PBA on ESPN is the branding used for Professional Bowlers Association broadcasts on the ESPN cable television network. ESPN's 1st relationship with bowling began in 1979 until the early 1980s. But in 1985, the network began its 2nd relationship with bowling, by airing 12 Summer Tour events. By 2001, ESPN would provide exclusive coverage of 20 regular-season events and four to six summer telecasts, all on Sundays or Tuesdays. After the PBA's sale and move of broadcasts to ESPN, most tournaments used a "bracketed" format. Each bowler bowled nine qualifying games, with the top 64 by pinfall competing in best 4-of-7 head-to-head matches. The four remaining bowlers from match play competed in two semi-final matches (#4 seed vs. #1 seed, and #3 seed vs. #2 seed), followed by a final match of the semi-final winners. A few tournaments still used the stepladder format for the finals. ESPN teamed up with parent company ABC beginning in 2011 returning bowling to ABC for the first time since 1985. In 2018 both networks lost right to broadcast the PBA to Fox Sports.