PBA Bowling Tour: 2008–09 Season | |
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League | Professional Bowlers Association |
Sport | Ten-pin bowling |
Duration | October 19, 2008 – April 26, 2009 |
PBA Tour | |
Season MVP | Wes Malott |
This is a recap of the 2008–09 season for the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. It was the Tour's 50th season and consisted of 21 events.
On October 1, 2008, the PBA began a three-year sponsorship deal with Lumber Liquidators, making the American hardwood flooring retailer the tour's title sponsor through the 2010–11 season. Denny's, the title sponsor from 2005 to 2008, remained a PBA sponsor and continued as the title sponsor of the Denny's Dick Weber Open tour stop.
The PBA kicked off its 50th season with a major tournament: the PBA World Championship was moved to the front of the PBA schedule for the first time in history. The tournament was contested October 19–25, 2008 at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kansas, with the live televised finals airing Sunday, October 26 on ESPN. The 20-event 2008–09 season concluded with the 66th U.S. Open, March 29 – April 5 in North Brunswick, New Jersey. Other majors in 2008–09 included the H&R Block Tournament of Champions (January 19–26 at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas, Nevada) and USBC Masters (February 8–16 at the Cashman Center in Las Vegas).
The Dydo Japan Cup, which typically kicks off the PBA Tour season on ESPN, was delayed until late April, 2009, due to arena issues.
A special "Golden Anniversary Championship" featured 16 Senior PBA bowlers (age 50 or older) who earned entry through a dedicated qualifying round at the Hammond, Indiana tour stop. The eventual top two Senior bowlers squared off in a live televised final, airing after the final match for the regular touring pros on November 9.
The PBA Women's Series, which began on a limited basis in the 2007–08 season, continued this season with seven events (see article: PBA Women's Series). The series featured head-to-head women's matches airing jointly with six PBA telecasts, plus a mixed doubles event with PBA professionals that aired February 1, 2009.