Shoutout33,
In todays world getting a sponser equates to begging for hand outs. What company looking at bowling from any vantage point (pba, abc, yaba, wibc, collgate, fiq....etc) is going to believe they are making a sound investment in a continuing declining sport. They only ones willing to do this, are the ones wanting for some reason the save the sport. Some how, someone has begged borrowed or stole there support for those that are so wonderfull to be doing it today.
No we can NOT look for others to save this sport. We have to do it ourselves. The question is how? The question is, who makes up us? Is ABC us?
Is the PBA us? Are we the bowlers US? Will the new bowling organization be us? I dont think the plan has been derived by anyone yet.
Certianly, I am not smart enough to solve this problem. But somehow, someone has to take the bulls by the horns, stir the boat, change things. There are so many possibilities. Here is one to think about, I ran accross a rather lengthy article from a bowling mag back in 1987... heres the jist...
every bowler, ABC, YABA, WIBC, pays a single buck or two that is ear marked for the PBA. That will constitute about 10M today. That could increase prize funds of tourneys or make more tourneys every year. NON-Touring members of the PBA (regionals) could be required to participate in basically fund rasiers in there local area once per month... say like learn to bowl or special events to draw more bowlers. Basically paying back to the community for that buck or two. That could increase bowling center revenues, pro shop sales, snack bar...etc. Basically, the ABC would be sponsering the PBA and the PBA would be building bowlers for ABC and centers. This is one way we can help ourselves. Peronally, I would pay $5 every year to have PBA guys somewhere in my area every month offers tips and suggestions. And that could mean 20M to the PBA prize fund. Now that is substantial.
Another idea, perhaps, bowling centers could directly pay the PBA a yearly fee, like $10bucks per lane bed to have PBA guys come in every quarter for exibitions or such. Or, the PBA themselves could simply become a travel circus, doing exhibitions and offering training clinics at centers and charge bowlers to attend. I mean, lets quit asking for handouts and start taking responsibility for it ourselves. There is so much we can do... all we need is the right ideas. Individually we are so small, together we are 3M bowlers...together we can fix this thing.
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Getting all the pins I can.
