PBA and Columbia 300 Announce Sponsorship Deal
SEATTLE - August 16, 2006

The PBA announced today Columbia 300 has reached an agreement to become an official sponsor of the PBA.

Columbia 300 will now become the PBA’s official supplier of high performance bowling balls.

As part of the agreement, Columbia 300 will receive event entitlement of the 2006 Long Island Classic, Dec. 13-17, 2006 at AMF Babylon Lanes in West Babylon, N.Y.

"We are very pleased Columbia 300 has signed on as a sponsor," said PBA Commissioner and CEO Fred Schreyer. "Columbia 300 has been a loyal supporter of the PBA at the grassroots level for years and we now look forward to working with them as a full sponsor as they are one of the most recognizable names in the bowling industry."

Columbia 300 will receive commercial spots on all ESPN telecasts as well as signage at all Denny's PBA Tour events during the 2006-07 season.

As an additional feature of the sponsorship, Columbia 300 will receive naming rights for five PBA Pro-Am events during the season and will handle ball sales for all five Columbia 300 Pro-Am events. The five Pro-Ams will be held in Taylor, Mich.; West Babylon, N.Y.; Baltimore, Md.; Fountain Valley, Calif.; and Henderson, Nev.

“Columbia 300 is proud to be the PBA’s official supplier of high performance bowling balls, and delighted with our growing PBA relationship,” said Chip Zielke, Columbia Industries EVP of Sales and Marketing. “The Columbia 300 commitment to professional bowling and bowling in general has never been stronger. We look forward to a fantastic PBA season, the opportunity to showcase an incredible line of Columbia 300 bowling balls, and the continued strengthening of our PBA commitment.”

The 2006-07 Denny’s PBA Tour season begins Sept. 20-24 with the Dydo Japan Cup 2006 in Tokyo, Japan. The season picks up in the U.S. with the 2006 USBC Masters in Milwaukee, Wis., Oct. 24-29. The 2006 Columbia 300 Classic will be the ninth of 21 events on the Tour schedule.

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Official member of the Texas Express, 2005-2006 BallReviews.com Scratch Doubles Champions!!!!!

on 4/18/06: 193 298 193, now thats a consistant league night, huh?? LOL..

Edited on 8/16/2006 11:35 AM

Edited on 8/16/2006 11:35 AM

What does that mean?  Official supplier of high-performance balls.  Does that mean the PBA pro-am ball will be, say, an Action instead of an Inferno?  Was Brunswick the former official supplier?  I don't remember Brunswick being a title sponsor last year, or rotating signage.  There were plenty of Dexter promos, though.

So long as they don't do something like pull registrations for other companies, I don't think this will matter much in the slightest.  I remember when Elite claimed to be the official ball of the PBA, people were worried about only being able to use Elite equipment on tour and nothing really came of that.

SH

Hello,

It means Columbia will be kicking in some funds to the PBA thus we will have a PBA Tour for awhile longer..

And we will no longer have to see the commercials for those overpriced junk  Elite bowling balls.. That brand is all but dead with the PBA taking on Columbia as their official bowling ball..
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Official member of the Texas Express, 2005-2006 BallReviews.com Scratch Doubles Champions!!!!!

on 4/18/06: 193 298 193, now thats a consistant league night, huh?? LOL..

Edited on 8/16/2006 1:59 PM

There spending money that is for sure. I bowl in a columbia sponsored league down here and they ponied up $300 extra for each team to the prize fund. 32 teams / $9600 more to the prize fund.
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Tracy
www.absolutebowling.com