WIBC Comes to Rescue of Floundering PWBA for ESPN Telecasts

The cash-starved Professional Women Bowlers Association, which was facing a shutdown after this week's tournament in Rockford, Ill., announced late Friday afternoon that it has secured a sponsor that would enable the PWBA to complete the spring/summer tour. "We just got some financial support  in the form of front money from the Women's International Bowling Congress that will enable us to complete our live ESPN telecasts and still feature $100,000 prize funds," said John Sommer, the owner of the PWBA who has lost $4 million on his 1981 investment.  "With the WIBC's help we will be able to complete our live ESPN telecasts through the July 13th show in Dallas," Sommer said via phone from Rockford, Ill.  "Our players gave a sigh of collective relief when we announced that we could complete the spring/summer swing on ESPN live," said John Falzone, president of the PWBA. "This gives us some breathing room before we resume our four-stop fall tour Sept. 14." 

Sommer said he had been getting a "call a day" since he announced late last month that he was running out of cash."This is not a total solution to our problem, but at least there are a lot of balls in the air and hopefully some will fall in our court."