Cyber Report #976-977

E-dition Nos. 976-977 • Monday, November 6, 2017

Editor: Bob Johnson (bjibob@aol.com)

Due to travel last week, this week and next week, we’re bringing you a double edition of the BJI Cyber Report today. The next edition is scheduled for Wednesday, November 15.

Bowling Joins Recreation Lineup at Euro Disney Resort

QubicaAMF Worldwide was chosen for the recent bowling installation at Villages Nature Paris, located just outside Disneyland Paris in Bailly-Romainvilliers and Villeneuve-Le-Comte.

Village Nature was designed to offer a complete change of scene to help guests reconnect with the things that truly matter and discover new experiences. The new bowling center, which opened to the public on Sept. 1, features 12 lanes of bowling with TMS String Pinspotters and the BES X Bowler Entertainment System.

“We couldn’t be happier with the partnership we have built and counsel we received in developing a family entertainment attraction with bowling,” said Jean Marc Mounet, Architect and Senior Program Manager for Euro Disney and Villages Nature Paris.

Villages Nature Paris is the result of collaboration between Euro Disney SCA and the Pierre et Vacances Center Parcs Group. After much research on consumer trends and the future of entertainment, it was decided to place bowling within the center of the shopping and entertainment area at Villages Nature Paris.

“Both of our companies strive to deliver unforgettable experiences, so it just seemed like the perfect fit to partner with QubicaAMF on this project,” said Jean Chabert, Managing Director Development for Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs and Villages Nature Paris.

“We have seen an increase in resorts looking to set their location apart and offer their guests a broader range of activities,” said Christophe Chauvard, General Manager of France, Switzerland and Africa for QubicaAMF Worldwide. “It is exciting for us to add bowling to increase the appeal and profitability of Villages Nature Paris and add to the magic that surrounds Disneyland.”

Villages Nature Paris strives to provide a home away from home, with something for everyone — including bowling. To learn more, go to: http://www.disneylandparis.com/en-us/hotels/villages-nature-paris/recreation/.

Da Moude Ready to Join IBPSIA Board

The International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association has announced the addition of Dwyane Da Moude to its Board of Directors, beginning in January.

Da Moude is the center instructor and youth development coordinator at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Neb. He has been an IBPSIA member since 2008, a USBC Silver-level coach since 2010, and has submitted his application for Gold coaching certification.

Da Moude was one of the first members to sign up for the IBPSIA Master Class and has passed the exam, making him one of the first to be certified as a Master Technician in the pro shop industry.

When Da Moude was informed of his election to the IBPSIA board he said, “This is an honor, to say the least. I have been an IBPSIA member for almost 10 years and have attended many education classes and always learned many things I did not know before attending.

“This past June I attended the IBPSIA Master Class, and the cumulative knowledge of the experts at the seminar was extraordinary. The education provided through the seminars was among the best I’ve encountered. I am very much looking forward to assisting my fellow board members in continuing the mission of IBPSIA to provide education, networking and profitability to our members.”

IBPSIA President David Bolt commented, “Having Dwyane on our board is an excellent addition. His industry knowledge and pro shop and coaching experiences are exactly how this board was developed. I welcome Dwyane and look forward to working with him for the continued growth of IBPSIA.”

Star Bowler and Pro Shop Operator, Mohasci, Passes Away

Mary Mohacsi of Livonia, Mich., a member of the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame, died Nov. 2. She was 85.

Inducted to the hall of fame in 1994 in the Superior Performance category, Mohacsi was active during the early years of the women’s pro tours, winning a regional title and a Professional Women Bowler’s Association title. But much of her success was as an amateur bowler in international, state and local competitions.

She represented the United States as a member of Team USA in 1974, 1981 and 1983, competing in the American Zone Championships of the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs events in 1974 in Caracas, Venezuela, and in 1981 in Winnipeg, Canada. She helped the five-woman team set the all-time FIQ scoring mark in taking the gold medal at the 1974 event, and led the team to another gold at the event in Winnipeg while also capturing gold in singles.

Mohacsi had just turned 50 when she went back to Caracas in 1983 for the FIQ (now World Bowling) World Championships and earned bronze in the five-woman team event. Overall, she would claim seven medals — three gold, a silver and three bronze — and set or helped set five international records while bowling for Team USA.

Mohacsi was named the United States Olympic Committee’s Bowling Sportswoman of the Year in 1985, and was featured in the USOC magazine, The Olympian. She joined bowling representatives for a trip to the White House to meet President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush, and served as the group’s spokesperson. She would later say, “The whole thing was really neat. I couldn’t believe it was happening. This happens to other people. I never dreamed it would happen to me.”

Born Oct. 14, 1932, in Detroit, Mohasci attended Wayne State University and taught school for 16 years. She would open a pro shop, Right Approach Pro Shop, and add a second shop, the Pocket Pro Shop, soon after.

