The 2008 International Bowl Expo proves a slam dunk By Dick Evans

Sometimes you get lucky and give good advice and I certainly was on target when I advised everybody to bring an umbrella to the International Bowl Expo in Orlando June 22-27.

One afternoon in the Orange County Convention Center I was beginning to think Noah had built his Ark outside the arena because thunder seemed to shake the rafters and rain was pelting the roof with gusto.

I was thankful that I had left my trusty crystal ball in my car, which cost me $10 to park each day. That fee and a stiff parking rate at the headquarters hotel made me eager to return to Las Vegas next year for International Bowl Expo because all parking is free.

Unfortunately, I think one of the bolts of lightning may have shook up my crystal ball because it was making some electrifying predictions.

More about sending my crystal ball to see a certified shrink later after its shocking predictions.

Now for facts about the 2008 International Bowl Expo.

The 76th Annual Membership Meeting Handbook was loaded with interesting facts. But the ones that really caught my eyes were the information that Saratoga Lanes in Maplewood, Mo., has been a member for 75 years and Riverboat Lanes in Godfrey, Ill., had joined the BPAA when it was established in 1932.

As a reporter, I would love to write stories about those two centers.

Despite the high cost of transportation, International Bowl Expo drew close to 4,700, which is right at attendance figures coming out of the 2005 convention in Orlando.

John Berglund, executive director of the Bowling Proprietors Association of America, said that exhibitors understand that the Orlando conventions cannot duplicate the Las Vegas numbers (a record 5,538 last year) "but many commented we draw different attendees in Orlando and that sales are quite good."

But lets start at the beginning with meetings at the Rosen Shingle Creek convention center.

In many ways, the opening day speeches primarily reflected what is happening in bowling with the United States Bowling Congress and Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum moving to BPAA's headquarters – Arlington, Texas – in the near future.

Speakers like Joe Schumacker (outgoing BPAA president), new BPAA President Jim Sturm, USBC President Jeff Boje, Strike Ten's Frank DeSocio, Bowlers Journal's Keith Hamilton and Berglund all spoke about the pending new unity with all the organizations except the PBA located in Arlington.

Before I grew weary of counting and stopped, various speakers had mentioned 'USBC' 23 times in one morning session.

All of the speakers, except Carmen Salvino who ignored his allotted time and just rambled, had a short and potent message.

I especially was impressed with Dick Ritger, a 20-time PBA tour champion who became the first coach inducted into the new Coaches Hall of Fame during the International Bowl Expo.

But that night, my usually reliable crystal ball was going berserk with predictions like:

1. The USBC will need a hike of $2 to $4 in membership dues in order to accomplish all of its immediate goals.

2. The new International Bowling Campus in Arlington will not be a tourist attraction at first, nor will it draw international bowlers until the training center's reputation spreads around the world.

3. The new proposed 100-lane bowling center that will be built at the Disney Sports Complex will be a hit and will draw interest from baseball/football/basketball fans plus visitors to Disney. I drove out there to check the existing sports facilities and it was extravagant package, but my crystal ball was worried about possible parking fees for bowlers. Visitors to other sports venues were having to pay a parking fee and then jumped on a bus.

4. The soaring costs of oil is impacting all the bowling ball companies from both a production and distribution standpoint and increased ball rates have to be just around the corner if the price of crude oil continues to soar.

5. To save money, the BPAA and USBC conventions soon will be held in the same city but possibly at two adjacent sites. Currently, the USBC is paying big bucks to be involved in all facets of International Bowl Expo two months after holding its own USBC Convention in costly cities like Nashville and Kansas City.
It only makes common sense to work out the kinks and both the BPAA and USBC members/delegates head for International Bowl Expo for a unified convention with different agendas.

6. Somehow, somebody must find a way to bring harmony among the BPAA, USBC and PBA. You could feel the hostility against the PBA in the Orlando air-conditioning.
I know that neither the BPAA nor USBC are geared to run 20 national tour stops a year and they depend on the PBA to bring credibility to bowling, a sport that is desperately chasing national media recognition as a challenging sport.
Not even my crystal ball could come up with a way to calm the waters, but warned that someone must...right away, if not sooner.
If not, bowling's hopes of being recognized as a respected sport could float out to sea.

7. After the 2009 tournaments in Las Vegas and Reno, the USBC may see a decline in team entries because of the astronomical surge in oil prices and airline rates.

Budget worries also could result in an austerity budget for the USBC that could impact programs like the USBC Ambassador promotion that features 16 players and the Hall of Fame ceremonies that drew record numbers in Kansas City last May, thanks in part to the USBC providing one free night at the headquarters hotel.

After spreading all that blarney, I decided to take my crystal ball to an Irish soothsayer to check its vision ability into the future.

The BPAA distributed beautiful medals to all the Hall of Fame members from the PBA, USBC, BWAA, Coaches and BPAA. The BPAA recognized all the Hall of Famers at the Wednesday sessions.

I am not an expert, but it appeared to me that there were fewer models on display at various exhibits during the Trade Show and more bowlers and I applaud that trend.

Next to the Bowling Writers Association of America's booth was one being manned by Norm Duke and Brian Voss, two old tour buddies. They were nailing down business with their dynamic personalities.

Spotted in other booths signing autographs and posing for pictures were super stars like Liz Johnson, Pete Weber, John Petraglia, Parker Bohn, Walter Ray Williams, Wes Malott, Tommy Jones, Diandra Asbaty, Carolyn/Del Ballard and Chris Barnes.

Asbaty also was promoting her new line of bowling attire.

It is great to see today's great bowlers being promoted during International Bowl Expo instead of models or celebrities from other sports.

I didn't get to the "Dunk the Hunk" celebration, but from the roar of the crowd, the attendees must have been gleeful when BPAA's Joe Schumacker, Strike Ten's Frank DeSocio, BPAA's Jim Sturm and USBC's Jeff Boje were dunked. I wonder what they will name the fun event when Cathy DeSocio becomes president of BPAA in about four years.

The BWAA's writing booth proved popular in its inaugural endeavor. Hall of Fame writers Matt Fiorito, Lyle Zikes, Steve James, Mike Hennessy and yours truly turned out 28 news releases about proprietors/pro shop owners/exhibitors. It was a team effort because a lot of other BWAA members did the hard work. You can find all the stories on two web pages that I know about... www.bowlingwriters.com or www.bowlingdigital.com.

The writers learned a great deal about the state of the bowling ball business from Storm, Brunswick and Ebonite officials during informative sessions/talks Tuesday.

I have to say a word of thanks to the nearby Farmer Brothers' booth at the Trade Show. George Allen and Bob King provided the writers with great coffee and it was interesting to note that they sell their coffee products to 700 bowling centers. They also could sell a ton of coffee in newspaper offices.

In closing, let me say that despite the weather, a phone-plagued BWAA hotel and outrageous parking fees, it was a great convention.

The BPAA's 2009 Bowling Summit is scheduled Jan. 18-22 in Napa Valley if all those horrible forest fires have not turned California into a state of ashes by next year.

International Bowl Expo 2009 will be held at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas June 21-26.

The theme will be "We're on A Roll."

Indeed the bowling industry will be on a roll if harmony reigns and the International Bowling Campus has become a completed reality in Arlington, Texas.

Email address: Evans121@aol.com