PBA, LONGMARCH REUNITE TO BOOST CHINA BOWLING MARKET

Six years after the PBA China Tiger Cup, the PBA and Longmarch Bowling have announced a 10-year agreement to relaunch the PBA China Regional Program.

Three tournaments are scheduled to be hosted at the Longmarch Bowling Center in Shanghai, starting with the PBA China Tribute to Pioneers Championship next month to kick off the program’s official relaunch.

“I’m thrilled to announce this 10-year partnership with the PBA,” Frank Zhao, president of Longmarch Bowling, said. “China holds immense potential for bowling, and with the PBA’s iconic brand and global resources, we are poised to grow both the sport and the broader bowling industry across the country.”

Added PBA Commissioner Tom Clark: “This long-term collaboration with Longmarch Bowling is a pivotal step in PBA’s global expansion, especially in China — a market we have identified as critical to growing bowling internationally. Building on the success of the 2019 China Tiger Cup, we are excited to deliver consistent, world-class PBA events to Chinese bowlers and fans, nurturing new talent and strengthening the sport’s foundation in the region.”

The PBA’s partnership with China dates to 2014 when the PBA enlisted Longmarch to recruit players in China to become PBA members. More than 100 Chinese bowlers have joined the PBA because of this initiative, known as the “Pioneers Program,” and several competed in the PBA World Series of Bowling.

The 2019 PBA China Tiger Cup, the first PBA event in China, marked a breakthrough as that season’s top seven PBA-ranked players competed alongside hundreds of bowlers from across China and Asia. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought the program to a halt just a few months later.

“To drive bowling’s growth here, aligning with the PBA — the highest level of the sport — is key,” Zhao said. “Through this partnership, we are building bridges between China and the global bowling community. In doing so, we are seizing the critical opportunity to revitalize both the sport and industry in China.”

Tournaments scheduled to date:

• Oct. 7-8 — PBA China Tribute to Pioneers Championship.

• Jan. 2-3, 2026 — PBA China Scorpion Championship.

• Oct. 4-6, 2026 — PBA China Cup.