One thing I have learned over the past several years is that the Lumber Liquidators Professional Bowlers Association’s touring pros have to be flexible. Not flexible in terms of physical fitness, but in being able to put up with all of the twists and turns of an organization struggling to survive.
The PBA’s exempt players have seen both a decrease in their prize money and in the number of tournaments in their season. Now, in an apparent cost-cutting move by the PBA, their opportunities to perform before live national TV audiences have been cut in half as well.
Earlier this week, the PBA announced that “a new era in the PBA will begin next season with the creation of the World Series of Bowling.”
As I began reading the press release, I initially thought this was something new in addition to the current 20-tournament season of live telecasts on ESPN. When I got down to about the eighth paragraph, however, I realized what was really being said.
The PBA will be conducting seven tournaments over a five-week span – from Aug. 1- Sept. 7 – at two bowling centers in the Detroit metropolitan area. Then, during that first week of September, ESPN will tape the finals of these events over a two- or three-day span. These videotaped championship rounds then will be televised over what has traditionally been the first half of the PBA season – from mid-October to mid-December.
This change will save the PBA about $800,000 in production, travel and salary costs (so I have been told). How much of that savings will go back to the bowlers in the form of prize money?
Furthermore, how will this change affect the Tour’s TV ratings when viewers know that these championship rounds actually took place several weeks or even several months earlier? Will people still watch if they already know who won?
Doug Kent, a Tour member for 21 years and a former Player of the Year, said he is curious to see how things shake out.
“I’m leery as to if it’s a good thing or bad thing for bowling,” he said. “It may save money up front, but is it going to hurt on the back end of it, with our fan base, Pro-Ams, ratings? I’m curious to see the logistics of it. With seven tournaments in one setting in such a short time, will the fans (in Detroit) get bored after a week or so and the place end up being empty? It’s going to be strange.”
PBA officials are putting their “spin” on it, calling it a “revolutionary one-month stay” and a “financial boon” for Detroit. There’s no disputing that it will give Detroit a boost but, as Kent said, what will be the long-term impact on pro bowling when it becomes a “Bowling for Dollars” studio production for half of the season?
For the record, the World Series of Bowling kicks off with the Motor City Open at Taylor (Mich.) Lanes from Aug. 1-6. Six more exempt PBA Tour events, the PBA Women’s Series, the PBA Senior Tour World Championship and the PBA World Championship all will follow at Thunderbowl in Allen Park, Mich. The first live show of the PBA season is scheduled for Dec. 13 when the final four from the PBA World Championship will return to Thunderbowl to determine a champion.
After the taping of the championship rounds of each event concludes the PBA’s visit to Detroit, the exempt pros will have a lot of time on their hands – until after the first of the year – before resuming their PBA Tour competition.
Some, like Kent or Jack Jurek of Lackawanna, can return to their respective vocations ---Doug Kent’s Rose Bowl Lanes in Newark or Bowler’s Choice Pro Shop at Transit Lanes in Williamsville. Many others will compete in PBA Regional events across the country, conduct teaching clinics or work at jobs not related to bowling.
Now it really would be nice to see some of these professionals visit their hometown centers during the break, and mingle with adult and youth league bowlers. Connecting with their fans can do nothing but help increase TV ratings and the Tour’s popularity.
Both Kent and Jurek said the break works out well for them as they will be able to take care of business back home. “Selfishly, for the most part I will work my store during the busiest time of the year,” Jurek said.
He noted that the World Series could prove to be a wasted opportunity for those bowlers who don’t match up well with the lane conditions at the bowling centers in Detroit. Then again, if someone does match up, it could be a golden opportunity.
PBA officials have not said how this change will affect the prize money, but the did announce that the second half of next season would feature at least 10 live Sunday telecasts, including three majors – the USBC Masters, PBA Tournament of Champions and U.S. Open. They also announced that the fields for the World Series would be increased from 64 to 72 players, with 58 slots going to exempt bowlers.
Watch for more on this development in next week’s column.
(Mike Pettinella’s Pin Points bowling column appears every Thursday during the bowling season. If you have an item of interest for his column, please contact him at mikepett2002@yahoo.com or at 343-3736 or by mail at 55 Edgewood Drive, Batavia).