Thats a good idea get more exposure for the sport

this sounds like something quite cool I had a similar thought. like the thing they did with the king of bowling and they use the current leader in player of the year to chose the pro that would be bowling and they just turn up and bowl against a random league bowler on league night for a 3 game block and if the league bowler wins they get $500 (it includes handicap). that might raise the pba's popularity and get more viewing for them

Edited on 6/7/2009 1:58 PM

This would be the easiest thing to do to garner positive attention for the sport.  The main problem of PBA marketing is that they don't give you a reason to root for an individual personality.  If you watch the NBA or World Series of Poker, the vignettes they have on highlighted players gives you such an insight into their personal story that it's easier to make superstars and people more name recognizable.  

Look at how often a guy may be on the regional scene for 8-10 years and have been chasing an exemption for 4-5 years, makes their first TV show, and NO ONE (not even on this website) has heard of them or have seen them play before?  Since the PBA is using a 90 minute time slot anyways, it should be no reason that they couldn't piece together two to three 4 minute individual segments.  They could highlight up and coming players, guys that chase the TQR every week, the top local players in the TQR for the week, or the guys having good seasons but flying under the radar due to not making TV shows.  

When you give someone a reason to root for someone and connect to the viewer on a personal level then people create the advertising for you by word of mouth.  There should much more talk about the players and less about the game itself.  That's what a professional sport should be about.  All it takes is a camera and a few minutes about a personal story and it's easy to "create" a Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Kobe Bryant.  We're starting to see a base for that by what they're doing with Belmonte (the ESPN 360 clip is a perfect example), but the main problem with bowlers and the some of the higher ups in the industry is the refusal to accept change and something new.  Up until last season the PBA has still been clinging to their Walter Ray, Pete Weber, Norm Duke, Parker Bohn's as their only marketable stars.  These guys have had their time in the spotlight for the last 20 years.  If there isn't a shift in creating interest in new superstars then the future looks grimm.

Tom Clark is doing a great job so far though in going against the grain.  Hopefully the World Series of Bowling concept takes full advantage of everything that could possibly go right with the idea.  This should make for an interesting season.
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-DJ Marshall
Are you hiring? ....Have skills, will travel

Positive for the game?  I don't know... You know it would be aired on Fox, therefore the show would revolve around Joe 220 Average coming in talking smack, thinking he's the Cock of the Walk.  Then he starts getting his *** handed to him on a real pattern (when they take away the THS from him).  I can see all the previews between commercials showing him swearing at the pins, flipping them off, and kicking the ball return because the lanes are f-ed up.  Don't forget the heated confrontation with the center manager and/or the laneman! The parting shot will be him walking away telling the camera crew to f-off, he's going back to his THS league where they know how to oil the lanes!

If you want reality, that's it right there.

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Internet Tough Guy

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