VIP Experience raffle, conducted by the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, in cooperation with the PBA, in conjunction with the PBA Hall of Fame Classic that will be contested at the International Testing and Research Center on the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas, Jan. 3-6.

The “Hall of Fame VIP Experience” fund-raising raffle provides Gonzalez with a once-in-a-lifetime experience centered around the PBA tournament and PBA Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Arlington Jan. 5-6. As the winner, Gonzalez will receive:

      ● Round-trip travel and meal expenses for two to the International Bowling Campus, site of the 2019 PBA Hall of Fame Classic.

      ● Invitations to weekend events hosted by Hall of Famer Mike Aulby.

      ● Private, behind-the-scenes guided tour of the IBM/HF and the International Bowling Campus.

      ● Special exhibit ribbon-cutting at the museum.

      ● Tickets to the PBA Hall of Fame cocktail party.

      ● VIP seating at the PBA Hall of Fame Awards Banquet.

      ● Meet and greet with PBA Hall of Fame bowlers.

      ● Special PBA TV production tour.

      ● VIP seating at the live FOX Sports televised-finals of the PBA Hall of Fame Classic on FS1.

      ● Bowling jersey autographed by the PBA Hall of Fame Classic champion.

      ● Autographed PBA championship pin.

      ● Photo in a national bowling magazine.

      ● Tons of photo and autograph opportunities.

The PBA Hall of Fame Classic will be the first event of the 2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tour season and the first PBA championship to air live on FS1 as part of the PBA’s new television agreement with FOX Sports. The stepladder finals will be televised on Sunday, Jan. 6, at 11 a.m. EST from the ITRC in Arlington.

Proceeds from raffle ticket sales will benefit the museum's Frame4Frame Film Restoration Initiative which is intended to restore and preserve the IBM/HF’s irreplaceable collection of history bowling films.

PBA REGIONAL UPDATE: END-OF-SEASON EVENTS RESULT IN TWO FIRST-TIME TITLISTS

As the PBA Regional season draws to a close for 2018, two weekend tournaments resulted in first-time title winners in the PBA South and combined Central-East Regions:

● Nate Garcia of Port St. Lucie, Fla., celebrated his 24th birthday Sunday by winning his first PBA Regional title, defeating PBA Tour veteran Tom Daugherty of Riverview, Fla., 230-214, to win the PBA Reality Check/CareHawk Classic at Sawgrass Lanes in Tamarac, Fla.

Garcia, the number four qualifier for the stepladder finals with a 17-game pinfall total of 3,490, easily defeated PBA rookie Mike Coffey of Melbourne, Fla., 180-151, in the opening stepladder match. He then eliminated Andro Simounet of Lake Wales, Fla., 202-179, to advance to the championship match of the PBA South Region’s final tournament of 2018. Garcia pocketed $2,800.

● In Warren, Ohio, Jay Davis of Silver Spring, Md. defeated John Brockway of Hudson, Ohio, 186-182, to win his first PBA Regional title in the Warren Harley-Davidson Central/East Challenge at Freeway Lanes of Warren Sunday.

Davis, who earned $1,500, downed Larry Woomer of State College, Pa., 225-157, and Brockway topped Tim Pfeifer of Oakdale, Pa., 222-187, in the semifinal round to set up the championship match. Challenge tournaments are open to PBA members who have not won a PBA title and non-PBA members who have never won a PBA event.

● Closing out PBA’s 2018 regional calendar will be the PBA50/PBA Houston Emerald Bowl Doubles presented by Bowling Dynamix over the Dec. 21-23 weekend, and the PBA Japan Region’s Scorpion and Women’s Scorpion Open tournaments at Tokyo Hagashiyamato Grand Bowl.

● For complete PBA Regional schedules, rules and entry information, visit pba.com, open the “schedules” tab and click on PBA Regional Tours to find the event(s) in your area…and remember, you can follow “live scoring” for all PBA Regional events on pba.com (easily accessible for Apple and Android device users using the PBA app).

QUICK NOTES:

● PBA Tour competitor BJ Moore and wife T’nia of Greensburg, Pa., have welcomed the second addition to their family – daughter Brayleigh Lynn who arrived at 7 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring 19 inches. Brayleigh joins brother Lincoln.

