PBA League makes its debut on ESPN Sunday at noon with live first round telecast
01/22/13
The Professional Bowlers Association departs from its traditional Tour schedule for a live telecast of the first round of the historic PBA League Sunday (Jan. 27) at noon ET from Thunderbowl Lanes in suburban Detroit.
The eight-team PBA League, featuring celebrity owners and an all-star roster of PBA Tour players, will make its debut on ESPN during the live two-hour opening round telecast.
PBA League owners and their teams include Los Angeles Clippers star guard Chris Paul (L.A. X), former Pittsburgh Steelers star running back Jerome Bettis (Motown Muscle), former NFL all-pro receiver Terrell Owens (Dallas Strikers), sports icon Billie Jean King (New York City WTT KingPins), actor/comedian Kevin Hart (Philadelphia Hitmen), Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams (BROOKLYN STyLES), comedian Chris Hardwick (Silver Lake Atom Splitters), and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley (Pittsburgh Jack Rabbits).
Among the star PBA Tour players competing as franchise players are reigning PBA Player of the Year Sean Rash, Pete Weber, Norm Duke, Chris Barnes, Bill O'Neill, Jason Belmonte, Mike Fagan and Osku Palermaa.
Click here for complete team rosters.
The PBA League is being conducted in conjunction with this week's Detroit Winter Swing at Thunderbowl Lanes which also features the Tour's Carmen Salvino Classic, Mark Roth Classic, Don Carter Classic and Earl Anthony Players Championship events that will be part of future ESPN telecasts.
The four individual tournaments will award PBA Tour titles and the qualifying scores posted by each PBA League team member will be combined to produce the team qualifying scores for the ESPN telecasts.
The four PBA League matches on the ESPN telecast will utilize Baker Format matches where each team member will bowl two frames in each game to combine for one score. Subsequent PBA League rounds will be taped to air on Feb. 10, Feb. 17, March 3 and March 24.
The team championship will be decided during the PBA League Elias Cup Finals, honoring PBA founder Eddie Elias, at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis on Sunday, March 31 (airing Sunday, April 7 on ESPN).
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PBA News
The Professional Bowlers Association departs from its traditional Tour schedule for a live telecast of the first round of the historic PBA League Sunday (Jan. 27) at noon ET from Thunderbowl Lanes in suburban Detroit.The eight-team PBA League, featuring celebrity owners and an all-star roster of PBA Tour players, will make its debut on ESPN during the live two-hour opening round telecast.
PBA League owners and their teams include Los Angeles Clippers star guard Chris Paul (L.A. X), former Pittsburgh Steelers star running back Jerome Bettis (Motown Muscle), former NFL all-pro receiver Terrell Owens (Dallas Strikers), sports icon Billie Jean King (New York City WTT KingPins), actor/comedian Kevin Hart (Philadelphia Hitmen), Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams (BROOKLYN STyLES), comedian Chris Hardwick (Silver Lake Atom Splitters), and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley (Pittsburgh Jack Rabbits).
Among the star PBA Tour players competing as franchise players are reigning PBA Player of the Year Sean Rash, Pete Weber, Norm Duke, Chris Barnes, Bill O'Neill, Jason Belmonte, Mike Fagan and Osku Palermaa.
Click here for complete team rosters.
The PBA League is being conducted in conjunction with this week's Detroit Winter Swing at Thunderbowl Lanes which also features the Tour's Carmen Salvino Classic, Mark Roth Classic, Don Carter Classic and Earl Anthony Players Championship events that will be part of future ESPN telecasts.
The four individual tournaments will award PBA Tour titles and the qualifying scores posted by each PBA League team member will be combined to produce the team qualifying scores for the ESPN telecasts.
The four PBA League matches on the ESPN telecast will utilize Baker Format matches where each team member will bowl two frames in each game to combine for one score. Subsequent PBA League rounds will be taped to air on Feb. 10, Feb. 17, March 3 and March 24.
The team championship will be decided during the PBA League Elias Cup Finals, honoring PBA founder Eddie Elias, at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis on Sunday, March 31 (airing Sunday, April 7 on ESPN).
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