E-dition No. 1,059 • Friday, May 31, 2019
Editor: Bob Johnson (bjibob@aol.com)
PBA to Award $100,000 to Winner of PBA Playoffs This Weekend
After 13 tournaments and nearly six months of competition, the inaugural PBA Playoffs will culminate this weekend as the “final four” return to Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine, for a pair of live telecasts on FOX.
Saturday’s telecast, which will begin at noon Eastern, will feature semi-final round matches pitting Kris Prather against Anthony Simonsen, and Bill O’Neill against Sean Rash.
The winners will return for Sunday’s championship match, which will begin at 12:30 Eastern, and a shot at the $100,000 first-place prize.
The PBA season began with the PBA Hall of Fame Classic in January in Arlington, Texas. After 13 Go Bowling! PBA Tour events, 24 bowlers qualified for the PBA Playoffs, and that elite field now has been whittled to the final four.
As always, in order to garner as much attention for bowling as possible, center owners are encouraged to devote at least some of their screens to the telecasts.
Bowling Returns to ‘FOX & Friends’ on Aug. 10
Exposure is the name of the game for Strike Ten Entertainment, which has reached an agreement with FOX News for a return to the “FOX & Friends” morning program to promote National Bowling Day.
The bowling industry returns to the set of that popular program on Saturday, Aug. 10, and GoBowling.com again will offer a coupon for a free game of bowling on its website.
Go Bowling supports National Bowling Day, celebrated on the second Saturday of August each year, and will provide consumers with free-game coupons that can be redeemed at participating centers across the country throughout the month of August.
For 2019, Go Bowling has teamed with “FOX & Friends” to again feature bowling throughout the show’s broadcast on Aug. 10. Additionally, Go Bowling at The Glen — the NASCAR race at Watkins Glen International sponsored by Go Bowling — runs Sunday, Aug. 4, and National Bowling Day will be heavily promoted through the Go Bowling social media channels during the race that will be televised on NBCSN.
“The partnership between ‘FOX & Friends’ and Go Bowling has been very productive and rewarding,” said John Harbuck, President of Strike Ten Entertainment. “Featuring our sport on one of the highest-rated networks in the nation generates tremendous top-of-mind awareness for bowling leading into the important fall league season.
“Strategically, August is the perfect time to get new bowlers onto the lanes as the fall season is about to get underway. With the exposure we will receive from ‘FOX & Friends,’ along with the bump we will get from our Go Bowling at The Glen NASCAR race, we will be driving traffic into our member bowling centers at a time when league signups are occurring.”
In recognition of National Bowling Day, GoBowling.com once again will build a pair of bowling lanes on the set of ‘FOX & Friends’ in New York for the show on Aug. 10 that will air from 6-10 a.m. Eastern. Representatives from the industry, the PWBA and the PBA will promote the free coupon giveaway and also hit the lanes to bowl with the show’s hosts.
“This is going to be a great week for bowling and the Go Bowling brand,” Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America President Randy Thompson said. “With the Go Bowling at The Glen NASCAR race the week before bowling is featured on ‘FOX & Friends,’ National Bowling Day is going to receive an incredible boost this year.”
Strike Ten Entertainment and BPAA are fully supporting the National Bowling Day initiative as digital marketing support materials are being created for all member centers to help drive business locally.
Expanded Storm Youth Championship Event Sells Out
The Storm Youth Championship family came together to celebrate Memorial Day weekend in Smyrna, Tenn. The weekend was filled with smiles, music and honoring those who have served our country, while raising funds for a great cause.
Smyrna Bowling Center hosted the third stop of the SYC Tour season. An expanded, sold-out field of 208 athletes, including 14 previous SYC champions, and their families experienced a weekend packed with education, fun and competition.
“Spend a weekend at the Storm Youth Championships and you’ll be inspired almost instantly,” Gary Hulsenberg, Storm’s Vice President of Business Development, said. “Our generous owners and all those who support Storm make it possible for these young people to build lasting friendships, raise money for a meaningful cause, and compete for a national title.”
