The action opens with the inaugural King of the Lanes: Empress Edition at 8 p.m. ET
Portland, Maine—The PBA returns to Bayside Bowl for the 2021 PBA King of the Lanes Series presented by Pabst Blue Ribbon, which gets underway Tuesday, June 15 at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.
The inaugural King of the Lanes: Empress Edition will feature 11 PWBA stars battling for supremacy June 15 and 16, followed by 11 PBA Tour players vying for the crown in the King of the Lanes airing June 19 and 20.
Over the course of five hour-long telecasts in both the women’s and men’s series, contenders will bowl a one-game match for the right to face the reigning Empress or King. The winner of the Empress or King match retains the crown to be defended in each subsequent telecast.
Kelly Kulick is the appropriate choice to open the King of the Lanes: Empress Edition as the incoming Empress. Kulick won the 2010 PBA Tournament of Champions to become the first woman to win a PBA Tour title and recently won the PWBA Albany Open for her seventh career PWBA title (five of which are majors).
Kris Prather, who earned the title of King of the Lanes last season by taking the crown from Sean Rash and then successfully defending against Pete Weber, will enter as the reigning King.
King of the Lanes: Empress Edition Presented by Pabst Blue Ribbon Contenders Matches
Clara Guerrero vs. Daria Pajak
Guerrero, who finished fourth in the 2013 PBA Cheetah Championship, became a PWBA major champion when she won the 2016 PWBA Players Championship. Pajak, the 2017 PWBA Rookie of the Year, owns one PWBA Tour title, winning the 2017 PWBA Greater Detroit Open.
Danielle McEwan vs. Maria José Rodriguez
Five-time PWBA Tour champion (two majors) McEwan ranks third in 2021 PWBA Tour average and will face two-time PWBA champion (both majors) Rodriguez, who has cashed in all nine PWBA Tour events so far this season.
Missy Parkin vs. Diana Zavjalova
2011 USBC Queens champion Parkin was the first woman to join the PBA in 2004,. Parkin who has appeared in three PWBA Tour stepladder finals so far this season, faces four-time PWBA Tour champion (two majors) Zavjalova, who has made three match play appearances in the 2021 PWBA Tour season.
Liz Johnson vs. Ashly Galante
Johnson won her 25th PWBA Tour title earlier this year in the PWBA Lincoln Open. The all-time leader in major championships with 10, Johnson will take on PWBA Regional champion Ashly Galante, who has cashed five times so far this season.
Stefanie Johnson vs. Verity Crawley
Johnson owns three PWBA Tour titles including one major. Johnson has cashed in all nine events so far in 2021 and qualified for match play in six. She’ll take on Crawley, who has advanced to two stepladder finals this season, including the USBC Queens, where she finished fourth.
King of the Lanes Presented by Pabst Blue Ribbon Contenders Matches
Five King of the Lanes telecasts begin June 19 at 2 p.m. ET on FS1. In addition to reigning King Prather, 10 contenders will attempt to claim the crown:
Chris Barnes vs. AJ Johnson
PBA Hall of Famer Barnes has 19 titles and will take on Johnson, who is seeking his first PBA Tour title, in a rematch of their fiery battle during the stepladder finals of the 2020 PBA Jonesboro Open.
Jesper Svensson vs. Parker Bohn III
In a contest between present-day versus legendary lefties, 10-time PBA Tour champion Svensson takes on Hall of Famer Bohn, a 35-time winner on the PBA Tour.
Chris Via vs. Anthony Neuer
Via and Neuer own the two biggest moments from the 2021 U.S. Open, with Via winning his first career PBA Tour title and Neuer becoming the first player since 1991—and fourth ever—to pick up the 7-10 split on television.
Tim Mack vs. Jason Sterner
International legend Mack, who now works as a Storm Tour rep, will face Sterner, who made it to the stepladder finals in both the USBC Masters and U.S. Open.
Tom Daugherty vs. François Lavoie
Two of the 2021 season’s major champions duel in the final King of the Lanes telecast, with PBA World Championship winner Daugherty taking on Tournament of Champions winner Lavoie.
PBA King of the Lanes Series Presented by Pabst Blue Ribbon Television Schedule
Tuesday, June 15 – 8-9 p.m. ET on FS1
Contenders Match: Clara Guerrero vs. Daria Pajak
Empress Match 1: Kelly Kulick vs. Contenders Winner
Tuesday, June 15 – 9-10 p.m. ET on FS1
Contenders Match: Danielle McEwan vs. Maria Jose Rodriguez
Empress Match 2: Winner from Empress 1 vs. Contenders Winner
Tuesday, June 15 – 10-11 p.m. ET on FS1
Contenders Match: Missy Parkin vs. Diana Zavjalova
Empress Match 3: Winner from Empress 2 vs. Contenders Winner
Wednesday, June 16 – 8-9 p.m. ET on FS1
Contenders Match: Liz Johnson vs. Ashly Galante
Empress Match 4: Winner from Empress 3 vs. Contenders Winner
Wednesday, June 16 – 9-10 p.m. ET on FS1
Contenders Match: Stefanie Johnson vs. Verity Crawley
Empress Match 5: Winner from Empress 4 vs. Contenders Winner
Saturday, June 19 – 2-3 p.m. ET on FS1
Contenders Match: Chris Barnes vs. AJ Johnson
King Match 1: Kris Prather vs. Contenders Winner
Saturday, June 19 – 3-4 p.m. ET
Contenders Match: Jesper Svensson vs. Parker Bohn III
King Match 2: Winner from King 1 vs. Contenders Winner
Saturday, June 19 – 4-5 p.m. ET on FS1
Contenders Match: Chris Via vs. Anthony Neuer
King Match 3: Winner from King 2 vs. Contenders Winner
Sunday, June 20 – 2-3 p.m. ET on FS1
Contenders Match: Tim Mack vs. Jason Sterner
King Match 4: Winner from King 3 vs. Contenders Winner
Sunday, June 20 – 3-4 p.m. ET on FS1
Contenders Match: Tom Daugherty vs. Francois Lavoie
King Match 5: Winner from King 4 vs. Contenders Winner
About the PBA
The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is the world’s preeminent organization dedicated to the sport of bowling and its professional competition, with thousands of members and millions of fans throughout the world. The PBA plays host to bowling’s biggest tournaments from the PBA Tour, PBA Regional Tour, and PBA50 Tour. In 2020, the PBA launched PBA Jr., a club for elite youth bowlers under the age of 17 and the PBA Pinsiders, a membership for fans of the sport. For more information, please visit PBA.com.
###
Striking Spotlight 