BPAA Convention and Bowl Expo should be more interesting than a three-ring circus

By Dick Evans

Normally, going to the Bowling Proprietors Association of America Convention and the BPAA's Bowl Expo is not something that stirs my journalistic imagination. I realize each year that I will get a couple good interviews and pick up a few good notes, but nothing earthshaking.

To be honest, I probably am more worried about how I do in the casino sports book than I am as a reporter. But not this year...I am charged up mentally and can hardly wait for the 2006 BPAA Convention and Bowl Expo June 26-30 at the Hilton Hotel/Convention Center in Las Vegas. And it has nothing to do with the fact that Bowl Expo is moving from hot Orlando to torrid Las Vegas. The week is going to be both entertaining and educational plus more interesting than a three-ring circus. I have no idea how BPAA President Jeff Boje or Executive Director John Berglund or associates or friends pulled it off, but I can close my eyes and imagine I am going to a presidential convention come Sunday, June 25. The party speakers in my mind will be: BILL DWYRE, who became a legend to sports writers while serving as sports editor of the Los Angeles Times 1981-2006. At one time he also was president of the Associated Press sports editors organization. He will tell the proprietors how to get votes for getting more bowling stories into daily newspapers. ED McMAHON, a man who became famous by introducing an even more famous man — Johnny Carsons. McMahon has seen it all and done it all over the past 30 years. JEROME BETTIS, a Pittsburgh Steeler star who fortunately enjoys bowling more than riding on motorcycles without helmets. Anybody who doubts Bettis' love for bowling should go to the Bowlers Journal International archives and look up Lydia Rypcinski's fascinating 1994 story on Bettis. RUDY GIULIANI, a genuine candidate for the next president of the United States. I can't wait to ask the former New York mayor to tell me on a scale of one to 10 what are the chances of his throwing his hat into the presidential race. Although I am a registered Democrat, I have voted for about as many Republican presidential candidates as I have Democrats. I am swayed by the man, not the party and I think Giuliani is an exceptional leader and human being. Then of course if the fact that the Bowling Writers Association of America (BWAA) will hold its convention at the same time as the proprietors. I think this is fantastic, not because I did not enjoy going to ABC Conventions all those years but because I can trace my roots in bowling to great proprietor friends. If not for such great South Florida bowling proprietors like Ben Booke, Jim Facente, George Swanson and Hazel Verdes Daniel I might have wound up a tennis writer for The Miami Herald instead of a bowling writer in 1957. The writers probably will be divided into two rival camps because Bill Vint is heading a campaign to have the BWAA merge with the women's organization and Jim Goodwin is leading those opposed to the concept. I think controversy is healthy as long as people don't have short tempers or thin skin. So the BWAA convention will serve like one of those side shows before you entered the main circus tent. The BPAA Convention with its speeches and seminars will precede Bowl Expo, which has evolved over the years into a colorful and festive event. Anything you can imagine being associated with the bowling industry will be on display, plus a couple businesses that you probably wouldn't dream of being part of the bowling industry. Many of the great bowling stars of today and yesterday will be there...I hope someone thought to invite Kelly Kulick. With luck, she could become bowling's biggest media asset since Paula Sperber Carter made a gigantic national press splash in the early 1970s. Kelly Anne got her foot in the door by qualifying for the 2006-07 PBA tour and can kick the door in if she excels as a tour rookie. I get a special sense of pride when I see people like Roger Dalkin and Mike Carroll at the USBC booth because they want to rub shoulders with proprietors and exchange thoughts for the betterment of the game. There is little question in my mind that bowling will disappear as a major sport if the BPAA and USBC don't think and act as one. Ditto for the manufacturers. One booth that I personally would like to see would be a booth explaining all bowling promotions. About 20 years ago I was asked to speak to managers from about 12 Don Carter bowling centers in three states and I asked them to tell me the differences between the Miller, Pabst and Bud tournaments and none could do it. So I want a pool of experts to man a non-sponsored booth to explain new bowling promotions to the press, proprietors, manufacturers and the public. I think there are a whole lot of people who know a little about each promotion but very little about all of them. I know a little about the BPAA-Pepsi national agreement, a little about the PBA's sweet deals with Denny's and a little about the Motel 6 promotion. There are probably more out there that I know little about. For example, I think I know that the BPAA and Pepsi are teaming up for a promotion that will wind up with a lucky couple attending the Pepsi 400 Auto Race July 1 at NASCAR's Daytona Speedway. But I get that confused with the BPAA-Diet Pepsi promotion that will feature a free trip for two to the Super Bowl in Miami next winter. There are probably other great promotions out there that I never have heard about. So I want a revolutionary promotional booth to promote all bowling promotions. Without doubt, the 2006 BPAA Convention and Bowl Expo should get more ink than anytime in history. I would be surprised if the Associated Press, CNN, CBS and mayor papers don't send writers to cover Rudy Giuliani's speech. That's on top of the 75 BWAA members expected to attend. (Editor's note: Bowlingdigital editor Herbert Bickel will be on site to bring you the latest news from the BPAA and BWAA Conventions as well as from the Bowl Expo. Stay tuned. ) Gosh, I wish I had requested a booth at Bowl Expo to sell pencils, pens, notebooks and tapes to all those reporters! Email address: [email protected]