E-dition No. 1,070 • Friday, August 9, 2019
Editor: Bob Johnson (bjibob@aol.com)
After 100% TV Improvement, PBA Preps for 2020
The PBA has unveiled its 2020 schedule of PBA Tour on FOX Sports events, leading toward an expanded PBA Playoffs that will feature more venues.
Five major championships, including the U.S. Open for the first time on FOX, highlight the series of 13 tournaments taking place in nine different cities from January through March, in which players will earn points toward qualifying for the PBA Playoffs.
The 2020 Playoffs again will feature the top 24 from the points list in an elimination bracket, with all matches televised from Bowlero centers. The schedule:
* April 6 — Round of 24, Bowlero Norco, Norco, Calif.
* April 20-21 — Round of 16, Bowlero Westminster, Westminster, Colo.
* May 10-11 — Round of 8, Bowlero Euless, Euless, Texas.
* May 16-17 — Final four and championship match, Bowlero North Brunswick, North Brunswick, N.J., live on FOX.
“Launching our partnership with FOX made 2019 a special year for the PBA, and it could not have delivered more drama and history to our fans,” said PBA Tour Commissioner Tom Clark. “Sellout crowds in special venues across the country watched the greatest bowlers in the world put on tremendous shows week after week, and in 2020 we are excited to bring the action to even more locations.”
The inaugural 2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tour season netted more than 22 million viewers, including re-airs, across FOX, FS1 and FS2 — a 100% viewership increase over 2018.
2020 RACE TO THE PBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
(Tier designation refers to the level of points awarded for each event: Tier 1 indicates a PBA major championship, Tier 2 is a standard PBA Tour event and Tier 3 is a limited-entry or PBA Tour special event. For details, visit https://www.pba.com/SeasonStats/PointsLists/132.)
* Jan. 14-19 — PBA Hall of Fame Classic (Tier 3), International Training and Research Center, Arlington, Texas.
* Jan. 21-26 — PBA Oklahoma Open (Tier 2), FireLake Bowling Center, Shawnee, Okla.
* Jan. 27-Feb. 1 — PBA Greater Jonesboro Open (Tier 2), HiJinx, Jonesboro, Ark.
* Feb. 4-9 — PBA Tournament of Champions (Tier 1), AMF Riviera Lanes, Fairlawn, Ohio.
* Feb. 11-15 — PBA Players Championship (Tier 1), Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl, Columbus, Ohio.
* Feb. 18-23 — U.S. Open (Tier 1), Sun Valley Lanes, Lincoln, Neb.
* Feb. 25-29 — PBA Indianapolis Open (Tier 2), Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, Ind.
* Feb. 25-29 — Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship (Tier 3), Woodland Bowl, Indianapolis, Ind.
* March 6-19 — PBA World Series of Bowling XI, South Point Bowling Plaza, Las Vegas, including PBA Cheetah (Tier 3), PBA Chameleon (Tier 3), PBA Scorpion (Tier 3) and PBA World Championship (Tier 1).
* March 23-29 — USBC Masters (Tier 1), Grand Sierra Bowling Center, Reno, Nev.
* April 5-May 17 — PBA Playoffs (see above).
Also part of the to-be-announced 2020 PBA schedule on FOX Sports’s family of networks will be three special events with no PBA Playoffs implications in three different locations, including Chris Paul’s annual CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational.
The PBA League team event series will return to Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine, July 20-23, live on FS1. PBAL details will be released soon.
All early rounds of all events on the national schedule, and international coverage of the finals, will again be live-streamed on FloBowling.com.
THE ROW to Serve as Presenting Sponsor of USBC Open
Since the USBC Open Championships last visited Reno, three of the city’s resorts — the Eldorado Resort Casino, Circus Circus Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino — are in the midst of completing a multi-year master renovation plan at a cost of more than $100 million.
It’s a venture to position the adjoined resorts, formerly referred to as the Tri-Properties and now collectively known as “THE ROW,” as the premier destination in northern Nevada.
When the USBC Open Championships returns to “The Biggest Little City in the World” in 2020 for its 14th overall visit, THE ROW will serve as the presenting sponsor, official host hotels and official brackets sponsor. The renovation projects for THE ROW include modern, sophisticated remodels to nearly all of the 4,000 hotel rooms.
Eldorado, Circus Circus and Silver Legacy are longtime sponsors and supporters of the Open Championships and Women’s Championships at the National Bowling Stadium, which is undergoing its own major modernization project.
Together, the three resorts have 25 restaurants, 23 bars and lounges, 11 nightspots, and a new luxury wellness escape at The Spa at Silver Legacy.
Also new at Silver Legacy is an outpost of Ruth’s Chris Steak House, a new location of the Los Angeles deli legend known as Canter’s, and a Topgolf Swing Suite.
