PBA to Open Membership to Women

PBA Website ^ | 3/29/04 | PBA press Release

[sleeper-has-awakened]

PBA to Open Membership to Women
Seattle, WA - March 29, 2004

In what may be a first in professional sports, the PBA will allow women to join its membership beginning immediately. The women will need to meet the same requirements for membership as the men, namely, maintaining a 200 average or greater for two consecutive 66 game league seasons.

“We have had requests from women over the past year to participate in our regional tournaments,” said PBA Commissioner Fred Schreyer. “We thought about it for a long time and concluded, why not? We currently allow non-members to participate in our tournaments on a regular basis, and we felt that if a woman can meet the same criteria she should be allowed to compete and become a member.”

Women who join the PBA will be able to participate in any PBA Regional event, and in the weekly PBA Tour qualifier for a spot in that week’s event.

The 2004 PBA Tour Trials is open to any PBA member who has participated in five PBA events (PBA Tour, PBA Regional Tour or PBA Senior Tour). Therefore if a woman has participated in at least five events before the June 1 start date, she may enter and compete for one of the eight remaining season-long exempt spots.

“I want to make it clear that this in no way means we will create or run a women’s tour,” continued Schreyer. “We just wanted to expand our membership to anyone who meets the requirements and give them an opportunity to compete at the highest level.”

The 2004-2005 PBA Regional Tour season begins April 1. It was previously announced that there will be approximately 200 regional tournaments with a $600,000 increase in prize money, bringing the Regional Tour’s prize fund to nearly $4 million.

[sleeper-has-awakened]

Thought I would post this as it is interesting that the PBA will allow women to compete. It's also a topic that is close to home as I do a bit of competing out there myself. The women have been wanting this for a long time, I guess it's time to see what they've got.

[TheBigB]

This is always the key part: The women will need to meet the same requirements for membership as the men

As long as that is kept, there should be no resentment on the part of the men.

[Clemenza]

Let me guess, lots of these "gals" will have Mullets or crew cuts to go with their mullets.

[TroutStalker]

Whoops, I scanned that as PBR (Professional Bull Riding).

We like to watch PBR, and I had this image...well, never mind.

[thackney]

I should have checked your keywords first. I kept thinking you were talking about a sport; then I clicked on the link.

[commish]

I have wondered when this was going to happen. Truth be told, there are a lot of women bowlers out there that are just as good as the men.

This is different from golf, where women just do not have the physical tools to compete with men.

[newgeezer]

Of course, TV ratings (or the lack thereof) have no bearing on this decision. ;O)

[breakem]

anyone tell us how the gals are ranking vs the guys.

[ServesURight]

The PBA has been irrelevant since Earl Anthony and Pete Weber left.

[stylin19a]

Pete Weber is still bowling. ESPN carries the PBA weekly. This season is over.

Next season, The PBA TOUR will be an exempt tour. I.E. The top 58 this year are automatically in the TOUR.

I am not sure if there are going to be any "at large" spots for the weekly event, so I'm not sure if/how the ladies can make the regular tour.

PBA TOUR

[stylin19a]

ah...here is how the ladies can qualify:

PBA Regional Points
a. 2005-2006 Points
1. PBA Regional Tours will switch over to the PBA Tour point lists starting March 31, 2004
2. Regional Players Invitational will remain on an "RPI to RPI" basis

(whatever RPI means)

[sleeper-has-awakened]

RPI= Resident Pro Invitational, a once a year tournament for the top point winners in each region.

I have wondered when this was going to happen. Truth be told, there are a lot of women bowlers out there that are just as good as the men. This is different from golf, where women just do not have the physical tools to compete with men.

This myth will be over after a couple of months of women competing on the regional tour. Bowling at this level is very physically demanding, it's not just 3 games on league night.

[cyborg]

You use gal in quotes LOL

[stylin19a]

Thanx..Chicago guys always know about bowling.......

(Don't take offense.I was born/raised in Chicago...now in the burbs)

[farfromhome]

Just because you can have a beer and eat a pizza while you play doesn't make it any less of a sport :)