Proprietors Can Promote In-House With 34 Telecasts

Bowling will be on national television 34 times between Dec. 10, 2017 and Oct. 31, 2018, giving proprietors plenty of opportunities to feature the sport on screens throughout their centers and build promotions around the telecasts.

Half of the events will air on ESPN, while the other half will be beamed by CBS Sports Network.

Air dates that offer promotional opportunities include Dec. 17, when ESPN will air a PBA doubleheader; Dec. 24, as an alternative to shopping mall bedlam; Dec. 31, as part of a daytime New Year’s Eve party; Feb. 4, as part of the lead-up to the NFL’s Super Bowl game; and Oct. 31, as part of a Halloween party.

Proprietors could also take advantage of three sets of consecutive Sunday PBA telecasts (Dec. 10-Jan. 7, Feb. 4-March 4, and April 15-May 13), four consecutive Saturday afternoon telecasts of PWBA events (Aug. 4-25), and two sets of consecutive Tuesday night telecasts of various events (April 24-May 22, and July 24-Aug. 21).

Telecasts also could be archived and shown whenever proprietors want, including during open-play hours and organized open-play events.

Here is the 34-telecast schedule (all events are pre-recorded except where indicated):

* Sunday, Dec. 10, 1 p.m. — USA vs. The World, ESPN.

* Sunday, Dec. 17, 1 p.m. — PBA Chameleon Championship Presented by Reno Tahoe, ESPN.

* Sunday, Dec. 17, 2 p.m. — PBA Shark Championship Presented by Xtra Frame, ESPN.

* Sunday, Dec, 24, 1 p.m. — PBA Cheetah Championship Presented by PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game, ESPN.

* Sunday, Dec. 24, 2 p.m. — Go Bowling! Scorpion Championship, ESPN.

* Sunday, Dec. 31, 1 p.m. — PBA World Championship, ESPN.

* Sunday, Jan. 7, 1 p.m. — World Bowling Tour Men’s and Women’s Finals Presented by PBA, ESPN.

* Sunday, Feb. 4, 4 p.m. — CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational, ESPN.

* Sunday, Feb. 11, 1 p.m. — PBA Tournament of Champions (live), ESPN.

* Sunday, Feb. 18, 1 p.m. — Go Bowling! PBA 60th Anniversary Classic (live), ESPN.

* Sunday, Feb. 25, 1 p.m. — Barbasol PBA Players Championship (live), ESPN.

* Sunday, March 4, 1 p.m. — Mark Roth/Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship, ESPN.

* Sunday, April 15, 1 p.m. — USBC Masters (live), ESPN.

* Sunday, April 22, 1 p.m. — PBA League Quarterfinals 1 & 2, ESPN.

* Tuesday, April 24, 8 p.m. — Intercollegiate Singles (women), CBS Sports Network.

* Sunday, April 29, 1 p.m. — PBA League Quarterfinals 3 & 4, ESPN.

* Tuesday, May 1, 8 p.m. — Intercollegiate Singles (men), CBS Sports Network.

* Sunday, May 6, 1 p.m. — PBA League Semifinals 1 & 2, ESPN.

* Tuesday, May 8, 8 p.m. — Intercollegiate Team (women), CBS Sports Network.

* Sunday, May 13, 1 p.m. — PBA League Elias Cup Finals, ESPN.

* Tuesday, May 15, 8 p.m. — Intercollegiate Team (men), CBS Sports Network.

* Tuesday, May 22, 8 p.m. — USBC Queens (live), CBS Sports Network.

* Saturday, June 30, 5 p.m. — U.S. Women’s Open (live), CBS Sports Network.

* Tuesday, July 24, 8 p.m. — Junior Gold (U12), CBS Sports Network.

* Tuesday, July 31, 8 p.m. — Junior Gold (U15), CBS Sports Network.

* Saturday, Aug. 4, 5 p.m. — PWBA St. Petersburg-Clearwater Open (live), CBS Sports Network.

* Tuesday, Aug. 7, 8 p.m. — Junior Gold (U20), CBS Sports Network.

* Saturday, Aug. 11, 5 p.m. — PWBA Twin Cities Open (live), CBS Sports Network.

* Tuesday, Aug. 14, 8 p.m. — USA Bowling (U12), CBS Sports Network.

* Saturday, Aug. 18, 5 p.m. — PWBA Columbus Open (live), CBS Sports Network.

* Tuesday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m. — USA Bowling (U15), CBS Sports Network.

* Saturday, Aug. 25, 5 p.m. — PWBA Players Championship (live), CBS Sports Network.

* Tuesday, Sept. 4, 8 p.m. — PWBA Tour Championship (live), CBS Sports Network.

* Wednesday, Oct. 31, 8 p.m. — U.S. Open (live), CBS Sports Network.

