One of the most exciting parts of every PBA Tour season is the string of final events that close out the year. During the TV production meetings, there’s a lot of talk about how to add gravitas to a particular event, and when the TV events are nearing the end, it’s natural to discuss whether it truly is the final event. Because this is bowling, no, of course it’s not the final event. Well, to put it in bowling parlance: it is.*
It all starts/ends with the PBA Tournament of Champions, the final event of the regular season, the culmination of a season-long battle among the players for Tour supremacy. In this case, Jesper Svensson snagged his second win in the PBA’s most prestigious event, defeating Jakob Butturff, who had earlier eliminated all-galaxy EJ Tackett, who was attempting to become the first player ever to win all three Triple Crown events in a single season, in the title match.
That’s it. The season is over.
Then come the PBA Playoffs, which also happen to be the final event on FOX (unlike in other years, this was quite possibly the final final event on FOX). Five weeks of intense head-to-head competition with players knocking other players out, advancing through the bracket and eventually concluding with Jesper Svensson winning his 14th PBA Tour title, besting Tackett in a race-to-three match.
That’s it. The season is over.
Then come the PBA Tour Finals, the final televised title event of the year, with eight players competing over the course of nine hours of televised bowling in two days on CBS Sports Network, this time with Andrew Anderson winning his second title of the season and, as he did for his prior win, defeating Tackett to do so.
That’s it. The season is over.
But next comes the final title event in the United States this season, held at the Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles, which awards both a PBA and PWBA title to the champions. By the way, Tackett has won that event three times with three different partners, so maybe he can avenge his two final-event runner-up finishes this season with a victory in this final event.
That’ll be it. The season will be over.
But then comes the final title event of the season, the Storm Lucky Larsen Masters held in Sweden. This was won by Svensson last year (when it was the final final event of 2024) and with his penchant for winning two of the three final events so far this year (he wasn’t involved in the PBA Tour Finals), he might be the favorite to repeat as champion in his home country.
That’ll be it. The season will be over.
Or will it? This is bowling. There’s always room for another final event.
*It isn’t.