Renowned for its steak, Ruth’s Chris specializes in custom-aged USDA Prime steaks expertly prepared and served on 500-degree sizzling hot plates. Beyond signature steaks, the made-from-scratch sides are prepared from Ruth’s original recipes and are portioned to share. The new menu offers a variety of seafood options, soups, salads and desserts, all sourced from the freshest ingredients available.
Ruth’s Chris also features an award-winning spirits program with a wine list that features more than 200 labels, premium wines by the glass, and hand-crafted cocktails. The bar area also has unique menu offerings and drink specials that encourage guests to sip and stay a while.
Canter’s has been serving up one of L.A.’s finest deli experiences for 85 years, has been recognized for offering the best pastrami by the Los Angeles Times and L.A. Weekly, and has kept locals and celebrities returning for decades to enjoy award-winning, authentic Jewish deli cuisine.
With its fresh-baked breads, house-made pickles and award-winning pastrami, Canter’s is open for lunch and dinner.
The Topgolf Swing Suite is an immersive social experience that features virtual reality games ranging from golf to Zombie Dodgeball, baseball to football, and more in four simulator bays.
Guests enjoy ultra-comfortable lounge seating, HDTVs and extensive food-and-beverage options while socializing in an energy-infused environment. At the 18-seat bar, top-shelf alcohol bottles are displayed on vibrantly illuminated glass shelves supported by a tubular brass frame. At its center, the bar’s back wall dazzles with a mosaic made of wood, tile, laminate, metal and a glass mirror, while its seats are covered in a custom fabric with a large eye detail.
The 2020 Open Championships, the 117th edition of the event, will take place March 21 through July 5 at the National Bowling Stadium. It will mark the tournament’s 11th trip to the NBS and the first since 2016.
“It’s an incredible time to be in the city of Reno as we continue to flourish and be recognized as a place of great entertainment, gourmet dining and all-around top experiences,” said Anthony Carano, President and Chief Operating Officer of Eldorado Resorts, Inc., which owns and operates THE ROW. “We’re excited to welcome back this outstanding event and its guests, and look forward to providing the family-style service that Eldorado, Circus Circus and Silver Legacy pride ourselves on.”
As part of the 2020 brackets sponsorship, all same-day brackets payouts will take place inside Silver Legacy.
“We know the Open Championships experience is about much more than just bowling, and we want our competitors to have a memorable time on and off the lanes in our host cities,” said Roger Noordhoek, Managing Director of Marketing for USBC. “The properties at THE ROW always have provided our bowlers with incredible accommodations, dining, entertainment and gaming options, and we’re looking forward to growing that partnership to also include the brackets components in 2020.”
THE ROW also will provide USBC members with special offers throughout the course of the tournament, including at the brackets windows.
The 2016 event in Reno brought just over 8,000 teams to Reno. Early sales projections show potential for more than 9,000 teams in 2020, the USBC said.
Other contacted tournament at the National Bowling Stadium are the USBC Women’s Championships in 2022 and 2025, and the Open Championships in 2023 and 2026.
More Than 200 Students Attend Turbo Collegiate Expo
“We can’t say enough about the young talent that is coming up in our sport,” said Turbo President Lori Mraz following the 2019 Turbo Collegiate Expo, held July 7-10 in Michigan.
“Collegiate Expo is such a wonderful experience for our team, and we take great pride in watching these young bowlers grow in the sport. Our mission is to educate students and families about our sport and to provide a gateway to college opportunities. Hopefully, we send them off on a path of greater understanding to excel in college and beyond.”
Parents like Francis Vitelli Jr. of Annandale, N.J., continue to be amazed by the Expo. Vitalli’s sons, Zachery and Francis III, have both attended. Francis just completed his fourth Expo, and will be joining Zach at Savannah College of Art and Design this year, where he also will be in the bowling program that claimed the NAIA Championship last season. It all started when Zachery was recruited at the Expo a few years ago.
“We love every minute of it,” Vitelli said. “I have talked it up to other parents because it is such an important thing where everybody learns and gets information about colleges. When the kids get to work with coaches like Tim Mack and Carolyn [Dorin-Ballard] and Del Ballard, it just doesn’t get any better than that. The focus is on learning, not just bowling, and the staff works very hard. It is a really great event for everybody.”
One of the highlights of this year’s Expo was the first-time appearance of 2018 PBA Player of the Year Andrew Anderson, who was the featured pro staff member in the celebrity photo booth sponsored by Columbia 300.
“The kids were fantastic,” said Anderson. “I really enjoyed my first Turbo Expo and I’m already looking forward to the next one.”
Anderson had his photo taken with all 205 students and then autographed each one. The photos were then sold for a nominal fee, with all proceeds benefiting the Bowl 4 Life Foundation. Turbo matched all proceeds for a total $1,600 donation to the Foundation. Brunswick’s Chuck Gardner represents Bowl4Life and also presented a seminar on spare shooting during the event.
