Bowl Expo will have something for everyone to enjoy By Dick Evans
06/08/09
Column
Dale Earnhardt will race into Las Vegas to get the International Bowl Expo off to a fast start and Fred Thompson will be there to provide 'Law And Order'; Rex Haney will be inducted into the BPAA Hall of Fame; Mike Aulby to be given Dick Weber Ambassador Award; John Berglund's replacement will have big shoes to fill; Trade Show to feature about 800 booths
Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines because the 2009 International Bowl Expo will be on a roll at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and on hand to make sure no one breaks the speed limit will be a Law and Order official.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., the most popular race car driver in the world, may look longsome Monday night June 22 with out his race car but he will be there to officially get Bowl Expo off to a fast start during the Welcome Reception. Don't be surprised if he circles the reception area while always moving to his left.
Remember, race car drivers always are turning left so if you want to get an autograph or picture with Dale Jr. then stay to his left.
To make sure Dale Jr. obeys all the NASCAR rules and doesn't smash into someone, the Bowling Proprietors Association of America is importing Fred Thompson. He knows Law and How to Keep Order from his days on the popular TV drama.
Thompson also will double as the keynote speaker at the general session Wednesday, June 24. You may remember that Thompson tried to make a run for the Republican nomination for the president of the United States but his crew chief let him run out of gas during a pit stop.
And another celebrity who everybody should want to "catch up" with is Lynn Swann, the former Pittsburgh Steeler receiver who has been involved in bowling tournaments at the Super Bowl for the past three years.
Seriously, but then again who wants to be serious in these challenging economic times, the 2009 International Bowl Expo has something for every attendee. They will represent every segment of the bowling industry including IBPSIA, USBC, Coaches, Writers, PBA, Manufacturers, PBA and the game's super stars.
All segments of the industry will join the BPAA when it presents the Victor Lerner Hall of Fame Award to Rex Haney, another in a long line of outstanding BPAA presidents.
Super bowler/proprietor/human being Mike Aulby will be honored as the Dick Weber ambassador winner. Among the other award winners will be Larry Moyes for his past work at Bowl Expo.
On Monday and Tuesday there are 53 seminars that cover everything from bowling center management to marketing to food and beverage to youth bowling to promotions to pro shops to coaching.
Then there is the Trade Show Wednesday and Thursday that will feature 700 to 800 booths. Heading up the International Bowl Expo will be Jim Sturm, who is serving the first of a two-year term as BPAA president. This man has been so busy that he has met his shadow going the other way.
Don't be surprised that during his presidential message that he will tell you about the amazing progress that has been made at completing the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas. The word is out that the training/testing center and new Hall of Fame and Museum both will be technological marvels.
Sturm, who during the past year may have spent more time in Texas than at his West Virginia bowling centers, has been instrumental in merging BPAA and USBC promotions for the good of the sport of bowling.
But in the back of everyone's mind will be the knowledge that this will be the final International Bowl Expo for John Berglund, who has served as executive director of the BPAA for the past eight years.
Unfortunately he is retiring after successfully achieving one of his personal goals of making the International Bowl Expo the true focal point of global bowling. I would hate to be the man or woman who will be announced as his replacement since Berglund has left such giant footprints in the BPAA's unity march.
I needed to know the answers of a few questions for this story and John Berglund answered the next day.
Asked if registrations were down because of the slumping economy, John answered this way:
"Registrations at this point in time (June 3) are down about 10 percent compared to 2006, which is the comparable year as it was the first year International Bowl expo was back in Las Vegas after being in held away from Las Vegas the previous year, although registrations are up from the same point in time from the Orlando expos last year.
"Booth sales are down even greater as a result of company cutbacks, although they are picking up this week. We should need up with 700 to 800 booths.
"Wednesday remains Hall of Fame day and medals should be worn. Their medals will gain Hall of Fame members free admission to the Salute that evening."
One last point: bring your credit cards and check books because there are going to be lots of things to buy and see during International Bowl Expo.
Email address: Evans121@aol.com
Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines because the 2009 International Bowl Expo will be on a roll at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and on hand to make sure no one breaks the speed limit will be a Law and Order official.Dale Earnhardt Jr., the most popular race car driver in the world, may look longsome Monday night June 22 with out his race car but he will be there to officially get Bowl Expo off to a fast start during the Welcome Reception. Don't be surprised if he circles the reception area while always moving to his left.
Remember, race car drivers always are turning left so if you want to get an autograph or picture with Dale Jr. then stay to his left.
To make sure Dale Jr. obeys all the NASCAR rules and doesn't smash into someone, the Bowling Proprietors Association of America is importing Fred Thompson. He knows Law and How to Keep Order from his days on the popular TV drama.
Thompson also will double as the keynote speaker at the general session Wednesday, June 24. You may remember that Thompson tried to make a run for the Republican nomination for the president of the United States but his crew chief let him run out of gas during a pit stop.
And another celebrity who everybody should want to "catch up" with is Lynn Swann, the former Pittsburgh Steeler receiver who has been involved in bowling tournaments at the Super Bowl for the past three years.
Seriously, but then again who wants to be serious in these challenging economic times, the 2009 International Bowl Expo has something for every attendee. They will represent every segment of the bowling industry including IBPSIA, USBC, Coaches, Writers, PBA, Manufacturers, PBA and the game's super stars.
All segments of the industry will join the BPAA when it presents the Victor Lerner Hall of Fame Award to Rex Haney, another in a long line of outstanding BPAA presidents.
Super bowler/proprietor/human being Mike Aulby will be honored as the Dick Weber ambassador winner. Among the other award winners will be Larry Moyes for his past work at Bowl Expo.
On Monday and Tuesday there are 53 seminars that cover everything from bowling center management to marketing to food and beverage to youth bowling to promotions to pro shops to coaching.
Then there is the Trade Show Wednesday and Thursday that will feature 700 to 800 booths. Heading up the International Bowl Expo will be Jim Sturm, who is serving the first of a two-year term as BPAA president. This man has been so busy that he has met his shadow going the other way.
Don't be surprised that during his presidential message that he will tell you about the amazing progress that has been made at completing the International Bowling Campus in Arlington, Texas. The word is out that the training/testing center and new Hall of Fame and Museum both will be technological marvels.
Sturm, who during the past year may have spent more time in Texas than at his West Virginia bowling centers, has been instrumental in merging BPAA and USBC promotions for the good of the sport of bowling.
But in the back of everyone's mind will be the knowledge that this will be the final International Bowl Expo for John Berglund, who has served as executive director of the BPAA for the past eight years.
Unfortunately he is retiring after successfully achieving one of his personal goals of making the International Bowl Expo the true focal point of global bowling. I would hate to be the man or woman who will be announced as his replacement since Berglund has left such giant footprints in the BPAA's unity march.
I needed to know the answers of a few questions for this story and John Berglund answered the next day.
Asked if registrations were down because of the slumping economy, John answered this way:
"Registrations at this point in time (June 3) are down about 10 percent compared to 2006, which is the comparable year as it was the first year International Bowl expo was back in Las Vegas after being in held away from Las Vegas the previous year, although registrations are up from the same point in time from the Orlando expos last year.
"Booth sales are down even greater as a result of company cutbacks, although they are picking up this week. We should need up with 700 to 800 booths.
"Wednesday remains Hall of Fame day and medals should be worn. Their medals will gain Hall of Fame members free admission to the Salute that evening."
One last point: bring your credit cards and check books because there are going to be lots of things to buy and see during International Bowl Expo.
Email address: Evans121@aol.com