RailRiders University adds lecture series to Winter Camp schedule

Geisinger surgeons and trainers set to speak to parents on key issues affecting athletes.

   

MOOSIC, PA (Dec. 21, 2018) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are pleased to announce a free, six-part lecture series for parents of players registered for the upcoming Winter Camps at PNC Field. RailRiders University is presented by Geisinger, who is proud to offer its expertise for these informative sessions in the home clubhouse at PNC Field.

 

Each educational lecture will begin at 6 p.m. and last one hour. The dates, topics and Geisinger expert are:           

•  Jan. 7, 2019 - Elbow Health – Dr. Chris Grandizio, Hand and Upper Extremity Orthopaedic Surgeon

•  Jan. 14, 2019 - Shoulder Health – Dr. Justin Tunis, Sports Medicine Physician; and Dr. Hans Olsen, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Surgeon

•  Jan. 21, 2019 - Core Stability – Geisinger’s Sports Medicine Team (Certified Athletic Trainers and Physicians)

•  Jan. 28, 2019 - Hip Health – Dr. Mark Seeley, Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon

•  Feb. 4, 2019 – Sports Nutrition – Geisinger Surgeons and Athletic Trainers

•  Feb. 11, 2019 - Knee Health – Geisinger’s Sports Medicine Team (Certified Athletic Trainers and Physicians)

 

“The Winter Camps with RailRiders University are a unique opportunity for young athletes to train where the pros train. As a parent, I understand the importance of keeping our children active, healthy and safe – especially when playing sports. These topics are created specifically for caregivers, so our players can be at their best as we cheer them on from the sidelines,” said Michael Suk, M.D., chief physician officer and chair of the Geisinger Musculoskeletal Institute.

 

Parents and caregivers can learn simple prevention tips from Geisinger’s highly trained orthopaedics team, including specialists in hand/elbow injuries, shoulder injuries, pediatric hip injuries and knee injuries.

 

“Our fellowship-trained specialists are coming to you to provide tips to keep your kids active and healthy,” Dr. Suk said.

 

Space for the Winter Camp sessions is available. Russ Canzler will lead the hitting sessions along with Joe and Jake McCarthy while Matt Wotherspoon and Max Kranick will lead the pitching clinics. RailRiders coach Doug Davis and John Kranick will also help instruct the 2019 Winter Camps.

 

For more information, visit the RailRiders University page at swbrailriders.com. To register, contact Robby Judge by calling (570) 558-4612 or via email at rjudge@swbrailriders.com.

Pinstripe Pals back for fifth season

Applications due by February 22, 2019, for ten packages valued at $1,000 each.

 

MOOSIC, PA (December 20, 2018) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, in partnership with Maines Food and Party Warehouse, will once again offering the Pinstripe Pals program, supporting area youth softball and baseball leagues.  Applications are being accepted now and 10 youth leagues will be chosen to receive a sponsorship from the RailRiders and a gift card from Maines.

 

2019 marks year five of this tremendous program, which includes a $500 sponsorship to teams in the area pay for costly supplies, such as uniforms and equipment.  It also includes a $500 gift card to Maines, which can be used to help teams pay for items for concessions, thus raising more money for their team.

 

League representatives are encouraged to fill out the Pinstripe Pals application form and submit a 500 word essay describing why their league should be chosen.  The deadline to apply is Friday, February 22, 2019.

 

Pinstripe Pals recipients will also receive:

*  The opportunity to honor your league at a RailRiders game including a pre-game parade on the field and the opportunity for RailRiders assistance with league fundraising.

*  Photo of the league’s choice to be used in the GuideRail game day program for their league’s game night

*  One of your league’s teams serves as our “State Farm Field of Dreams” and takes the field with the RailRiders

 

Applications can be found on our website under the Community tab or upon request. Completed applications can emailed to Jordan Maydole at jmaydole@swbrailriders.com, faxed to 570-963-6564, or mailed to:

SWB RailRiders

Attn: Pinstripe Pals

235 Montage Mountain Rd.

Moosic, PA 18507

For more information on the Pinstripe Pals program, presented by Maines, please contact Jordan Maydole or Robby Judge at 570-969-BALL.  The 2019 season opens in Buffalo on April 4 with the home opener on April 11 at PNC Field.