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Author Topic: Contributions to Restart the PWBA?  (Read 2305 times)

seadrive

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Contributions to Restart the PWBA?
« on: December 03, 2004, 07:54:16 AM »
I haven't heard a word from anyone, anywhere about the announcement in the most recent American Bowler magazine that the ABC/WIBC/USBC are soliciting contributions from league bowlers to restart the PWBA ("Support the New Ladies Pro Tour", p.10).

Here's a link to the related page at bowl.com:

http://www.bowl.com/bowl/wibc/common/static.html?page=wibc_chartersponsor_become

It seems unlikely to this observer that the amount of money needed to start and continue a professional bowling tour can be raised in this fashion. Furthermore, there are absoultely zero details as to the overall plan, the amount needed, a projected timeframe... nothing!

It seems they are saying, "Give us money (allegedly for the PWBA) and we'll send you a trinket." That's the entire story.

If, a year from now, the USBC announces that the campaign was unsuccessful, and there will be no Ladies Tour, do they plan to return the contributions? If not, wouldn't you feel like you got shafted?

Sorta the Gold Membership of the USBC, no?

What think you all of this?
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Steven

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Re: Contributions to Restart the PWBA?
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2004, 04:19:53 PM »
quote:
Sorta the Gold Membership of the USBC, no?  


seadrive: LOL! You have to be an old timer around here to appreciate this.

Personally, I would really like to see the PWBA resurrected. I actually enjoy watching the women bowl more than I do the men (for bowling reasons).

And I wouldn't mind contributing. But like you, I would want to see fiscal accountability, and just as important, a membership charter with professional standards. Previously, the PWBA established a pitifully low entering average requirement, and to add insult to injury, allowed literally anyone who could pick up a ball to enter on a "permission by instructor" basis.

Anyway, again, I hope it works out.

 


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seadrive

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Re: Contributions to Restart the PWBA?
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2004, 08:16:26 AM »
Steven, I hope so also, but with this level of attention to detail (i.e. none), I'm not hopeful.

Add to that the recent appointment of Jan Schmidt to the executive staff of the USBC, and I see nothing to be hopeful about.

The USBC is not a charity.  I don't understand how they can solicit contributions for the PWBA with no plan, no timetable (will they simply collect donations forever?), and no disclosure of what will happen to the funds collected if "the plan" does not succeed.

It's as if they don't think it even matters. Why should you care how we're going to do it, just give us the money!
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mumzie

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Re: Contributions to Restart the PWBA?
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2004, 12:00:21 PM »
Well, as an ex-PWBA member, I'm not standing in line to contribute.
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Bill Thomas

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Re: Contributions to Restart the PWBA?
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2004, 12:01:26 PM »
Seems to me this is a terrible way to try to re-launch what is supposed to be an organization of professionals seeking to make a living.  I was skeptical of WIBC taking over the PWBA.  Now I'm sure they don't have the foggiest idea how to make the ladies tour into a profitable business that will support the lady professional bowlers.  What will WIBC try next?  Bake sales?
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seadrive

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Re: Contributions to Restart the PWBA?
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2004, 12:15:57 PM »
quote:
What will WIBC try next?  Bake sales?

I'd take a chocolate cream pie over a bag tag, wouldn't you?
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scotts33

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Re: Contributions to Restart the PWBA?
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2004, 12:36:17 PM »
So, mumzie & michelle you ladies probably know.  Why didn't the PWBA seel the orgaization to Steve Sanders of Eliminator fame?

Always wondered.  He sure couldn't do any worse than nothing.  The Microsoft boys put the PBA back on track even though I don't like exactly what they did with it.

Scott

Edited on 12/4/2004 1:34 PM
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seadrive

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Re: Contributions to Restart the PWBA?
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2004, 01:11:46 PM »
Scott,

I'm sure that the ladies know better than I, but my understanding is that Steve Sanders signed a letter of intent to purchase (or something similar to that), whereby he would pay John Sommers a certain amount for ownership of the PWBA, contingent upon inking a satisfactory deal with ESPN.

The deal fell through when ESPN proposed to charge the PWBA $165,000 per show just to get the show taped (they previously had some sort of barter arrangement), there would be no live TV, the time slots offered were all on ESPN2 at inconsistent broadcast times, and a bunch of other stuff.

ESPN, perhaps with encouragement from the PBA, killed the deal between Sanders and Sommers.  The ladies themselves had nothing to say about it.
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scotts33

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Re: Contributions to Restart the PWBA?
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2004, 01:43:43 PM »
seadrive--Thanks for the info.  Seems like private ownership like the PBA works better than USBC getting ahold of the PWBA.  

ESPN seems like the bottle neck to a lot of bowling venues.  Maybe go somewhere else but where??????  

Madison, WI where I am from had the Great Outdoor Games last year most successful as far as paid attendance any year.  Madison paid ESPN $170,000 last year and Madison offered around $650,000 or $750,000 this year I believe.  Money talks.

Scott
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mumzie

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Re: Contributions to Restart the PWBA?
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2004, 09:51:06 PM »
quote:
ESPN, perhaps with encouragement from the PBA, killed the deal between Sanders and Sommers. The ladies themselves had nothing to say about it.


Perhaps??? NO doubt about it.

And rumor has it that several of the name national players did NOT think Sanders was the appropriate person to take on the PWBA - I don't know who these ladies thought would step up, but it didn't happen.

I spoke to our national WIBC person right after the WIBC got the rights to the PWBA. Actually, the WIBC took over all the assets, because they had sponsored the PWBA, and got nothing for their $$. No actual money went from the WIBC to COMPLETE the purchase.

Our rep here was pretty serious - she said that they intended to start the tour up within a year or so. I told her that a) the people on this site were not happy about USBC funding of the PWBA, and that b)I thought personally that it was a stupid idea, and gave her a few of my reasons.

We'll see what happens. She has also been appointed to the new USBC board.

There is a reason that the PWBA always bowled national events on a sport condition - it was because the WIBC, with their huge sponsorship, already owned a large part of the PWBA.
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