The bowlers competed in two seven-game rounds on two different lane patterns designed by Kegel, the official lane partner of the SYC. The tournament is composed of six divisions determined by gender and age: U20 Boys, U20 Girls, U15 Boys, U15 Girls, U12 Boys and U12 Girls. The top three bowlers in each round were presented a gold, silver or bronze medal. After both rounds were complete, the tournament champions were crowned in each division, based on their total pinfall. The SYC awarded a total of $19,000 in scholarships to the youth bowlers.
For the complete results, visit http://www.stormbowling.com/SYC.
Every SYC event features activities throughout the weekend for competitors to learn and meet friends from different parts of the country. In Smyrna, educational topics included lane play strategies and tips to tackle sport conditions from National Team Storm Member Kyle Troup, Gary Hulsenberg and special guest Parker Bohn III.
Bohn joined Team Storm members and recent PWBA Hall of Fame inductee Leanne Hulsenberg for a Q&A session filled with insights about life as a professional bowler and more.
Every bowler who entered the tournament received a Storm PhysiX bowling ball and had the option to have it drilled by the staff at Bowlers Advantage Pro Shop. Many bowlers had their new ball ready for the practice session, at which Team Storm members walked through the field offering advice on the patterns they would see throughout the weekend.
On Friday night, there was a party in the park, where youth bowlers got outside and played Frisbee, corn hole and whiffle ball, as Troup jumped from game to game.
“We truly enjoy being able to welcome new families to our events and reuniting with those who are already part of our SYC family,” Hulsenberg said.
Giving back is an important part of the SYC and bowlers come together to raise funds all weekend for Ballard vs. the Big “C,” which supports continued research in cancer treatment — specifically in head, neck and throat cancer — through the sport of bowling.
BVBC also raises money for nutritional supplements and treatments for those going through the cancer journey. SYC families contributed to the cause through raffles and a silent auction, in addition to the $10 donation that is contributed directly to BVBC from every entry. SYC families raised nearly $5,000 in Smyrna.
The owners of Logo Infusion, Ken and Kathy Keegan, were on hand to provide apparel for the SYC. Logo Infusion is the official jersey partner of the SYC and creates customized jerseys to help commemorate each of the events. In addition, Dale Garner of 3G Shoes, the official shoe partner of the SYC, was on site to introduce bowlers to the current lineup of 3G shoes and programs for youth bowlers.
The tournament would not be possible without generous donations from sponsors Storm, Roto Grip, Logo Infusion, Kegel, 3G Shoes and Bowlers Journal International. The Smyrna event was live-streamed on the Storm Bowling Facebook Page.
Three events remain on the 2019 SYC Tour. The SYC will travel to Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Neb., June 28-30. This event is sold out with a waiting list. Entries open for the Wichita event on June 10 and for the Coastal Classic event on Aug. 5.
Global Signs Warren; New Roles for Hickman and Garner
Global Manufacturing has announced the signing of Chris Warren to a staff agreement to represent the 900 Global and 3G brands.
Warren is a six-time PBA Tour Champion and has 57 PBA and PBA 50 regional titles in his career. He has two majors to his credit — the 1990 USBC Masters and the 2018 USBC Senior Masters — and is one of only three bowlers to accomplish that feat. When he’s not bowling, Warren operates Chris Warren’s Pro Shop inside Caveman Lanes in Grants Pass, Ore.
“I am happy to take the next step in my career as part of the 900 Global team,” Warren said. “It is an honor to represent this company at the highest level. I’m excited to see how this year will unfold.”
“We are very excited to have Chris on the team. He is a winner and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to 900 Global,” said Executive Vice President Wes Pye.
Director of Marketing Dale Garner added, “Chris will be a valuable member of our staff of champion bowlers moving forward. What he brings to the table will be invaluable to our whole group.”
