PBA AND THE CW NETWORK ANNOUNCE 2026 TOUR SCHEDULE

Rhea-AI Summary

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and The CW Network (NXST) have announced their 2026 PBA Tour schedule, featuring 20 hours of professional bowling coverage across 10 consecutive Sunday afternoons. Starting February 22, 2026, "PBA Championship Sundays on The CW" will air live at 4:00 PM ET, beginning with the PBA Players Championship in Arlington, Texas.

The schedule includes four major championships: the PBA Players Championship, U.S. Open, USBC Masters, and PBA Tournament of Champions. Additional events include the Pete Weber Missouri Classic and the Roth/Holman Doubles Championship. The partnership aims to attract younger and more diverse audiences through simplified schedules and expanded storytelling across platforms.

Positive

• Partnership with The CW Network expands PBA's reach to new audiences
• Consistent prime-time slot at 4:00 PM ET every Sunday for 10 weeks
• Coverage includes four major championships and six title events

Negative

• None.

Insights

Media Distribution Analyst

The CW adds PBA bowling to its sports lineup, expanding weekend programming with 10 live events that could boost ad revenues and audience reach.

The newly announced partnership between The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and The CW Network represents a strategic content acquisition for Nexstar Media Group (NXST), the owner of The CW. Beginning February 2026, the network will broadcast 20 hours of professional bowling across 10 consecutive Sunday afternoons at a consistent 4:00pm ET timeslot, creating a regular sports programming block.

This deal aligns with The CW's ongoing transition toward more sports content under Nexstar's ownership, following its addition of ACC college football, NASCAR Xfinity races, and other sports properties. The "Championship Sundays" branding creates a destination viewing experience that could help The CW build a more consistent weekend audience - particularly valuable as the network has historically struggled with Sunday programming.

The timing of these broadcasts (Sunday afternoons) positions The CW to capture viewers during a competitive but valuable broadcast window. The agreement includes four bowling majors, enhancing the potential value of the content package. For Nexstar, this represents a relatively low-cost sports rights acquisition compared to major leagues, while still providing live programming that commands higher advertising rates than reruns or syndicated content.

The press release specifically mentions that "opportunities remain for partners" with "integrations available across broadcast, digital, and live fan experiences" - signaling Nexstar's intent to monetize this content through advertising partnerships and sponsorships beyond traditional commercial breaks. While not a transformative deal for Nexstar's overall business, it fills programming hours with potentially advertiser-friendly live sports content at what is likely a reasonable acquisition cost.

Championship Sundays on The CW bring the PBA to a New Audience with Four Majors and 10 Broadcasts

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) and The CW Network today announced the 2026 PBA Tour schedule. Starting in February 2026, "PBA Championship Sundays on The CW" will bring 20 hours of professional bowling coverage to the network over 10 consecutive Sunday afternoons. Live coverage will begin at 4:00pm ET every Sunday starting on February 22, 2026, with the PBA Players Championship in Arlington, Texas, and continuing through the PBA Tournament of Champions in Fairlawn, Ohio, on April 26, 2026.

The move to The CW marks the next evolution of the PBA's vision to capture younger and more diverse audiences by simplifying schedules, spotlighting inspirational athletes, and expanding storytelling across all platforms.

"Our partnership with The CW reflects the future of bowling as both a competitive sport and an evolving entertainment experience," said Lev Ekster, President of Lucky Strike Entertainment. "By uniting with The CW's growing sports lineup, we're bringing the energy of the PBA Tour into homes across the country every week. Championship Sundays will be a destination event for fans to follow the game's biggest moments."

Fans will see four major championships on The CW Network, including the PBA Players Championship, U.S. Open, USBC Masters, and PBA Tournament of Champions. The six title events rounding out The CW's coverage of the 2026 PBA Tour include honoring PBA legend Pete Weber in Missouri and bringing the renowned Roth/Holman Doubles Championship to the extraordinary atmosphere of Maine's Bayside Bowl.

"We are proud to be the network for one of America's most beloved pastimes and to foster connections with the next generation of bowling fans," said Mike Perman, Senior Vice President of Sports at The CW Network.

