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Author Topic: Survive on tour  (Read 11637 times)

thewhiz

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Survive on tour
« on: December 10, 2016, 03:48:04 PM »
How do the not so good pros survive on tour.  The guys who never win.  Where does their money Come from for expenses and entry fees.  Do the top guys get a salary from the ball companies?  Does a percentage of what they win go to anyone?
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Bowlaholic

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2016, 08:13:05 PM »
When watching the Pros on Xtra Frame, I have also wondered about who pays them enough to be able to bowl for a living.
Do they have wealthy parents or a sponsor backing them.  As an example one fairly new Pro I am aware of, dropped out of college to do the Tour.  His father runs a pro shop.  How much money running a pro shop can be available to support him on Tour.  He must be bowling a lot of side action bowling while on the Tour.
I don't personally know, but I hear the ball company contracts pay next to nothing unless you are winning or are an established player like WRW, Jr., Parker, PDW, etc.
For you in the know........enlighten us.  Thanks.
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northface28

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2016, 11:58:02 AM »
Backing from family, friends, wives or girlfriends. It's a shit living for the fringe players.
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Good Times Good Times

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2016, 03:55:46 PM »
McDonalds dollar menu........  :P
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tkkshop

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2016, 04:15:20 PM »
Backers, backers, backers. I know at least 4 National tour guys who have millionaires pulling strings behind closed doors.
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northface28

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2016, 05:31:59 PM »
It's not a glamorous life at all and there are a lot ex-wives and ex-girlfriends with some lean Bank accounts supporting this pipe dream.

Hell, wasn't Patrick Allen living in his car at one point? When he was winning.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2016, 07:18:25 PM by northface28 »
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Impending Doom

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2016, 05:38:29 PM »
Devaney was living in his truck with a wife and kids at home.
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cheech

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2016, 09:02:30 AM »
even walter ray lived in an RV when back in the day when the tour was a tour and he was still winning. he brought his wife with him and had a small place in florida in the off season
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Bowl_Freak

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2016, 09:14:19 AM »
Have you ever seen Walters RV from in the day? That thing had everything. So you  can't throw Walter in on the discussion. And his home in Florida was very nice. They did a documentary on it, League of Ordinary Gentlemen and he was  there. They had to live on tour going week to week from stop to stop so an RV was practical back then. I highly doubt he still has one unless for personal vacations.
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cheech

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2016, 09:21:13 AM »
thats true. im sure it was still cheaper than staying in hotels every week though
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big_bg

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #10 on: December 12, 2016, 10:12:44 AM »
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Bowlaholic

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2016, 12:23:15 PM »
Good read.  Thanks for sharing.
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Gene J Kanak

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2016, 12:35:29 PM »
Even in the Tour's heyday, when it actually was a Tour, there were very few players truly making their living with bowling alone. That's one of the reasons why the Tour is what it is now. The Tour couldn't afford to travel from city to city every week doing live shows, and they players couldn't afford to be there to participate even if they could. That's why you have things like the World Series of Bowling now. This way, guys and girls can spend a week and a half in Reno all at once and then work other jobs the rest of the year to actually put food on the table.
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DP3

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #13 on: December 12, 2016, 12:39:06 PM »
A follow up article on Patrick Allen would be something else in 2016. Things weren't going too well for a minute shortly after this article. He's back throwing it well and is a Roto Grip staffer I believe. In the past few years, the tour has seen a changing of the guard. You need youth, deep backing, & revrate to make a good living as a professional bowler in today's era.
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mstevens

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Re: Survive on tour
« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2016, 12:47:44 PM »
equipment for "staffers" is comped, but still have drilling fees

staff salaries are not that much at all

i think if memory serves correct the rv walter had was comped from the go rv platform? i can not remember that far back

ask the kids who compete now out there how it really is, eye opening would be a good phrase
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