Great article Riggs.  Thanks for sharing.

Tough to stomach the new schedule for sure. . .maybe the regional schedule will suffice.

Bottom line I believe is without some really big $$$ from sponsors the US tour may never happen again.

I hope something changes in a positive way.  Never give up.

When people from work asked why I wasn't a professional bowler after they saw in a newspaper article that local product Sean Rash was the PBA Player of the Year, I asked if they saw his yearly earnings of $140,000.  Granted, that doesn't include his endorsements, but thats the best player in the World... He made $140,000 on the PBA Tour. Over 50% of it ($80,000) from one tournament, the TOC.  And it's a severe drop to 10th place in total money, which was $40,000.  And that's not to say I would be successful out there.  Never tried.  Doubt I ever will.  Don't need to try to satisfy my bowling desires.  The point is, people come into my office, see my bowling awards, hear about my bowling scores at the National Tournament and do what most uneducated people do when it comes to bowling... ASK WHY WE DON'T BOWL ON THE PRO TOUR.  The answer is normally very convaluted, but the premise of the discussion curculates around the amount of money to be made.

It's the #1 reason I don't go out and bowl any PBA events.  Even if I cash, I'm losing money.  Some of that can be attributed to living in Alaska, but the reward is not even remotely worth the risk unless you're nearly fully backed by other financial sources. The experience may not be duplicated anywhere else, but how much money are you willing to lose just so you can supplement your 9-5 with a couple thousand bucks here and there? 

The reality is, the US PBA Tour today is the Regional Tour.  And the World Bowling Tour makes a few stops in the United States. 

What do Senior Megabucks pay?

While the PBA has poured tens of millions of dollars into the tour, they have also made it as hard as possible to incorporate new bowlers into tour. The regional tours are all centered around key areas instead of spread across the "region" making it hard for guys who arent in the region to travel and compete. And even if one were to travel, they'd have to win it or come close in order to turn a profit. The PBA has been so worried about anointing young stars and protecting the tour from amateurs that theyve left a bad taste in the mouth amateurs who dont mind paying the money to bowl a tour for the experience and might get hot and do well, make a show, or win.

The average amateur can make so much more money at mega buck tourneys and league, why donate your money to the pros to whom they are trying to keep on tour. We've had this discussion many time before on this site. You have to open the tour to everyone who qualifies and you have to travel. Travel builds popularity. Popularity gets sponsors. May not be a popular decision with the players but thats what needs to happen.

In other words, ”good ole boys club”.

Bowlings biggest issue is being a sport where non-professionals can make as much or more than pros.

I have read every post and the article the post was about and no matter how you shake it, it boils down to one thing and that the sport as a whole is in trouble. I definitely think the TV time slot needs to move from competing with the NFL and the tour needs more US stops, more entries allowed without the strict exemptions, and less money spent on the finals being in arenas/stadiums/outside on the street etc. Put the finals back in the centers because that is where the entire tournament was held....why should the finals be any different. You never see the PGA tour change course for the final round?

Right now, the PBA is throwing poop against the wall, hoping something sticks. Great business model.

I agree very much. Bowling is more popular in places like Japan ect then the U.S. by a long shot. Still there are a lot of youth bowlers on the rise thanks to high school bowling. Here is your new untapped market of fans/viewers. Why wouldnt you want to take the PBA Tour to the major U.S. cities like you once did and get these new viewers at your events. Let them be able to experience what fans of any other sport can see, the real product in person. It was a huge deal to me when I was a teenager and got into bowling and will be for many others.

It is really that simple. You have a growth in youth similar to what golf had, we see what the USGA did to take advantage of that is the USBC and the PBA smart enough to do the same???