Just saw this ball being announced in today's email blast.

Looking at the finish, cover, and core, this doesn't look much different than the Bad Intentions, with a variant of the coverstock. Is this just the TNBA variant of a ball that is coming out, yet not one from the special reserve?

http://www.hammerbowling.com/products/balls/upper-mid-performance/rhodman

BL.

Let's explain this as simple as I can.

In theory:

Ball company brings out oil hungry monster.
Bowling center puts down more oil.

Ad nauseum.

Must be nice living where they actually do that.  Here in Arizona they are too cheap to use more than say Kegel Main St. (days ago) usually.  Too often we have to bowl in hipster humping discotek bars that pretend to be bowling alleys.  Sadly it can be hard on even Sunday early afternoon to find lanes that even have the friggin lights on, ok rant over.

Yeah probably not much margin making house balls which all the kids today need when they kick back in their ultra cool retro looking hipster bowling clothes and drink PBR or whatever.  Bowling and auto racing don't seem to have that bright a future what with millennials not having licenses little lone working on their cars and think bowling is a fashion social exercise instead of a sport.

You have no idea what you are talking about if you think the ball business is booming while everything else in the bowling industry is barely hanging on.

and sometimes ball companies will tell you to return those free stuff......

With all the work you have to do for the company... is it really free stuff?

There is no money in bowling. I have a very good friend who is trying to buy a center near me which had been horribly mismanaged the last 8 years. It went up for auction for $2 million. 36 lanes, decent location, pro shop, food, bar, music venue upstairs, another bar and restaurant downstairs, volleyball, it's a great center for 2 mil.

No one even bid. My friend put in a bid for 1.5 mil and is being considered.

We don't do this for any decent money, but companies do. As much as I hate the ball of the month club, it does make sales. Hurts the shops, but helps the companies.

I spent $475 this month on "New" Equipment in online closeouts and got the following.

2 Gamebreaker 2 x-Outs
1 Legion Solid x-out
2 Columbia Impulse X-Outs
1 Mako X-Out

All the specs were great. I did get two short pins on the Gamebreaker 2s, but I have one high flare layout, one low flare layout and they roll amazing. It makes it really tough to justify a new ball purchase right away when they're going to closeout in a year's time, sometimes less.

Edit: Just to stay on topic, the Rhodman goes way longer than a Scandal and covers a lot of boards down lane. It reminds me of a very strong Gamebreaker 2 reaction. The Bad Intentions was a strong banana shaped roll that starts a lot earlier than the Rhodman.

Here is a video of the Rhodman! I hope it helps!