“We were thrilled and humbled to be a small part of the Turbo Collegiate Expo for the ninth straight year,” said Gardner “Being the charity of choice this year was an honor for my family and the entire Bowl4life Foundation. We are looking forward to being back next year to continue giving back to the sport we love.”
Every Turbo Collegiate Expo concludes with an Audition Tournament to give the college coaches and representatives an opportunity to see the students in action. Look for a photo of the top finishers in the September issue of BJI.
All winners received ball trophies courtesy of On the Ball Bowling and additional SMART scholarships thanks in part to Ken and Kathy Keegan, owners of presenting sponsor, Logo Infusion.
“This was Logo Infusion’s fifth year as a sponsor for the Collegiate Expo. We are proud to be part of such a well-run, high education-based, junior bowling event,” said company President Ken Keegan. “We look forward to being involved once again in the 2020 edition.”
Turbo Bowling Accessories will announce details on the special 10th anniversary edition of the Collegiate Expo later this year.
Palermaa Joins Columbia 300, to Rep EBI in Europe
Osku Palermaa has joined the pro staff of Columbia 300 and also will serve as the European Sales Manager for Ebonite International.
Palermaa, a two-handed righty, has four standard PBA titles to his credit, as well as a PBA major, the 2011-12 PBA World Championship.
“We are honored to have Osku representing the brands of Ebonite International on and off the lanes,” said Rob Gotchall, Manager of Players and Performance for EBI. “He’s a world-class competitor and person whom we feel is going to add tremendous value in everything he does. We are very excited to begin working with him and want to get him back in the PBA winner’s circle as quickly as possible.”
Palermaa said he is excited to get to work on the lanes representing Columbia 300.
“Columbia 300 is a well-known and greatly respected brand with a lot of history and success,” he said. “I am truly honored to join the team on the quest to make the brand even bigger.”
Rich Hanson, International Sales Manager for EBI, said Palermaa also will be helping grow EBI’s sales and brand awareness throughout Europe.
“We felt adding a European sales manager that focuses solely on this territory is what we needed to continue to expand this market,” Hanson said. “Choosing Osku for this position not only gives us someone with years of highly competitive experience on the lanes, but also someone who grew up in this territory and will be able to interact with the bowling community daily.”
Palermaa said his experiences as a bowler and world traveler put him in a unique position to be successful as a sales manager.
“I’ve been a professional bowler for nearly half of my life, and on this journey I’ve been fortunate to travel around the world and especially Europe,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot about the different cultures.
“The goal is to allow the EBI brands to flourish and succeed in Europe the way they deserve,” he added.
Palermaa was born in Espoo, Finland, and currently resides in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Big Exposure Boost Anticipated from National Bowling Day
The wait is almost over.
On Saturday, bowling will take center stage when two lanes are constructed on the set of “FOX & Friends” in New York City. BPAA President Randy Thompson, along with PBA Hall of Famer Randy Pedersen and PWBA champion Rocio Restrepo, will be on hand to provide information about National Bowling Day and offer the hosts of the show bowling tips.
The newly introduced Go Bowling Pin Car also will be showcased on the FOX Plaza.
Also starting Saturday, the bowling industry is offering consumers a free game of bowling at participating centers across the country. Consumers can visit GoBowling.com to download a coupon good for a free game of bowling any day between Aug. 10 and Aug. 31.
“Bowling is a fantastic way to spend time and have fun with your family and friends, and that’s the message we are going to be sharing with viewers across the country,” said John Harbuck, President of Strike Ten Entertainment.
National Bowling Day is traditionally recognized on the second Saturday of August. The industry utilizes the day to promote the sport and encourage families and friends to spend time together on the lanes.
The celebration of National Bowling Day started last weekend with Go Bowling at The Glen, the NASCAR race at Watkins Glen International sponsored by Go Bowling. National Bowling Day was heavily promoted through the Go Bowling social media channels during the race, which was televised on NBC Sports Network.
Strike Ten Entertainment has provided bowling centers with a variety of marketing tools to promote National Bowling Day to their customers and others in their local markets through its Social Media Content Bank.
Others in the industry are piggybacking on National Bowling Day to stage their own affiliated events.
As an example, Eaglewood Resort & Spa has secured Illinois’s only Gold-level bowling coach and BJI “Pro Approach” columnist, Bill Spigner, to provide a rare opportunity for the public to “Roll with a Pro.”
All levels of bowlers, from beginners to advanced, are welcome to participate in the free bowling clinics. Spigner will focus on skills such as picking out the right ball, overall bowling form, stance and targeting. The admission is free to the public and includes use of shoes and a ball, and each participant will receive a coupon good for a future free game of bowling.
