MI 2 AZ-
This is where Dornberger screwed us in the beginning. It was his DREAM to see bowling in the Olympics someday. I can't fault a guy for having a dream and doing whatever possible to see that dream though. BUT at what expense do you go through to try and achieve this dream?!
The USOC and Olympic committees all said that in order to get bowling in the Olympics professional bowlers must be eligible to bowl in the events. So Kevin then turned around and started allowing the professional bowlers on Team USA. NOT only did he allow them on, he had a selection committee CHOOSE who could be on Team USA from the professional bowlers. They didn't even have to try out for the team. Submit a resume and you had a chance to be chosen. The reason for not having to try out? Because they didn't want to interrupt the PBA season and the tournaments they were already bowling. PLUS doing all of this only would give us a CHANCE to get on 1 ballot that was for potential Olympic sports. After we got through that ballot we had to be on another one for future Olympic sports to be added to the games. So we had a slim chance to begin with!
So now lets take a look at this. It has been a few years since I brought up this argument so the #'s might not be exact, but pretty darn close.
The last year of Team USA that only amateurs were allowed to bowl:
140 men bowled
90 women bowled
$300 entry fees = $69,000
Plus they were bowling for 8 spots on each team. Just about all of these players had a chance to travel and bowl international tournaments to represent Team USA! 5 were from qualifying, 3 from selection committee.
Selecting the professionals and allowing them to bowl trials:
1st year-
75 men bowled
50 girls bowled
$300 entry fees = $37,500
Plus they were bowling for 4 spots on each team, which in no way shape or form guarantees you a chance to travel to any tournament. It is pretty amazing that you could go through the process and win TEAM USA and not travel to a tournament! 2 were from qualifying and 2 were selection committee. So basically you are bowling for 2 spots.
I had figured it out at one time the expenses it cost someone to bowl for 2 spots:
$300 entry, $400 flight, $420 for hotel (1 week), $250 food (1 week), plus any other expenses. It is Las Vegas and all. So your in for roughly $1400 ++++ whatever money your losing at home from your job if you took time off! It is just amazing how so many people still go out and do it each year!
So as it may ONLY be $32,000 difference roughly between the 2 years, just think that TEAM USA pays for EVERYTHING for their bowlers. I am pretty sure that money could go a pretty long way! Meanwhile so much time, effort, and money were put into this project and we are nowhere closer to being in the Olympics as we were 5 years ago. So now we just have the "Dream Team" each year going to bowl tournaments all around the world
So MI 2 AZ to answer you question it would be the Olympic Committee's choice as to who would represent bowling in the governing body I believe. WTBA definitely would have a shoe in for the job as they are much more organized then USBC. Plus they have the whole world behind them, USBC has uugghhh very few Americans behind them.