Some events are aired more than once by the networks, so proprietors are urged to check ESPN and CBS Sports Network program schedules regularly for additional air dates.

BPAA-Member Centers Also Have Access to Xtra Frame

As part of the new Go Bowling! PBA Tour umbrella sponsorship package that officially gets underway with the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling IX, centers that are members of the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America can sign up for a complimentary Xtra Frame subscription, making PBA’s exclusive online bowling channel available to their customers at no cost.

It’s easy: All a BPAA-member center has to do is contact PBA’s Dave Schroeder (email: dave.schroeder@pba.com), and after confirming membership, Schroeder will provide the participating center with its promotional code and activation instructions in time for dozens of hours of coverage of WSOB IX events.

Vet-Owned Center Conducts First Bowl-A-Thon

Gaylord Bowling Center in Gaylord, Mich. — the bowling center that was purchased and remodeled by five United States military veterans, and featured on the cover of the September edition of BCM — has conducted its first fundraiser since the ownership change.

The Bowl-A-Thon last Saturday benefitted the local Ostego Christian School.

“While the center has a veteran-oriented mission, everyone in the community is welcome,” said Tony Sharkey, VETS Inc. of Northern Michigan General Manager. “A major goal is to create a positive environment where veterans and non-veterans come together. This fundraiser is a good example of that.”

Business Briefs…

* In space formerly occupied by a Big Lots liquidation store and an Aaron’s rental center, the newest Stars and Strikes location is scheduled to open Nov. 17 in Augusta, Ga. The 55,000-sq.-ft. bowling entertainment center will feature 24 bowling lanes, a large arcade, a multi-level laser tag attraction, three escape rooms and more. It is the company’s second Georgia location outside metropolitan Atlanta. For more, go to: http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/business/2017-11-02/bowling-entertainment-center-open-month.

* The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame has announced that its annual raffle, which began in January and concluded at Bowl Expo in June, raised more than $20,000. Former IBM/HF Board of Directors member Tom Schemm of Schemm Bowling Inc. won the guaranteed $5,000 cash prize, which was drawn at the end of Bowl Expo. Read more here: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/international-bowling-museum-and-hall-of-fames-annual-raffle-raises-20k/.

* The Bowlers to Veterans Link also benefitted by $20,000 through an auction held at the East Coast Bowling Centers Convention at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, Pa., Oct. 23-25. Renowned “speed painter” Tim Decker, in a performance presented by Brunswick, created three giant portraits on black backgrounds. One featured Ray Charles, another depicted John Lennon, and a third featured Albert Einstein. Read more about Decker and the convention in Joan Taylor’s report here: http://www.dailyrecord.com/story/sports/columnists/joan-taylor/2017/11/04/east-coast-bowling-centers-convention-not-just-proprietors/832856001/.

Other News You Can Use…

* The 53rd QubicaAMF World Cup is off and running in Hermosillo, Mexico, with 70 countries represented. You can find a recap of the opening ceremonies, with reporting by Judy Howlett and photos by Hero Noda, here: https://www.qubicaamf.com/qubicaamf-bowling-world-cup. The United States is bring represented in the event by Jakob Butturff and Erin McCarthy. To learn about the journeys they took to prepare for the tournament, go to: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/butturff-mccarthy-healed-up-and-ready-for-world-cup/.

* Butturff is coming off a sensational week in the 2017 U.S. Open, held at Flamingo Bowl in Liverpool, N.Y. He was the top-seeded player for the CBS Sports Network-televised stepladder finals, but dropped the title match to Rhino Page, 256-222. Read more here: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/page-pulls-through-for-u-s-open-title-first-career-major/.

* The next generation of PBA stars will be in the spotlight at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno beginning tomorrow when one of the strongest PBA Rookie of the Year classes ever will test their skills in the annual multi-event GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling IX, Presented by Eldorado Reno Properties. For a full preview, click here: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/premier-rookie-of-the-year-candidates-in-wsob-ix-field/.

* Go Fund Me and the PBA will make it possible for the PBA’s wheelchair-bound “super fan,” Josh Hyde, to attend the PBA’s 60th Anniversary Celebration next February. The story is here: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/pba-helps-fulfill-dream-of-wheelchair-bound-superfan/.

* Currently streaming on Phantom Radio is a conversation with Larry Suhrbier, former laneman at the legendary Showboat Bowling Center in Las Vegas. To listen to the show, click here: http://www.kegel.net/phantomblog/2017/11/1/larry-suhrbier-phantom-radio.

* CONTACT: Please send business news, event information, etc. to Bob Johnson at bjibob@aol.com. For breaking business news, visit bcmmag.com or bowlersjournal.com, and “Like” Bowling Center Management and Bowlers Journal International on Facebook. BJI Cyber Reports are now archived at bcmmag.com.