Chicago-area native Diandra Asbaty has had quite the week. She grabbed the first major of her career on Tuesday, beating Carolyn Dorin-Ballard in the final of the USBC Queens in Arlington, Texas.
But perhaps most noteworthy for the industry is the outpouring of fan and media support for Asbaty in the days that followed. Last night, Asbaty was given the honor of ceremoniously handing over the ball to the referee for opening tip of the regular-season finale for the NBA-leading Chicago Bulls. And on Saturday night, she’ll be tossing out the first pitch at the Chicago White Sox game.
Coverage of her victory also reached global markets, as the final was televised live on ESPN and covered internationally.
Asbaty is one of the industry’s most fan-friendly bowlers, with a strong Facebook and Twitter following. So the fan support has been strong, but so too has the media attention, especially in a major media market like Chicago — which is a major win for bowling as well.
Bowling Center Management Online 