PBA Tour

The PBA Tour is the major professional tour for tenpin bowling, operated by the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA). Headquartered in Mechanicsville, Virginia, over 3,000 members worldwide make up the PBA. While most of the PBA members are Regional professionals, a small percentage of the bowling membership competes at the national and international level, forming the PBA Tour. (PBA.com lists 67 bowlers that have Tier 1 national touring pro status as of the start of the 2025 season.) Founded in 1958, the PBA Tour has been in continuous operation since the inaugural 1959 season. Each year, the PBA Tour puts on a series of events for PBA members. Most events are held across the United States, with the PBA co-sponsoring selected international events as part of the World Bowling Tour (WBT). In addition, the PBA Tour has co-hosted the Round1 Japan Cup along with the Japan Professional Bowling Association (JPBA). Also, select American members compete against their European counterparts in the Weber Cup. In September 2019, the PBA and PBA Tour were purchased by Bowlero Corporation (renamed Lucky Strike Entertainment Corporation in 2024). Tom Clark, who was promoted to PBA Commissioner in late 2011, retained that role even after the acquisition by Bowlero.