The world’s ballsiest sport is the subject of the upcoming A24-produced HBO docuseries Born to Bowl. The tone of the trailer, which teases “a story of big dreams—and big balls,” may call to mind the the classic 1996 bowling comedy Kingpin or the 2004’s Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, with its zany characters and juvenile (but admittedly funny) double entendre. There’s a reason for the similarities: Dodgeball star and comedic auteur Ben Stiller executive produced Born to Bowl in partnership with Red Hour Productions, the same company behind Dodgeball.
The trailer, cheekily set to Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin,’” introduces us to five professional bowlers, starting with a frontrunner for the most likable: Kyle Troup, the frizzy-haired two-time Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) major winner who refers to himself as the “Bob Ross of bowling.” Using humor, Troup provides a crucial insight into the financial realities of the pro bowling circuit: “Got some W-2s. Too bad the money doesn’t equal the W-2s.”
On the other end of the spectrum we’re also introduced to E. J. Tackett, a 27-time PBA Tour winner who’s one of nine to have completed the PBA Triple Crown by winning the PBA World Championship, PBA Tournament of Champions, and U.S. Open. The personal meaning he assigns to his feats is literally crystalized on his U.S. Open trophy, where, he points out, a dried tear decorates the silver plaque.
Troup and Tackett join fellow pros Cameron Crow, Anthony Simonsen, and Jason Belmonte as they “chase glory, respect, and much-needed prize money on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour,” the official synopsis reads.
“Set within bowling’s blue‑collar culture, the series examines a familiar American family pastime that evokes myriad pop cultural references and reveals a quirky sport with ancient roots shaped as much by personality and persistence as by skill and precision. Every season, members of the PBA Tour travel from tournament to tournament with their balls in tow, fighting for victories from Akron to Reno, often needing to share budget hotel rooms along the way. At different stages of their careers, each man balances their ambition and love of the sport with the uncertainty of a profession built on week‑to‑week performance and earnings that often require them to take day jobs to make a living.”
Born to Bowl premieres on HBO Max Monday, March 16. Four subsequent episodes will debut on every following Monday through April 13. Watch the trailer below:
