Didn't see this coming.

https://bowl.com/news/pba-and-usbc-announce-partnership-moving-pba-livestreaming-to-bowltv-for-2023-season

PBA AND USBC ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP MOVING LIVESTREAMING TO BOWLTV FOR 2023
Aaron Smith
December 01, 2022

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Professional Bowlers Association and United States Bowling Congress have agreed on a partnership to offer exclusive livestreaming coverage of the 2023 Guaranteed Rate PBA Tour season on BowlTV.

The agreement will include comprehensive coverage of the PBA National Tour, as well as PBA50, PBA Jr. and PBA Regional Tour events. BowlTV’s season coverage will feature all PBA Tour qualifying rounds and championship rounds for five PBA Classic series tournaments. The coverage also will include the entirety of the Roth/Holman PBA Doubles Championship and all PBA50 Tour events.

This agreement brings the PBA Tour, Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour and USBC short-duration tournaments to the same BowlTV livestreaming platform, providing subscribers unprecedented access to top-level bowling with one subscription.

“We are pleased to have all professional bowling come together under the same platform for 2023,” PBA Tour Commissioner Tom Clark said. “BowlTV’s coverage will be tremendous for bowling fans.”

PBA coverage on BowlTV will include multiple channels at each event, so fans can follow their favorite PBA competitors. The broadcasts also will include professional commentary, interviews and analysis featuring top bowling experts.

“We appreciate the PBA partnering with the USBC to create this incredible content offering for bowling,” USBC President Melissa McDaniel said. “This partnership is a big win for all of bowling, including the fans, athletes and USBC members. USBC is committed to making the BowlTV experience outstanding for its subscribers and the PBA.”

BowlTV offers the ability to purchase event tickets, as well as monthly and annual subscriptions. A full 2023 event schedule and updated pricing will be announced later this month.

Go to BOWL.com/BowlTV to learn more about BowlTV. Visit PBA.com for information on the PBA Tour.

So this puts all PBA and PWBA coverage on BowlTV. But it makes you wonder what happened to their other offering: XtraFrame, or whatever it was that came after it. But for them coming to this agreement, it makes you wonder how much their grandstanding was about the PBA Certification Program was more smoke being blown.

BL.

I am more interested in watching the qualifying then the tv finals honestly. Similar to what Inside Bowling does with cameras set up to cover multiple pairs at various tournaments. That is something I see value in for me.

The price for me to want to watch that isn't NFL football value however. In terms of the actual finals that would air on TV being almost exclusive to a pay service I have zero value in for me.

The PBA has a lot to compete with on TV. With so many real sports to compete with on the main channels the PBA is forced into a tough situation. Same for the PWBA. Their best bet is to try and be on during the week on a night that isn't competing against football at least. Tuesday or Wednesday night possibly starting in January. If there is a network that would take them with out charging them $$$$$$$$ to do it.

Everyone is different on what they would be interested in seeing or willing to pay.

Quote from: ignitebowling on December 20, 2022, 01:04:19 PM

Hopefully it is posted afterwards on youtube for free99 because that is how much Im interested in watching

I think everyone is going to go about it that way.. and funnily enough, I think the biggest complaint is going to be why they should pay that much just to watch the PBA. That is actually the fundamental flaw in their thinking, as the PBA isn’t the be all/end all/pinnacle of bowling. I get more value out of everything that isn’t the PBA that BowlTV offers, especially when it comes to the international competitions. One has to admit that it gets boring seeing the same faces on the tour, so in seeing people new to the streams is a good thing, and that is what I look forward to.

To get all of those events for the year makes it worth it for me, but as always, YMMV.

BL.