PBA Adding Prize Money - Three Tournament Championships Worth $100,000.00 in 2020

In major news out Friday, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) has announced increased first-place prizes in nearly every upcoming PBA Tour event, improved cashing ratios and added more dual pattern events.

Among the most high-profile changes were to the PBA’s most prestigious majors – the PBA Tournament of Champions (TOC) and the PBA World Championship. Both of those events will now feature a $100,000 first-place prize.

In 2019, the TOC paid $50,000 for first, while the World Championship paid $60,000. The changes are part of an overall $400,000 increase in prize money year-over-year for the FOX portion of the PBA schedule, which begins in January. It's the first major announcement since Bowlero purchased the PBA earlier this year.

In addition to the two majors, the PBA Playoffs will also once again award a $100,000 first-place prize, giving the PBA at least three six-figure payouts in 2020. The PBA Players Championship, the third of the PBA’s owned majors, will pay $70,000 for first.

First-place prizes for the USBC Masters and U.S. Open, both controlled by the USBC, have not been announced. In 2019, those events paid $30,000 for first place.

All of the standard singles events will pay $30,000 for first with the exception of the animal pattern events at the World Series of Bowling, which will pay $25,000. Cashing ratios will improve from 1:4 to 1:3 for all events other than the WSOB animal patterns.

The PBA will also roll out more dual pattern events. In 2019, two patterns were used for the PBA Indianapolis Open and PBA Jonesboro Open, both won by Norm Duke.

In 2020, the PBA Hall of Fame Classic, PBA Oklahoma Open, and the PBA Doubles Championship will join the Indianapolis and Jonesboro events as dual pattern tournaments.

As for event formats, the PBA Doubles Championship will change slightly in 2020. Instead of qualifying through the attached singles event, qualifying will happen separately as teams to determine advancers into match play.

The four standard singles events will have similar formats with one minor exception. The Hall of Fame Classic and Oklahoma Open will have two squads for qualifying. Those events will feature 12 qualifying games and 16 games of round-robin match play to determine stepladder finalists.

The Jonesboro and Indianapolis events will have one squad for qualifying with 14 total qualifying games and 16 games of round-robin match play to determine the stepladder advancers.

Just like in 2019, all rounds of qualifying and match play leading up to the stepladder finals for the FOX events will be broadcast live on FloBowling. The stepladder finals will also be simulcast on FloBowling for international audiences.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of each of the 2020 FOX events:

PBA Hall of Fame Classic

Where: Arlington, Texas (International Training and Research Center)
When: Jan. 13-19
TV: Finals Sunday, Jan. 19, 1 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Digital: Qualifying, match play, FloBowling (Live)
Field: 56 (48 + 8 PTQ)
Format: 2 squads. 12 qualifying games (6 per day, per squad). Cut to top 16 for 16 games round robin match play. Top five advance to stepladder finals.
Conditions: Dual patterns throughout (Left lane: Weber 45, Right lane: Aulby 38)
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 3 event
Defending champion: Bill O'Neill
Prize fund, ratio: $110,000. 1 in 3 cash.
Top prizes: 1. $30,000, 2. $15,000, 3. $9,000, 4. $7,000, 5. $5,000

PBA Oklahoma Open

Where: Shawnee, Oklahoma (FireLake Bowling Center)
When: Jan. 20-26
TV: Sunday, Jan. 26, 2 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Digital: Qualifying, match play, FloBowling (Live)
Field: 88 (80 + 8 PTQ)
Format: 2 squads. 12 qualifying games (6 per day, per squad). Cut to top 16 for 16 games round robin match play. Top five advance to stepladder finals.
Conditions: Dual patterns throughout (Left lane: Dragon 45, Right lane: Wolf 32)
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 2 event
Defending champion: Jakob Butturff
Prize fund, ratio: $130,000. 1 in 3 cash.
Top prizes: 1. $30,000, 2. $15,000, 3. $9,000, 4. $7,000, 5. $5,000

PBA Jonesboro Open

Where: Jonesboro, Arkansas (Hijinx Lanes)
When: Jan. 27-Feb. 1
TV: Saturday, Feb. 1, 4:30 ET, FS1 (Live)
Digital: Qualifying, match play, FloBowling (Live)
Field: 60 (52 + 8 PTQ)
Format: 1 squad. 14 qualifying games (two 7 game blocks in one day). Cut to top 16 for 16 games round robin match play. Top five advance to stepladder finals.
Conditions: Dual patterns throughout (Left lane: Shark 48, Right lane: Viper 36)
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 2 event
Defending champion: Norm Duke
Prize fund, ratio: $120,000. 1 in 3 cash.
Top prizes: 1. $30,000, 2. $15,000, 3. $9,000, 4. $7,000, 5. $5,000

