PROS GET ADDED INCENTIVES

2017 XF PBA Tour Storm Cup to Provide Added Incentives for PBA Players

Season-long points competition gets underway March 17-19 in Tamarac, Florida

CHICAGO (Feb. 10, 2017) – The Professional Bowlers Association’s third full season of Xtra Frame PBA Tour competition, featuring a series of high-profile tournaments covered exclusively on PBA’s live streaming online bowling channel, Xtra Frame, will include enhanced cash incentives, including a season-long $50,000 XF PBA Tour Storm Cup competition points bonus program.

The eight-tournament series, which will include stops in Florida, North Carolina, Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, Delaware and Ohio, will offer PBA Tour titles and enhanced prize funds. It gets underway March 17-19 with the PBA Xtra Frame Reality Check Classic at Sawgrass Lanes in Tamarac, Fla., a tournament that was postponed from 2016 due to Hurricane Matthew.

“The Xtra Frame Tour was created for the PBA’s fans,” said PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark. “The Xtra Frame Tour gets the PBA into more markets all around the country, offering more fans a chance to watch the PBA in person and bowl in pro-ams. The XF Tour also means more live coverage, start-to-finish including stepladder finals, of all the events on XtraFrame.TV, for all our subscribers.

“Also, the Xtra Frame Tour is for the best players in the PBA and for regional players to test themselves against the best with PBA national titles on the line. More great bowling centers and hosts, different conditions.

"We thank Storm for recognizing the value of the Xtra Frame Tour and for initiating and funding the Storm Cup, which will make for an exciting points race throughout the series. It will mean a competition within a competition throughout the series, and ensure the best possible fields as top players chase for the rewards of the Cup.”

The new XF PBA Tour Storm Cup series will offer a $20,000 first prize to the competition points leader for the 2017 tournament series, plus additional cash prizes of $10,000 for second place, $8,000 for third, $7,000 for fourth and $5,000 for fifth place.

Points will be awarded to the top 20 players in each Xtra Frame event, with the winner earning 25 points, second place 19, third place 18, etc., with points declining by one through 20th place. The points system will insure intense competition throughout the season. In 2016, the points race wasn’t decided until the final event when Tommy Jones won by five points over EJ Tackett and six points over Ryan Ciminelli.

In addition to the new Storm Cup, Storm’s support will enhance the prize funds of every XF Tour event and the live coverage quality on Xtra Frame.

“Storm is proud to present the best players in the world the opportunity to compete for more prize money and the prestigious Storm Cup perpetual trophy in 2017,” said Storm Vice President of Business Development Gary Hulsenberg. “We are excited to see how the new Storm Cup points race will shape up in its inaugural year and encourage all bowling fans to subscribe to PBA Xtra Frame so they can take in all the action from any device. Enjoy the show!”

All XF PBA Tour Storm Cup events will offer a minimum $10,000 first prize, with first prizes ranging to $20,000. In 2016, players bowled for more than $392,000 in prize money paid out for seven Xtra Frame PBA Tour points events. Including the DHC PBA Japan Invitational and the PBA-PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles – tournaments that return to the live Xtra Frame schedule in 2017, but are not part of the points competition – PBA events covered exclusively by Xtra Frame allowed players in 2016 to compete for nearly $650,000 in prize money in addition to PBA’s nationally-televised events.

2017 XF PBA TOUR STORM CUP SCHEDULE

March 17-19 – PBA XF Reality Check Classic, Sawgrass Lanes, Tamarac, Fla.

May 26-29 – PBA XF Wilmington Open, Ten Pin Alley, Wilmington, N.C.

June 2-4 – PBA XF Jonesboro Open, Jonesboro Bowling Center, Jonesboro, Ark.

June 9-11 – PBA XF Lubbock Sports Open, South Plains Lanes, Lubbock, Texas.

June 23-25 – PBA XF Billy Hardwick Memorial Open, Billy Hardwick’s All Star Lanes, Memphis, Tenn.

Aug. 11-13 - PBA XF Chesapeake Open, AMF Western Branch, Chesapeake, Va.

Aug. 18-10 – PBA XF Gene Carter’s Pro Shop Classic, Mid-County Bowling & Entertainment, Middletown, Del.

Aug. 25-27 – PBA XF Lefeld Implement Central Classic, Pla-Mor Lanes, Coldwater, Ohio.

About Storm

Storm is a leading bowling ball and equipment manufacturer, inspired to create innovative products for bowlers worldwide. Learn, train, and shop at stormbowling.com.

About the PBA

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is an organization of more than 3,200 of the best bowlers from 27 countries who compete in PBA Tour, PBA International Tour, QubicaAMF PBA Regional Tour, PBA Women’s Regional and PBA50 Tour events. The PBA is in its 58th consecutive year of nationally-televised competition, reaching bowling fans around the world who follow PBA activities through the PBA Network which includes Xtra Frame, the PBA’s exclusive online bowling channel, ESPN and CBS Sports Network, and the PBA on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. PBA sponsors include Barbasol, Brunswick, Ebonite International, GEICO, Grand Casino Hotel and Resort, HotelPlanner.com, MOTIV, 900 Global, PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game, QubicaAMF, South Point Hotel Casino and Spa, Storm Products and the United States Bowling Congress, among others. For more information, log on to www.pba.com.