Prior to PBA Championship Sunday on The CW, fans can watch qualifying and match play rounds live on BowlTV. Fans can also follow the PBA's official social channels for additional highlights, behind-the-scenes access, and storytelling.

2026 PBA Championship Sundays on The CW Schedule

All broadcasts will air live at 4 p.m. ET on The CW Network

• February 22: PBA Players Championship – Arlington, Texas | International Training and Research Center
• March 1: PBA Pete Weber Missouri Classic – St. Peters. Mo. | Bowlero St. Peters
• March 8: U.S. Open – Indianapolis, Ind. | Royal Pin Woodland
• March 15: PBA Illinois Classic – Decatur, Ill. | David Small's Victory Lanes
• March 22: PBA Indiana Classic – Fort Wayne, Ind. | David Small's Pro Bowl West
• March 29: USBC Masters – Allen Park, Mich. | Thunderbowl Lanes
• April 5: PBA Ohio Classic – Columbus, Ohio | Columbus Square Bowling Palace
• April 12: PBA New York Classic – Rochester, N.Y. | ABC Gates Bowl
• April 19: PBA Roth/Holman Doubles Championship– Portland, Maine | Bayside Bowl
• April 26: PBA Tournament of Champions – Fairlawn, Ohio | AMF Rivera Lanes

Additional PBA tentpole events will air later in 2026 on other platforms. The PBA World Series of Bowling and PBA Commissioner's Cup will air on CBS and CBS Sports Network, while the Storm Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles and the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters will air live on streaming platforms, including BowlTV.

Opportunities remain for partners to join the 2026 PBA on The CW Tour, with integrations available across broadcast, digital, and live fan experiences.

For more information and updates about the 2026 PBA Tour, visit PBA.com and follow the PBA Tour on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.

About the Professional Bowlers Association
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is the world's premier organization dedicated to the sport of bowling and its professional competition. The PBA has thousands of members from over 30 countries, competing in events including the PBA Tour, PBA Regional Tour, and PBA50 Tour. The PBA also serves casual and league bowlers through its membership programs, offering access to statistics, awards, and certified tournaments. With millions of fans worldwide, the PBA continues to grow the sport of bowling and inspire the next generation of bowlers.

About The CW Network
The CW is America's fifth major broadcast network and reaches 100% of US television households. The CW delivers 15 hours of primetime entertainment programming per week in addition to nearly 400 hours of sports per year as the broadcast home to NASCAR Xfinity Series, WWE NXT, ACC football and basketball games, Pac-12 football games, AVP beach volleyball and PBR Team Series events. The fully ad-supported CW App, with more than 100 million downloads to date, is available for free to consumers on all major platforms and is home to the latest episodes and seasons of The CW's primetime programming and a library of entertaining film and television content for on-demand viewing. The CW is 75%-owned by Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST), a leading diversified media company and largest CW affiliate group. For more information about The CW, please visit www.cwtv.com.

For PBA/Lucky Strike Entertainment:
PBA: PR@pba.com
Lucky Strike Entertainment: luckystrike@thedooronline.com

For The CW Network:
Rob Moynihan
rob.moynihan@cwtv.com
760/519-5543

 

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SOURCE PBA

FAQ

When does the 2026 PBA Tour schedule begin on The CW Network?

The 2026 PBA Tour schedule begins on February 22, 2026 with the PBA Players Championship in Arlington, Texas, airing at 4:00 PM ET.

How many hours of bowling coverage will The CW Network (NXST) broadcast in 2026?

The CW Network will broadcast 20 hours of professional bowling coverage over 10 consecutive Sunday afternoons.

Which major championships will be featured on The CW Network's 2026 PBA Tour?

The CW Network will feature four major championships: the PBA Players Championship, U.S. Open, USBC Masters, and PBA Tournament of Champions.

Where can fans watch PBA Tour qualifying and match play rounds?

Fans can watch qualifying and match play rounds live on BowlTV prior to the Championship Sunday broadcasts on The CW.

When does the 2026 PBA Tour season conclude on The CW Network?

The PBA Tour season on The CW Network concludes on April 26, 2026 with the PBA Tournament of Champions in Fairlawn, Ohio.