PBA Tournament of Champions

Where: Fairlawn, Ohio (AMF Riviera Lanes)
When: Feb. 3-9
TV: Sunday, Feb. 9, 5 p.m. ET, FOX (Live)
Digital: Qualifying, match play, FloBowling (Live)
Field: 76 (70 national champions + 6 regional champion PTQ)
Format: 1 squad. 18 qualifying games (3 game blocks). Cut to top 24 for 24 games round robin match play. Top five advance to stepladder finals.
Conditions: Johnson 40
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 1 event
Defending champion: Jason Belmonte
Prize fund, ratio: $283,000. 1 in 3 cash.
Top prizes: 1. $100,000, 2. $50,000, 3. $25,000, 4. $12,000, 5. $10,000

PBA Players Championship

Where: Columbus, Ohio (Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl)
When: Feb. 9-15
TV: Saturday, Feb. 15, 5:30 ET, FS1 (Live)
Digital: Qualifying, match play, FloBowling (Live)
Field: 92 (82 + 10 PTQ)
Format: 1 squad. 18 qualifying games (3 game blocks). Cut to top 24 for 24 games round robin match play. Top five advance to stepladder finals.
Conditions: Webb 38
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 1 event
Defending champion: Anthony Simonsen
Prize fund, ratio: $246,000. 1 in 3 cash
Top prizes: 1. $70,000, 2. $35,000, 3. $17,000, 4. $11,000, 5. $10,000

U.S. Open

Where: Lincoln, Nebraska (Sun Valley Lanes)
When: Feb. 16-23
TV: Sunday, Feb. 23, 1 p.m. ET, FOX (Live)
Digital: Qualifying, match play, FloBowling (Live)
Field: TBA
Format: TBA
Conditions: TBA
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 1 event
Defending champion: Francois Lavoie
Prize fund, ratio: TBA
Top prizes: TBA

PBA Indianapolis Open

Where: Indianapolis (Woodland Bowl)
When: Feb. 24-29
TV: Saturday, Feb. 29, 8:30 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Digital: Qualifying, match play, FloBowling (Live)
Field: 120 (no PTQ)
Format: 1 squad. Two blocks of 7 games qualifying (14 total). Cut to top 16 for 16 games round robin match play. Top five advance to stepladder finals.
Conditions: Dual patterns throughout (Left lane: Roth 42, Right lane: Holman 37)
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 2
Defending champion: Norm Duke
Prize fund, ratio: $152,000. 1 in 3 cash
Top prizes: 1. $30,000, 2. $15,000, 3. $10,000, 4. $8,000, 5. $7,000

PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship

Where: Indianapolis (Woodland Bowl)
When: Feb. 27-29
TV: Taped Saturday, Feb. 29, 4:30 ET. Airs Sunday, March 8, Noon ET, FS1 (taped)
Digital: Qualifying, match play, FloBowling (Live)
Field: 60 doubles teams
Format: 1 squad. Two blocks of 7 games (14 total, 28 games per team). Top 16 teams advance to 16 games of round robin match play using Baker system).
Conditions: Dual patterns throughout (Left lane: Roth 42, Right lane: Holman 37)
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 3
Defending champions: Sean Rash and Matt Ogle
Prize fund, ratio: $147,000. 1 in 3 teams cash.
Top prizes (per team): 1. $30,000, 2. $15,000, 3. $13,000, 4. $12,000, 5. $11,000

PBA World Series of Bowling

Where: Las Vegas (South Point Bowling Plaza)
When: March 6-18
TV: Five consecutive days (first four live), FS1 (Sunday, March 15 - Thursday, March 19). Times below.
Field: 120 (110 + 10 PTQ)
Total prize fund: $685,000
Events: PBA Cheetah, PBA Chameleon, PBA Scorpion, PBA World Championship, USA vs. World.
WSOB PBA Cheetah Championship
TV: Sunday, March 15, 1:30 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Format: One squad. 2 blocks of 5 games qualifying (10 games total). Top 16 advance to elimination match play bracket. Surviving four players advance to TV finals. TV finals all four bowl one seeding game, then stepladder.
Conditions: Cheetah 33.
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 3 event
Defending champion: Dick Allen
Prize fund, ratio: $79,000. 1 in 7.5 cash.
Top prizes: 1. $25,000, 2. $13,000, 3. $7,000, 4. $6,000

WSOB PBA Chameleon Championship

TV: Monday, March 16, 8 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Format: One squad. 2 blocks of 5 games qualifying (10 games total). Top 16 advance to elimination match-play bracket. Surviving four players advance to TV finals. TV finals all four bowl one seeding game, then stepladder.
Conditions: Chameleon 39.
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 3 event
Defending champion: Jason Belmonte
Prize fund, ratio: $79,000. 1 in 7.5 cash.
Top prizes: 1. $25,000, 2. $13,000, 3. $7,000, 4. $6,000

