One thing you might try looking at every once in a while is the PBA page dedicated to the PBA East Region, that is the region you live within.

There is bound to be a Regional Event near you every year as they do a great job spreading out the events, so just keep an eye out.

In that area you will see some of the best in the world at those events; Mike Fagan, Richie Allen, Ryan Shafer, Patrick Allen, Danny Wiseman, and Ryan Cimenelli. Those guys bowl that region quite often so chances are you will get to see them at whatever event is closest to you.

I have been thinking about this post a lot. Like a few others have mentioned, I feel that the problem is the overall lack of respect that bowling receives that translates up to the PBA. I wanted to post my thoughts/feelings on the topic.

When a moderately athletic person shows up to bowl just for fun and bowls around 150-160 just rolling a house ball straight down the lane, that person then thinks that it is not that hard to bowl well and that serious bowling is not difficult because they think that their score is not far from those who are averaging 200. Unless that person joins a league (which is unlikely because that person does not think it is challenging), they will never get the chance to see that they can not improve much with their current technique. Also, since most people do not understand the method of scoring, they do not understand how much difference there really is between a 160 game and a 200 game. They do not know how tough those last 40 pins can be to get or that for each open you need a turkey to catch back up to maintain a 200 game.

An average person who doesn’t bowl has no idea why bowlers make a ball curve. I would bet if you ask most non-bowlers who are sports fans that question that very few of them would give the general answer of “It increases your chance of getting a strike.” That same person probably knows why a particular athlete in a particular sport does something a certain way to perform at a higher level even though they might not participate in that sport.

Because non-bowlers are not aware of these things, they never realize the level of complexity added by lane conditions, ball selection, the ability to hit a target consistently at the same speed with the same hand position and lift, recognizing ball reaction downlane, reading pin action on pocket hits, and varying your release. The only way they would likely ever become aware of these points is if they joined a league and tried to step it up to the next level themselves. It amazes me how people could watch a top amateur bowler at their local center or a pro on TV and it never sinks in that there is much more going on mentally and physically to bowl at a high level.

Until non-bowlers gain knowledge of and respect what needs to be done to bowl successfully at a high level even just on a house shot let alone on sport shots, the PBA will struggle. Somehow, the industry as a whole (not just the PBA) needs to educate non-bowlers on the intricacies of bowling at a high level.

Mark

To a certain extent, depending on where you are and what time. We practiced this morning later on, and had a few guys with new balls someone just sold them. One guy had a Fusion, and other a DV8, one used an old whatever. Next to them was a family of four lane balls. fly not getting it.

I could tell they were looking at our scores and the balls we used. We were doing some video, so we spoke what ball and position we were trying for a particular shot. First game we shot 195/178. Lanes were used, so I moved inside with my Byte. Front six in the second game, and my buddy was absolutely crushing strikes with a Freight Train I gave him. They kept listening and looking, but mostly not getting it.

My buddy asked if he could use this guy's new Fusion, OK. He ripped three strikes in a row which left this guy baffled. So he discussed what he was doing. Then, a group of very good bowlers came in next to them. 237/255/289 and on and on. At that point the family and the other guys were just watching them.

So a lot of people on weekends know there's something different, many ask questions. But yeah, it's viewed as a recreational beer-drinking sport for many. But heck, so is golf to many as well.

Because of that, it amazes me how the PGA flourishes with tons of money and sponsors while the PBA barely exists. Once upone a time, the money difference between the two was not huge even though the PGA still gave more money even in the PBA's heyday. The PGA prize funds grew a ton in the 80's while the PBA started to lose sponsors and prize money barely rose at all.

I have had people ask questions while practicing, but I'm not really sure if it led them to either join a league or start watching the PBA. Also, without seeing a skilled bowler while they are bowling as a fun outing and the PBA being in its current state, most people never see someone bowling at a higher level to see the differences.

Mark

They have the Golf Channel, all weekend golf, notoriety and money. It's also been a time-honored games for a hundred years plus in the modern era. It takes some pretty tricky marketing.

No comparison between golf and bowling. Golf is by far the more complicated and challenging game. To a non-bowler a driving range is a better comparison to bowling then golf.

A pro golfer can do things that your weekend hack can never imagine doing.

The perception by your once a year party bowler is a pro-bowlers technique can be mimicked by just taking your thumb out of the ball.

My prediction is that the PBA folds within the next couple of years replaced by the WBT. There will still be majors, but not all of them will be US domestic. Bowling has a better following in other countries and with the nationality aspect of a "world" tour it gives non-bowling fans someone to root for. How many winter olympic athletes can you name other then Shaun White? Yet the olympics does just fine with people rooting for their countries.

On a positive note, yesterday's telecast of the USBC masters was the best I've seen yet. Having, I believe, Johnny Petraglia in a commentary role was very nice. The matches were all very good, back and forth. The final with Tackett as the top seed versus Belmonte was a great match. Belmo had a tough time all week long, and in the stepladder as well. He had to rely on skill, luck, and competitor errors to win.
I wish he had the time to bring young Tackett to the mike with him after he won.

I thought it was a great telecast, with much better commentary when it counted.

I think one of the things that is discouraging for the sport as well is the fact that many fans call out the PBA for not being radical enough change wise, yet when a guy comes out on tour that doesn't throw the ball like the rest of us (but is one of the best personalities on tour) people absolutely hate him for it.

I couldn't tell you how many posts I saw on Facebook yesterday just crushing Belmo for "cheating" or not "real bowling". I just don't get it, the dude is the best on the tour and has proved it over the last few years.

People want change but hate it when it comes, if our own players say the guy that wins almost every week is a cheater, why would those on the outside even want to waste their time in tuning in?

I thought the Masters event was done pretty well. Would’ve liked to see Michael Haugen Jr. or EJ Tackett win but that’s life at the lanes. I’m probably the only person at work today who watched the event. Other than at the lanes and bowling forums I can’t just walk up to someone and say “what did you think of Belmo?”…..lol. On the other hand with football or baseball events just mention “the game” and most everyone knows what you’re talking about. Bowling has a lot of inertia to overcome to regain popularity with our current culture. It’s not just the PBA but also the USBC that needs to promote bowling more

Hmm, sounds like 2-handed is the new left-handed among haters. It's time they form a new IH2H club to go along with the IHL (I hate lefties) club. I am sure there is plenty of hate to go around. All it takes is for somebody to become a dominant player, and everything unique about them becomes a target. It seems that everybody liked Jason Belmonte, and all the publicity he generated for bowling with his 2-handed style, until he started winning. To all the haters, if you think rolling 2-handed is easy, try it yourself.