Our bowling writer from here in Arkansas, Jim Wyckoff, covers quite a few national Pro Touring stops as well.  And, Jim was present at the just held PWBA U.S. Open.   Here is an excerpt from Jim's column in today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and it paints a frantic picture.  Jim does a great job covering bowling here within the state, and he has written numerous articles that have found their way into other publications....he is well known in the bowling industry.  Anyway, here's what Jim found out at Sunnybrook Lanes:

Bowling : PWBA Tour hoping to stay fully exposed
Jim Wyckoff

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. — Upon arriving at Sunnybrook Lanes for the Professional Women’s Bowling Association’s U.S. Open, the first person I ran into was John Sommers, owner of the PWBA.
   Having said hello, he informed me that the PWBA Tour as we know it may not make it through the year for lack of sponsors.
   "We lost one of our major sponsors for this year and at this time have been unable to sign a new one," Sommers said. "Without a sponsor, we cannot pay the production costs [approximately $40,000 per show] for the ESPN telecasts. If I cannot improve our cash flow, there will be no telecasts after the Rockford, Ill., event [in two weeks]. I’m a little relieved that the information is out there but I hate the timing of it."
   Following a story that appeared in USA Today, Sommers started receiving phone calls from interested parties.
   At the conclusion of the telecast I asked Sommers about prospects of additional sponsors coming on board and he said, "We have had a lot of interest and support asking how they could help, and several that we are working with. Hopefully we’ll have an announcement in a few days."