PBA Communications
The PBA and CBS Sports have agreed to a new, expanded media rights deal.
The two-year agreement includes 31 hours of coverage on the CBS Television Network, with simultaneous streaming on Paramount+, and CBS Sports Network during the 2026 season, up from nine hours in the 2025 season.
CBS Sports will spotlight two of the PBA’s marquee events in the PBA World Series of Bowling (WSOB), including the PBA World Championship finals on CBS and Paramount+, and the new PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
PBA Tour coverage has been a yearly fixture on CBS Sports since the 2013 Summer Swing, including the prestigious US Open from 2015-2019, and live coverage of the PBA Tour Finals since 2017.
CBS Sports securing media rights to the WSOB represents an opportunity to showcase the PBA’s most lucrative, global showcase event.
“CBS Sports has championed the PBA and our athletes for more than a decade,” said Lev Ekster, president of Lucky Strike Entertainment. “The WSOB is the greatest global platform in the sport of bowling. We are certain CBS Sports will not only deliver an incredible event to bowling fans around the world, but continue to elevate the WSOB.”
PBA World Series of Bowling
In the 16 years of the WSOB, athletes from more than 30 countries have competed and 14 international-born champions have been crowned.
In 2026, CBS Sports Network will air the prelims and championship round of each of the four animal pattern championships.
The standard title events build towards the PBA World Championship finals, a major title event, which will air live on CBS and Paramount+.
Australia’s Jason Belmonte and the United States’ EJ Tackett share the record with nine career WSOB titles apiece.
Tackett has won each of the past three PBA World Championship titles and will seek an unprecedented fourth consecutive title in the major championship next season.
PBA Commissioner’s Cup
The PBA Commissioner’s Cup, formerly the PBA Tour Finals, will feature a revamped format in 2026.
Previously, the top eight players in competition points during the previous two PBA Tour seasons qualified for the PBA Tour Finals. Next year, the field will be opened to all PBA members and a qualifying round will be held in advance of the televised finals.
Eight finalists will compete in the televised rounds, which maintains nine hours of live coverage on CBS Sports Network.
Since the event began in 2017, Tackett, Belmonte, Kyle Troup and Anthony Simonsen have each won the event twice.
The 2025 PBA Tour Finals will air live June 7-8 on CBS Sports Network.
CBS now joins The CW Network as broadcast partners for the PBA. The CW agreed to a multi-year contract earlier.
Beginning in 2026, The CW will air 10 live PBA events annually in dedicated, two-hour windows on consecutive Sunday afternoons.