2-16-26-PBA INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Professional Bowlers Association and The CW Network announced the 2026 PBA Tour schedule today, bringing 20 hours of televised coverage to the network more than 10 consecutive weeks. The partnership, titled “PBA Championship Sundays on The CW,” will be gin live broadcasts on Feb. 22, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET. The move to The CW is part of the PBA’s effort to reach younger and more diverse audiences through a simplified broadcast schedule. The 2026 season will highlight several major championships and spotlight professional athletes as the tour travels to venues across the country, including stops in Texas, Ohio and Maine. The 2026 schedule features four major championships: the PBA Players Championship, U.S. Open, USBC Masters and PBA Tournament of Champions. The tour will also include events in Missouri to honor legend Pete Weber and a doubles competition in Portland, Maine. The CW will broadcast the Roth/Holman Doubles Championship from Maine’s Bayside Bowl, a location Kyle Troup described as a personal favorite for its intense energy. Lev Ekster, president of Lucky Strike Entertainment, said the deal with the network is part of a broader vision for the sport. “Our partnership with The CW reflects the future of bowling as both a competitive sport and an evolving entertainment experience,” Ekster said. Mike Perman, senior vice president of sports at The CW Network, added that the network aims to “foster connections with the next generation of bowling fans.” The opening week of the tour marks a personal milestone for professional bowler Troup, who was the 2021 Player of the Year. His father, Guppy Troup, will be inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame during the opening weekend. Troup was a prominent star in the sport during the 1970s and 1980s. “My father Guppy Troop is being inducted into the Hall of Fame this Saturday, the night before the Players Championship Final on the CW,” the younger Troup said. “So it’s an exciting week, kicking off the tour, kicking off my dad’s Hall of Fame.” Troup joined the PBA at age 16 and won his first title in 2015. He said his career drive was initially inspired by his father’s status as an entertainer and athlete. “I think the drive really came from wanting to be like my father,” Troup said. “He was my hero growing up.” Troup noted that his motivation has since evolved to focus on the fans, stating, “without fans we don’t have bowling.” Beyond the entertainment aspect, Troup emphasized the physical demands required of professional bowlers on the tour. He noted that players often bowl 60 games per week and spend three months straight on the road. “We’re on the mental and physical ground week in, week out, leaving our families for three months straight on the road,” Troup said. He added that modern professionals focus heavily on health and fitness to maintain the necessary stamina. While The CW will host the “Championship Sundays” events, other PBA tournaments will be available on different platforms throughout the year. The PBA World Series of Bowling and PBA Commissioner’s Cup are scheduled to air on CBS and CBS Sports Network. Fans can watch qualifying and match play rounds live on BowlTV prior to the televised Sunday finals. The 2026 PBA Tour begins with the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. The first televised “Championship Sunday” will air the following day, Feb. 22, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET. The tour’s coverage on The CW will conclude with the PBA Tournament of Champions on April 26, 2026. 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  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.  ...read more read less