Families, neighbors and bowling enthusiasts are being offered the opportunity to reserve their spot on Event Brite. More information on Eaglewood can be found at www.eaglewoodresort.com. For more information on Spigner and his coaching services, visit www.billspigner.com.
Meanwhile, the 42 Main Event Entertainment centers are offering guests a chance to win free bowling, burgers and more as part of that company’s National Bowling Day initiative.
Main Event guests can enter for a chance to win by filling out an entry form at mainevent.com/giveaway. Multiple winners will be randomly selected throughout the day from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday.
Each winner will receive one free session of bowling (including shoes), food and other experiences for up to five people to use once per month for an entire year.
“Our mission is to give our guests an experience to remember, and having a blast with family and friends on National Bowling Day is definitely a way to do that,” said Sarah Beddoe, Chief Brand Officer of Main Event. “Our entertainment centers are designed with the guest experience as top priority, and taking part in our state-of-the-art bowling while enjoying our delicious food and beverages on a naturally fun holiday like this fits neatly with our brand purpose. We can’t wait to see photos and hear fun stories from our loyal guests on Saturday.”
Red Rock, Brooklyn Bowl Garner ‘Best of Vegas’ Honors
Bowling is a big part of two venues honored in Las Vegas Weekly magazine’s annual “Best of Vegas” voting.
Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa was selected by readers as “Best Neighborhood Casino,” while Brooklyn Bowl was named “Best Music Venue.”
Here’s what Las Vegas Weekly had to say about Red Rock: “Folks in Summerlin know they have it good. Restaurants, bars, a movie theater, bowling, salon, spa and, of course, gaming — Red Rock is such a home away from home. Wait, actually, it’s way, way better than being home.”
Red Rock Lanes hosts a number of high-profile events throughout the year, highlighted by the annual Xtravaganza fundraiser for the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame.
The “Best Music Venue” recognition is a big deal for Brooklyn Bowl in a city that’s home to the Park Theater at Park MGM and The Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace.
“From its calendar to its food and drink offerings, the Bowl has the concert experience down to a science,” Las Vegas Weekly wrote. “And now it’s brought back free parking for locals? No wonder we all love it there so much.”
Voting in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s “Best of Las Vegas” initiative just closed, and the newspaper says the results will be published in October.
More News You Can Use…
* TrainerTainment will hold its 3rd annual Advanced Sales Conference Aug. 21-22 at Jake’s Unlimited Family Entertainment Center in Mesa, Ariz. The training session focuses on advanced techniques that help salespeople find more clients, maximize time and close bigger sales more often. Participants also will learn how to implement these techniques in their own centers to grow birthday party and group sales. For more information and to register for the conference visit https://trainertainment.net/product/august-sales-growth-conference/.
* Topping the PBA’s Aug. 9-11 weekend schedule of Regional tournaments will be the PBA50 Progressive/Gerdeman Insurance Agency/Al Smith Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep Central/Midwest Classic at Al-Mar Colonial Lanes in Bowling Green, Ohio; the Lakewood Storm Southwest Open presented by New American Funding at Holiday Lanes in Lakewood, Colo., and the Tony Reyes Memorial West/Northwest Member/Non-Member Doubles presented by Ebonite at Fourth Street Bowl in San Jose, Calif.
* Sam Houston State University sophomore and 2019 NCAA Women’s Bowling Division I Rookie of the Year, Bea Hernandez, has been named the winner of the 2019 PBA Billy Welu Scholarship Award, which recognizes scholastic excellence and achievements in bowling. A native of the Philippines, the 19-year-old international business major is entering her second year as a member of Sam Houston’s Bearkat women’s bowling team. She holds a 3.9 grade point average, was named to the Dean’s list in 2018 and most recently was named to the President’s list in the spring of 2019. More: https://www.pba.com/articles/Sam-Houston-Statee28099s-Bea-Hernandez-Named-2019-PBA-Billy-Welu-Scholarship-Award-Winner.
* Long-time BJI contributor Lyle Zikes makes an encore “appearance” on Phantom Radio this week. Zikes tells a story about attending the BPAA Team Championships at Thunderbowl in metro Detroit when he was 8 years old, and watching a highly unusual “clutch” 10th-frame shot… his first interaction with the legendary bowler and jokester, Joe Norris… losing a rental car in the massive Showboat Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center parking lot when he was a member of the PBA staff… and more. To listen to the conversation, go to:
https://kegel.squarespace.com/phantomblog/2018/12/19/johnny-campos-phantom-radio
* Due to a technical error by BJI’s Cyber Report distribution partner, you may have received a Report last week that included incorrect headlines, as well as text left over from the previous week’s edition. The company acted quickly to halt the distribution of the incorrect version, and to send the correct version to everyone on the Cyber Report list.
* 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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