16-event winter-spring segment includes 11 two-hour shows, live coverage of major championships

SEATTLE (Sept. 27, 2012) – The Professional Bowlers Association’s 33rd consecutive season of television coverage on ESPN begins with 16 telecasts, including 11 shows expanded from 90 minutes to two hours, and live coverage of two major championships plus the first round of an all-new team competition.

The winter-spring PBA television season on ESPN begins on Sunday, Dec. 9, PBA Commissioner Tom Clark and ESPN Senior Director of Programming and Acquisitions Jason Bernstein announced today. Lon McEachern will be announcer and PBA Hall of Famer Randy Pedersen will be color analyst for all ESPN-PBA telecasts.

The schedule announced today includes only the winter and spring segments of the PBA’s 2012-13 schedule. Coverage of additional events, including the 70th U.S. Open, will be announced later.

“Since 1979 when ESPN made its debut, the PBA and ESPN have enjoyed a wonderful partnership that has allowed millions of bowling fans to watch the best in bowling,” Clark said. “We are, as always, excited to not only continue our relationship, but to expand our Sunday coverage to two hours for 11 of our 16 telecasts this season, and to include an all-new concept in professional bowling as part of our 2012-13 lineup.”

“We continue to work with our partners at the PBA to develop new ways of enhancing the bowling product,” Bernstein said. “The addition of 30 minutes of action to most of our Sunday shows this season is a great way to serve loyal fans of the sport.”

The winter-spring ESPN lineup will include six telecasts originating from the PBA World Series of Bowling IV in Las Vegas, followed by the finals of the Round 1 Japan Cup from Tokyo, the Chris Paul PBA League All Stars, five new PBA League telecasts – including live coverage of the first PBA League event on Sunday, Jan. 27, from Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich. – and live coverage of the United States Bowling Congress Masters from Brunswick Zone Carolier in N. Brunswick, N.J., on Sunday, Feb. 24, and PBA Tournament of Champions from Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis on Sunday, March 31.

PBA coverage will take a two-week break in mid-March during the NCAA basketball tournament.

In addition to its ESPN coverage, more than 200 hours of exclusive live coverage of qualifying and match play from PBA Tour events will be webcast to a worldwide audience on pba.com’s Xtra Frame online bowling channel.

Further details on the PBA League will be announced soon.

2012-13 PBA-ESPN TELEVISION SCHEDULE

(All times ET; all shows are two hours unless noted)

Sunday, Dec. 9, 1 p.m. – WTBA Bayer Advanced Aspirin World Bowling Tour Finals presented by PBA, PBA World Series of Bowling IV, South Point Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas.

Sunday, Dec. 16, 1 p.m. – Alka Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine Cheetah Championship, WSOB IV, South Point Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas (90 minutes).

Sunday, Dec. 23, 1 p.m. – PBA Viper Championship, WSOB IV, South Point Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas (90 minutes).

Sunday, Dec. 30, 1 p.m. – PBA Chameleon Championship, WSOB IV, South Point Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas (90 minutes).

Sunday, Jan. 6, 1 p.m. – PBA Scorpion Championship, WSOB IV, South Point Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas (90 minutes).

Sunday, Jan. 13, 1 p.m. – PBA World Championship, WSOB IV, South Point Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas (90 minutes).

Sunday, Jan. 20, 3 p.m. – Round 1 Japan Cup, Tokyo, Japan.

Sunday, Jan. 27, Noon – PBA League Round 1, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich.

Sunday, Feb. 3, 4 p.m. – Chris Paul PBA League All Stars, Lucky Strike LA Live, Los Angeles.

Sunday, Feb. 10, 3 p.m. – PBA League Round 2 with Carmen Salvino Classic finals, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich.

Sunday, Feb. 17, 3 p.m. – PBA League Round 3 with Mark Roth Classic finals, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich.

Sunday, Feb. 24, 3 p.m. – United States Bowling Congress Masters, Brunswick Zone Carolier, N. Brunswick, N.J.

Sunday, March 3, 3 p.m. – PBA League Round 4 with Don Carter Classic finals, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich.

Sunday, March 24, 1 p.m. – PBA League Round 5 with Earl Anthony PBA Players Championship finals, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich.

Sunday, March 31, 2:30 p.m. – PBA Tournament of Champions, Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis.

Sunday, April 7, 1 p.m. – PBA League Elias Cup finals, Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis.

About the PBA
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is an organization of more than 3,200 of the best bowlers from 13 countries who compete in PBA Tour, Regional and PBA50 Tour events. Nearly one million ESPN viewers watch PBA Tour on Sundays during the tour season and thousands around the world watch PBA activities on Xtra Frame, the PBA’s exclusive video streaming service. PBA sponsors include Alka Seltzer Plus, Bayer, Brunswick, Ebonite International, GEICO, Jack Link’s, MOTIV, Storm Products and the United States Bowling Congress, among others. For more information, log on to www.pba.com.

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