PBA Announces $400,000 Boost to Prize Funds for 2020 Season
CHICAGO (Nov. 8, 2019) – Building on this year's strong inaugural season on FOX Sports and bolstered by the recent acquisition by Bowlero Corp., the Professional Bowlers Association has announced a $400,000 boost in prize money for the 2020 Go Bowling! PBA Tour on FOX Sports season.
Every event on the schedule will enjoy prize fund increases and two of the PBA's most prestigious major championships, the PBA Tournament of Champions and PBA World Championship, will now award six-figure first place prizes.
All roads lead towards the PBA Playoffs, with the season’s top 24 points earners clinching a spot in the $320,000 event, which again features a $100,000 first place prize.
Entries opened today for the full schedule of PBA on FOX season events, which will all pay a 1-in-3 cash ratio (other than the animal pattern stages of World Series of Bowling XI). Revised competition formats and conditions await, including more dual-pattern events at both classic and new venues around the U.S.
Qualifying and match play rounds of the events will be livestreamed on FloBowling, with the finals on either FOX or FS1. Twenty-three telecasts on FOX or FS1 are live, kicking off with the PBA Hall of Fame Classic on Jan. 19 on FS1. Highlights of the broadcast schedule include three straight majors including the U.S. Open for the first time on FOX during "Big February," and five-straight days of PBA WSOB XI coverage in March.
More detailed tournament information is listed event-by-event in chronological order below or click on the 2020 season tab under the “schedules” link on pba.com. The link to each tournament includes information on how to enter.
2020 PBA Tour on FOX Sports
PBA HALL OF FAME CLASSIC
Where: Arlington, TX (International Training and Research Center)
When: January 13-19
TV: Finals Sunday, Jan. 19, 1 pm ET (Noon CT), 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 14 for 14 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, OK (FireLake Bowling Center)
When: January 20-26
TV: Sunday, Jan. 26, 2 pm ET (1 pm CT), 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, AR (Hijinx Lanes)
When: January 27 - February 1
TV: Saturday, Feb. 1, 4:30 ET (3:30 CT), 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 (Major Championship)
Where: Fairlawn, OH (AMF Riviera Lanes)
When: February 3-9
TV: Sunday, Feb. 9, 5 pm 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 (Major Championship)
Where: Columbus, OH (Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl)
When: February 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
US OPEN (Major Championship)
Where: Lincoln, NE (Sun Valley Lanes)
When: February 16-23
TV: Sunday, Feb. 23, 1 pm ET (Noon CT), FOX (Live)
Digital: Qualifying, match play, BowlTV and FloBowling (Live).
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 1 event
Defending champion: Francois Lavoie
Other details: TBA
PBA INDIANAPOLIS OPEN
Where: Indianapolis (Woodland Bowl)
When: February 24-29
TV: Saturday, Feb. 29, 8:30 pm 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
MARK ROTH/MARSHALL HOLMAN PBA DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP
Where: Indianapolis (Woodland Bowl)
When: February 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 XI
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. Notes on all below.
WSOB PBA Cheetah Championship
TV: Sunday, March 15, 1:30 ET (10:30 am PT), 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 ET (5 PT), 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 ET (5 PT), 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 (Major Championship)
TV: Wednesday, March 18, 8 ET (5 PT), FS1 (Live)
Format: 30 games qualifying (10 games each on Cheetah, Chameleon and Scorpion patterns). Top 40 advance to cashers round, 10 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 pm 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)
Defending champions: The World
USBC MASTERS (Major Championship)
Where: Reno, NV (Grand Sierra Bowling Center)
When: March 23-29
TV: Sunday, March 29, 2:30 ET (11:30 am PT), FOX (Live)
PBA Playoffs points: Tier 1 event
Defending champion: Jakob Butturff
Other details: TBA
PBA PLAYOFFS
Where: Round of 24, Bowlero Norco, Norco, CA; Round of 16, Bowlero Lone Tree, Lone Tree, CO; Round of 8, Texas Bowlero, Euless, TX, Final Four, Bowlero North Brunswick, North Brunswick, NJ.
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 pm ET (4 pm PT), FS1 (Live)
Monday, April 13, 9 pm ET, FS1 (Taped April 6)
Monday, April 20, 7 pm ET, (5 pm MT), FS1 (Live)
Monday, April 20, 9 pm ET (7 pm MT), FS1 (Live)
Monday, April 27, 9 pm ET, FS1 (Taped April 21)
Monday, May 4, 9 pm ET, FS1 (Taped April 21)
Sunday, May 10, 2 pm ET (1 pm CT), FS1 (Live)
Monday, May 11, 9 pm ET, FS1 (Taped May 10)
Saturday, May 16, 2 pm ET, FOX (Live)
Sunday, May 17, 2 pm 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
Special non-Tour events:
PWBA/PBA Mixed (Special event)
Where: Denver, CO (Bowl Expo special lane construct)
When: July 5
TV: Sunday, July 5, 7 pm ET (6 pm MT), FS1 (Live)
Other details: TBA
PBA SUMMER LEAGUE
Where: Portland, ME (Bayside Bowl)
When: July 19-23
TV (4 telecasts): Tuesday, July 21, 7 pm ET, FS1 (Live)
Tuesday, July 21, 9 pm ET, FS1 (Live)
Wednesday, July 22, 9 pm ET, FS1 (Live)
Thursday, July 23, 9 pm ET, FS1 (Live)
Format: TBA. 10 teams. All players cash.
Conditions: Roth 42.
Defending champions: Portland Lumberjacks
Prize fund: $360,000