Global Manufacturing also announced the promotion of David Hickman to the position of North American Sales Manager. Hickman will work closely with the company’s distributor network and sales team in further developing the brands of Global. He also will maintain a sales territory consisting of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.
“David has brought a wealth of knowledge and industry experience to Global,” said Pye. “I am very glad he is willing to accept this opportunity to help continue the growth and development of our team and brands.”
“I couldn’t be more excited about this new position and the challenges it brings,” said Hickman. “The future is very bright for Global.”
Garner will add Midwest Sales Representative to his Director of Marketing title. He will assume the other portion of Hickman’s previous sales territory starting Sept. 1, and will be directly responsible for the states of Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
“Having more direct contact in the field will help us build our relationships in the marketplace,” noted Garner.
“As our team and brands grow, Dale brings a very valuable skill set to his new role with the sales team,” Pye said.
BVL Exhibit Runs Through Labor Day at Hall/Museum
The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame’s latest museum exhibit spotlights the Bowlers to Veterans Link. It opened just in time for Memorial Day weekend.
“This is a unique opportunity to display the accomplishments of this wonderful organization,” said Mike Aulby, President of the IBM/HF Board.
BVL was founded in 1942. Bowling’s oldest and most successful charity provides therapeutic and recreational programs and services for America’s veterans, as well as active-duty troops. It is supported by bowling associations, bowling centers, and individuals nationwide who remain dedicated to its mission to provide active-duty troops and veterans with an outlet for the joy, freedom and friendship that recreation and sport can bring. BVL is America’s only national sports organization specifically devoted to those who have served our country.
The exhibition features items from the museum’s collection, and will remain on display through Labor Day weekend.
The timing of this exhibition is especially prescient as the museum enters its sixth year of membership in the Blue Star Museum Program. The program, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, allows active-duty military members and their families access to a network of participating museums nationwide free of charge.
The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame extends this privilege to veterans and their families as well. The program also will run through Labor Day weekend. For more information about the Blue Star program, visit bluestarfam.org. Visit bowlingmuseum.com for more information on the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame.
Other News You Can Use…
* Global Manufacturing’s long-time process improvement technician, Juan Ortiz, passed away on May 21. Ortiz had been an integral part of the bowling industry since 1962. Since its inception, Global Manufacturing leaned heavily on him to maintain and streamline its production equipment. “Juan’s ability to turn a concept into reality was uncanny,” said Nick Siefers, Director of Operations and Engineering for Global Manufacturing. “He was able to quickly look at the mechanical process and implement necessary improvements. His tenure in the bowling manufacturing industry has had an unprecedented impact on millions of bowlers.” Simply stated, anyone who has thrown a piece of 900 Global equipment has been impacted in some way by Ortiz’s work. “Juan was an irreplaceable part of the Global family and he will be missed dearly,” added Siefers.
*The PWBA Tour begins its West Coast swing as Double Decker Lanes in Rohnert Park, Calif., will host the Tour for the fourth consecutive season. Competition in the PWBA Sonoma County Open starts Friday with two eight-game qualifying blocks before the field is cut to 32 players. After eight additional games on Saturday morning, the top 12 players will bowl a final six-game block to decide the four players who will compete in the stepladder finals. BowlTV.com, the exclusive live-streaming home of the PWBA Tour, will have wire-to-wire live coverage of the event, including Saturday’s stepladder finals at 5:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. Eastern).
* Mike Dias of defeated PBA Hall of Famer and fellow left-hander Parker Bohn III, 227-217, in the title match to win the PBA50 Northern California Classic Presented by MOTIV at Harvest Park Bowl in Brentwood, Calif., for his third career PBA50 Tour title. Report: http://www.bowlersjournal.com/mike-dias-wins-third-career-pba50-title-with-northern-california-classic-victory/.
* The guest this week on Phantom Radio is laneman and mechanic Dennis Gemmer. To listen to the conversation, click here: https://kegel.squarespace.com/phantomblog/2019/5/29/dennis-gemmer-phantom-radio-show.
* 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.
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