PBA Schedule Release for 2022 -- October 22, 2021
I outlined key details and takeaways from the PBA's 2022 schedule drop.
This morning, the PBA announced the 2022 schedule. Each of the five majors and the PBA Playoffs will feature a $100,000 top prize.
Here’s what you need to know:
The season kicks off with the Players Championship in mid-January and continues last season’s regional qualifier format.
The Players Championship finals will air live on FS1 from Euless, Texas on Saturday January 29, with the PBA Jr. National Championship on tape-delay the following day.
The US Open telecast, live from Indianapolis’ famous Woodland Bowl, will air at 5 p.m. on Sunday February 6th on FS1.
The Tournament of Champions telecast will air on Sunday February 27th on FOX from Fairlawn, Ohio.
In mid-March, the World Series of Bowling travels to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The World Championship telecast airs live on FOX Sunday March 13, with each of the animal pattern telecasts airing on subsequent weeknights live on FS1.
The following Sunday, March 20, will be the telecast for the PBA Collegiate Invitational. Per the PBA press release:
“The inaugural PBA Collegiate Invitational team event will happen at the WSOB in Wauwatosa and showcase the excitement and rising stars of the college ranks.”
The USBC Masters takes to the Sin City at the end of March, with the live finals airing on Sunday April 3 on FOX to conclude the PBA’s regular season.
The PBA Playoffs will tape for FS1 in April, but the finals will be live on FOX Sunday May 15. The PBA Tour Finals, held sometime in June, will be aired on CBS Sports.
To cap off the season, the PBA League returns to Portland, Maine’s illustrious Bayside Bowl in early July.
Key Takeaways:
I presumed the Players Championship’s regional qualifier format to be a pandemic-exclusive accommodation, but its benefits -- five additional telecasts and more opportunities for fresh faces to make a name for themselves -- extend beyond health and safety. On initial impression, I like the move to keep it.
The US Open will air the Sunday before the Super Bowl, otherwise “known” as Pro Bowl Sunday. I’m not much of a #RatingsGuy, but that caught my attention (mostly because I thought the Super Bowl was on February 6th, which would have been a disaster.)
I am beyond excited for the PBA Collegiate Invitational. My assumption is that the top eight or so USBC collegiate teams will be invited to compete in some sort of bracket tournament, but no other details have been released yet. College bowling is my favorite form of bowling and I hope to be a part of the tournament in some capacity, even as just a spectator. (Before anyone asks: I’m not competing lol.)
Portland missed the PBA League in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19; the raucous Bayside Bowl will be a sight to behold in 2022.
The Summer Tour was not included in this release. My guess is those events will be revealed at a later date.