WSOB PBA Scorpion Championship

TV: Tuesday, March 17, 8 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Format: One squad. 2 blocks of 5 games qualifying (10 games total). Top 16 advance to elimination match-play bracket. Surviving four players advance to TV finals. TV finals all four bowl one seeding game, then stepladder.
Conditions: Scorpion 42
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 3 event
Defending champion: Kris Prather
Prize fund, ratio: $79,000. 1 in 7.5 cash.
Top prizes: 1. $25,000, 2. $13,000, 3. $7,000, 4. $6,000

WSOB PBA World Championship


TV: Wednesday, March 18, 8 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Format: 30 games qualifying (10 games each on Cheetah, Chameleon and Scorpion patterns). Top 40 advance to cashers round, X games on Anthony. Cut to top 24 for 24 games round-robin match play. Top five advance to stepladder finals.
Conditions: After cut to top 40, Anthony 43
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 1 event
Defending champion: Jason Belmonte
Prize fund, ratio: $385,000. 1 in 3 cash.
Top prizes: 1. $100,000, 2. $50,000, 3. $25,000, 4. $20,000, 5. $15,000

WSOB USA vs. The World

TV: Taped Wednesday, March 18, 1 pm PT. Airs next day Thursday, March 19, 8 p.m. ET, FS1 (taped)
Format: Team event. The Top 5 USA players and Top 5 international players after the first 30 games of WSOB qualifying form the teams.
Prize fund: $60,000 (Winning team: $40,000, losing team: $20,000)

USBC Masters

Where: Reno, Nevada (Grand Sierra Bowling Center)
When: March 23-29
TV: Sunday, March 29, 2:30 p.m. ET, FOX (Live)
Field: TBA
Format: TBA
Conditions: TBA
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 1 event
Defending Champion: Jakob Butturff
Prize fund, ratio: TBA
Top prizes: TBA

PBA Playoffs

Where: Round of 24 in Norco, California. Round of 16 in Lone Tree, Colorado. Round of 8, Euless, Texas, Final Four, North Brunswick, N.J..
When: Round of 24, April 6. Round of 16, April 20-21. Round of 8, May 10-11. Final Four, May 16-17.
TV: Monday, April 6, 7 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Monday, April 13, 9 p.m. ET, FS1 (Taped April 6)
Monday, April 20, 7 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Monday, April 20, 9 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Monday, April 27, 9 p.m. ET, FS1 (Taped April 21)
Monday, May 4, 9 p.m. ET, FS1 (Taped April 21)
Sunday, May 10, 2 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Monday, May 11, 9 p.m. ET, FS1 (Taped May 10)
Saturday, May 16, 2 p.m. ET, FOX (Live)
Sunday, May 17, 2 p.m. ET, FOX (Live)
Field: Top 24 in points from 2020 PBA on FOX season. All cash.
Format: Single elimination bracket. Top 8 seeds get byes into second round. First round one game matches, subsequent matches best of 2.
Conditions: Carter 39
Defending champion: Kris Prather
Prize fund: $320,000
Top prizes: 1. $100,000, 2. $50,000, 3. $25,000, 4. $25,000

PBA/PWBA Bowl Expo Cup

Where: Denver (Bowl Expo special lane construct)
When: July 5
TV: Sunday, July 5, 7 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Conditions: TBA
Prize fund: TBA

PBA Summer League

Where: Portland, Maine (Bayside Bowl)
When: July 19-23
TV (4 telecasts): Tuesday, July 21, 7 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Tuesday, July 21, 9 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Wednesday, July 22, 9 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Thursday, July 23, 9 p.m. ET, FS1 (Live)
Format: TBA. 10 teams. All players cash.
Conditions: Roth 42
Defending champions: Portland Lumberjacks
Prize fund: $360,000 (1, $60,000. 2, $50,000. 3, $35,000. 4, $35,000. 5, $25,000. 6, $25,000. 7, $25,000. 8, $25,000. 9, $20,000. 10, $20,000.)

BOWLING INDUSTRY TAPS LINK STRATEGY GROUP AS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGENCY

ARLINGTON, Texas – Bowling’s major entities – the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) and Strike Ten Entertainment (STE) – have contracted with Link Strategy Group to develop sponsorship partners for the industry.

Combined, the USBC, BPAA and STE provide access to the more than 67 million consumers who bowl each year and more than 5,000 bowling centers across the U.S. Link Strategy Group will serve as the strategic partnership agency to introduce the bowling platform to potential non-endemic corporations interested in access to the sport of bowling.

