I was just thinking that if you can qualify for the world series of poker the comfort of your own home, why can't you qualify for the world series of bowling from your home centre?  There are thousands of fantastic bowlers across North America that would love to bowl for big money against the biggest names in the world with as little monetary risk as possible.  I dream of a satellite tournament.

I would love to see a tournament where you can bowl 5x 3 game blocks (one per pattern) at your home centre (all the shots obviously taped and submitted to the PBA or USBC) over a specific weekend(s). The scores would be submitted to the PBA/USBC and the top 256 would advance to the finals a couple weekends after.

Once at the finals, I would envision an 8 game block on a major-like pattern on the Saturday to cut to the top 32. Then seed them through their qualifying score then run them through a best pinfall for 3 games single elimination bracket on Sunday with the final 4 remaining making it on tv to be shown at a later date. This would cut travel expenses by allowing 99% of those bowlers that enter to not even have to leave their home centre, while those who make it are able to escape for just the weekend with a guaranteed cash at the finals.  The prize fund should be simply massive and would bring the best of the best out to play.

I can just imagine the gripes I would hear about qualifying out of your house, and I know that it would be tough, as all houses are different (surface, kickbacks, pins, oil).  One must also consider that over 15 games on PBA patterns the cream would rise to the top.  This for many people would be like going to the USBC's or a PBA event without having to worry about the travelling.  It would also be a great opportunity for people to experience PBA shots and see how they stack up against the rest of the country.  Plus you would see a stellar group of great bowlers should make it to the finals and the best would make it on TV.  Holding the event on the weekends would also allow more people to enter as it would be kind to one's work schedule.  I can't think of any other format that could ever attract a greater turnout for a scratch tournament.

So I ask, could this be the future of bowling?  Could this type of event really fly and could it bring big bucks to bowling?  What are your thoughts?
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Brandon Riley

Edited on 4/3/2008 4:43 AM

I like the idea.  The only thing I can see that might/probably would go wrong is the actual stripping and oiling of the lanes.  Each center has a different machine that lays out their patterns, and I'm sure not all bowling zambonis are created equal.  I think if there were to be a committee that went out and prepped the lanes with their own gear, that would help even out that factor.  This sounds a lot like the PBA Tour Trials, but a much more home friendly version.  Even if this doesn't reach the heights that you suggest, I would love love love to see this at a smaller level (county, state, region).  Very good idea!

the online WSOP qualifying was a different critter...you at least had people in that environment all playing on the same field.  

With bowling, it is long established that the same pattern in terms of volume will play differently in different environments (ie. temperature, lane topography, lane composition).

I do understand that the environment in each house is different.  I cannot change that, but there must be at least a little risk.  The lanes would be taped and submitted before each block of play so that the application of oil is equal and no wood centres would be permitted as natural track areas would make them more easily playable.
Besides, it is your home centre, you should know what kind of hits carry, what the surface is like and everybody should feel that "home field advantage".  I also assume that bowlers have more than one centre within driving distance so they can choose the one with the better surface or carry.

As for cheaters, everybody on the pair would have to sign the scoresheet along with the proprietor and squad director.

I would predict the cutline to the top 256 would be around +300 for the 15 games.  I would predict that the majority of the touring pros would make it to that top 256.  As for entries, just think of how many bowlers in the United States (and Canada) believe that they can or have averaged 220 for an event.  And for those that cannot but would like to bowl we could post all of the scores online so people could compare themselves versus North America or even the world for that matter.

This would also provide reason for bowlers to practice and want to bowl on PBA shots.  How do you stack up against Walter Ray and Chris Barnes?  Here is a way to do it for $300 and a couple weekends.  The cost of flying to, lodging, eating and participating in a PBA major or the USBCs is closer to $2000.  

The last question was why would the prize fund be massive?  I would point to the sheer number of entries.
According to PBA.com there are 4,250 members in the PBA
Over 12,000 teams of 5 have entered the USBC's this year.
There are also 2.6 million sanctioned league bowlers in the United States.

Say if we were to charge $300 per 15 game qualifier.
$200 going towards the nationals, $50 for lineage and $50 for prize fund within your home centre for prize fund there would be a lot of money out there.
Suppose the tournament were to get 10,000 entries.  That is 1/2500 bowlers or 200 bowlers per state.  That would suggest that there would be $2 million in revenue...

We must then factor in administrative costs, production for the TV, advertising and promoting, and then speculate that the prize fund going directly to those top 256 bowlers at nationals was about $1 million.

Lets break down the prize fund shall we?
Those who don't make the top 32 get $1500.  This should cover the weekend expenses for any bowler that makes it to nationals.
17-32 get $5000
9-16 get $10,000
5-8 $20,000.  Its like winning a PBA tour event.
3rd and 4th $40,000.  Get to the dance and make a year's salary.
Second Place $100,000.
First place gets $250,000.  Possibly the richest prize in bowling history.
that would pay out $1.006 million

I never mentioned the patterns used at the finals.
Round of 256 - 40' 4-1.  Its the fairest way to go.
Round of 32, Round of 16, Round of 8 - randomly drawn PBA experience patterns
TV finals on House.  Make it a scorefest and make it exciting.  This is big bucks, the final 4 came from leagues from all over and have grinded all week.  Lets put on a show for the people.
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Brandon Riley

Edited on 4/3/2008 7:25 PM

For the World Series of Bowling idea to work, all the satellite events and the Main Event NEED to be contested on a HOUSE SHOT. That way there is no complaining over lane tapes and shots being doctored. No one can b!tch if it's a house shot.

The only way you're going to get the entries you're talking about is if everyone feels like they have a chance to win. If you put out anything other than a house shot, you alienate 90% of the average 200+ bowlers.

If you want to put out a harder shot for some side tourneys (like poker has smaller omaha and stud tourneys) that would work.
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Jon Brandon
2003 PBA West Region Rookie of the Year
"You don't score, until you score......"
http://www.youbowl.com

Sounds like the theory of in pro golf where instead of 'Tiger proofing' a course to make it tougher(and he wins anyway!!!) make it so the 36 hole cut is about 7 under. Back in the mid 90's it seemed a few PBA tour stops were on not much more than a house pattern

I'm starting to think its the opposite these days, the course gets toughened so its more likely Tiger wins!!
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Time for some REAL bowling!!!