“After an in-depth search for a partner in this area, the consensus was that Link Strategy Group was a great fit for bowling,” said John Harbuck, President of Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm of the bowling industry. “They immediately grasped the significant power that our organizations collectively offer and have the contacts to get bowling front-and-center with potential sponsors.

“Bowling is the number one participatory sport in the U.S. and, to date, is really untapped when it comes to non-endemic partnerships,” he added.

In addition to providing companies with access to consumers through bowling centers, Link Strategy Group will be able to offer exclusive naming rights for the recently relaunched Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour and tour events. Current PWBA sponsors include Pepsi, Nationwide, Smithfield and Go Bowling.

Link Strategy Group will also be able to provide partners with unparalleled access to the USBC membership, which is larger than the combined memberships of similar organizations in golf and tennis. Opportunities also exist around the USBC’s national events, which draw participation from thousands of bowlers around the country. These include the Open Championships, Women’s Championships, USBC Masters, USBC Queens, U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, Junior Gold Championships, Team USA and others.

“Bowling is the original social network. It’s a game that’s been enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels for literally centuries,” said Jeff Benton, CEO of Link Strategy Group. “We are excited that for the first time a company can own the sport of bowling through the collective assets of the major bowling organizations.  We can deliver this platform, truly unique in the world of sports, to companies who want to reach a very loyal, expansive audience. And, with the PWBA, we have a new platform and women’s sports property that is perfectly suited for companies wanting to connect with the female consumer.”

For more information on how to partner with the bowling industry, contact Stephen Grecsek at sgrescek@linkstrategygroup.com.

Smithfield Foods To Sponsor PWBA Tour Championships

Smithfield Foods will sponsor the final event of the Professional Women’s Bowling Association season, the

PWBA Tour Championship, set to take place in September with the finals on national television.

The Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship promoted by GoBowling.com will bring together the top 16 bowlers from the 2015 PWBA Tour season, including the winner of each tour stop, for the season-ending event starting Sept. 10 in Arlington, Texas. The stepladder finals will be televised live on the CBS Sports Network on Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. Eastern, with the winner presented with the Smithfield Cup.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to partner with the PWBA during its comeback season,” Bob Weber, Vice President of Corporate Marketing for Smithfield Foods, said. “The early tour events have drawn a good deal of interest and the PWBA Tour will be a great avenue for our brands to reach bowling fans.”

Smithfield Foods was founded in Smithfield, Virginia, in 1936 and has become the world’s largest producer of pork products. In addition to its Smithfield flagship brand, other notable brands produced by Smithfield Foods include Eckrich, Farmland, Armour, Cook’s Gwaltney, John Morrell and Nathan’s Famous.

The two-year partnership also makes Smithfield the Official Elite Title sponsor of the PWBA Tour.

The PWBA Tour re-launched earlier this year with a three-year funding commitment from the BPAA and the United States Bowling Congress. The season kicked off with the USBC Queens in May and has seen sold-out fields for its first three standard events.

“It’s always great to see when a company such as Smithfield Foods sees the value of marketing through our sport,” said Kelly Kulick, the spokesperson for the PWBA who could be featured in PWBA-themed ads for Smithfield. “The opportunity for women to compete as professional bowlers on a regular basis is possible because of the PWBA Tour and because of companies like Smithfield.”

The PWBA Tour has two more tour stops this season before the PWBA Tour Championship takes place at the International Training and Research Center.

Stefanie Johnson of Grand Prairie, Texas, who won the PWBA Wichita Open for her first career PWBA title, currently leads the points list followed by Diana Zavjalova of Latvia, and Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey.

Visit PWBA.com to learn more about the PWBA, including the season schedule, player information, points list and more.

US Open Not Cancelled

The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) have joined forces to secure the future of one of bowling's most important brands - Bowling's U.S. Open.

In an agreement announced Friday, USBC and BPAA have agreed to a three-year deal that will see USBC operate and conduct the U.S. Open for men and women in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

"USBC as the national governing body for bowling is committed to supporting competitive bowling and the U.S. Open brand plays an important role," USBC President Andrew Cain said. "We are proud to work alongside our partners at BPAA to secure a certain future for the U.S. Open."

As part of the agreement, USBC and BPAA each will contribute at least $100,000 annually toward operating the events; further details will be announced at a later date.

"BPAA and USBC are dedicated to working together to better the sport of bowling and this partnership is just another example of that cooperation," BPAA President Cathy DeSocio said. "BPAA is proud the U.S. Open brand can continue for years to come and that the sport's greatest athletes will have an opportunity to compete for this prestigious title."

The agreement does not include a broadcast television partner for the events. If a sponsor for television is not secured, live streaming coverage of the events will be provided.

"A television package is certainly not out of the question and something we will work to acquire moving forward," Cain said. "We will be re-engaging partners and other sponsors in an effort develop a model that will benefit the entire industry."