Bowl Expo 2011 provides the chance to show off Texas as sport's new home By Mark Miller
07/11/11
In many ways, International Bowl Expo 2011 was similar to those held in the past.
Friendships were made and renewed, people earned awards, thousands of attendees learned the latest information about the sport and business and new products were introduced.
What made this year's event different was the location. Instead of the glamour of Las Vegas or glitz of Orlando, this had more of a feel of home. That's certainly the way the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, United States Bowling Congress and International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame wanted it because the Dallas-Fort Worth area is their home.
Even with business as usual up the road at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, this was the chance to show off the multiple elements of the International Bowling Campus and its giant Arlington neighbor Cowboys Stadium.
Both venues hosted special evening events that attracted the most attention and made this year's Bowl Expo week so special. It definitely made for little sleep and extensive use of maps or GPS systems because there was so much happening in so many places with so much road construction.
The festivities actually started June 24 at AMF Showplace Euless Lanes with the pro-am for Bowling's U.S. Women's Open presented by the brands of Ebonite International that started the next day. More than 200 people competed in the pro-am with a record 286 of the world's best professional and amateur women competitors entered in the main event.
"We threw a five-day event and a tournament broke out," BPAA Executive Director Steve Johnson told members of the Bowling Writers' Association of America. "I told our staff 'don't just do a tournament. Do a super event.' "
The more than 6,000 people who came to Cowboys Stadium (pictured left) for the stepladder finals June 30 learned first-hand what Johnson meant. Four lanes were built by QubicaAMF to surround the famous Dallas Cowboys star at midfield of the site of Super Bowl XLV nearly five months earlier. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders provided some of the pre-match entertainment.
And then there was the star-studded stepladder taped for showing two days later on ESPN2. There were local stars Shannon O'Keefe and Lynda Barnes. There was 2010 U.S. Women's Open winner Kelly Kulick and runnerup Liz Johnson. And there was 43-year-old Leanne Hulsenburg.
As Leanne Barrette, she won 26 professional titles before the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour folded. In between she married, had a son and was inducted into the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame.
Hulsenburg (pictured right) won the 2011 U.S. Women's Open to ensure for at least one week, women's bowling had a prominent place in American sports.
That appeared in danger when USBC, the event's previous sponsor, was unable to continue in that role after 2010. With Ebonite's help, Johnson returned the Women's U.S. Open to BPAA control after leasing it to USBC for several years.
"One person said women's bowling is back. I said women's bowling never left," Johnson said. "Women's bowling never left the industry. The industry left the women."
The previous night put the bowling industry on display in an even broader way. The Night at the Campus featured tours of the complex, the grand opening of the new 50 Years of Women's Professional Bowling exhibit at the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame and a pro-am event at the International Training and Research Center to benefit the IBM/HF.
While only 500-600 people were originally expected, more than 2,200 people showed up. That's more than twice the number that came for the grand opening of the Campus in January 2010.
Those who came enjoyed an old-fashioned Texas barbeque. They could roll shots on the 1930s-era lanes at the IBM/HF with the pins they knocked down re-set by human hands. They could bowl and mingle with the likes of hall of famers Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Tish Johnson, Norm Duke, Johnny Petraglia and Parker Bohn III and numerous current stars.
The ribbon cutting for the grand opening of the 50 Years of Professional Women's Bowling exhbit at the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame was one of the highlights of Bowl Expo.
In short, they saw the full potential of the International Bowling Campus in just a few hours.
This Bowl Expo wasn't without some history-making news off the lanes. For example, at 9:02 a.m. June 27, Cathy DeSocio of Wichita, Kan., was selected as BPAA president-elect meaning she will be the organization's first female president next year.
Two days later, Johnson opened the general session in grand style riding down the center aisle on an authentic Texas longhorn. After dusting himself off and still in his cowboy britches, he talked about one of Bowl Expo's other points of emphasis.
"The last couple of days we've heard and seen a lot of the importance of youth," Johnson said. "Youth are talking about bowling."
Soon thereafter, attendees heard from National Football League Hall of Famer and real estate executive Roger Staubach (right). He quickly noted the great relationships being forged in Texas at the International Bowling Campus.
"I know BPAA and USBC are together and getting along," Staubach said. "Maybe the NFL and NFL Players Association should take a lesson."
The next morning was Lucky Strike Lanes Chief Executive Officer Steven Foster's turn to speak. Foster started in the bowling business by founding the Jillians chain in 1988 and after selling it started Lucky Strike in 2003. The chain has grown to 21 facilities.
"This is a tough business," Foster said. "There are a lot of moving parts. We work hard and want to do better. In the end, a lot depends on that we believe in ourselves.
"Bowling is a paradigm of life – thought, action, achievement, and fulfillment – everything we do. It makes me feel like a kid. The act of bowling can be done in about four seconds but it generates a kid-like emotion of happiness and joy. There's nothing else I know that does that."
Foster's thoughts echoed what Johnson told the writers two days earlier.
"There's 71 million people coming through our doors," he said. "We need more people coming in the doors. We need them to come often. We need bowling to be the destination of choice. We need to be good at whatever way people want to bowl, casual, league or tournament.
"We have a great sport. Keep it positive. Keep it fun and who knows where bowling can go."
This year bowling came to Texas, home of nearly all of the organizations that shape it as a recreation, sport and business. Bowl Expo just brought everyone in the industry together to show how.
NOTE: The Bowling Examiner originally wrote this for the Bowling News Network.
Bowling world descends on Dallas-Fort Worth for International Bowl Expo By Mark Miller
Brunswick rolls out major center network system upgrade
Lucky Strike CEO Steven Foster to speak at 2011 International Bowl Expo Super Session
Brunswick named Platinum Sponsor for 2011 International Bowl Expo
BPAA signs Roger Staubach as keynote speaker for 2011 International Bowl Expo
Column
Republished courtesy of Examiner.com (June 26, 2011)
In many ways, International Bowl Expo 2011 was similar to those held in the past.Friendships were made and renewed, people earned awards, thousands of attendees learned the latest information about the sport and business and new products were introduced.
What made this year's event different was the location. Instead of the glamour of Las Vegas or glitz of Orlando, this had more of a feel of home. That's certainly the way the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, United States Bowling Congress and International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame wanted it because the Dallas-Fort Worth area is their home.
Even with business as usual up the road at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, this was the chance to show off the multiple elements of the International Bowling Campus and its giant Arlington neighbor Cowboys Stadium.
Both venues hosted special evening events that attracted the most attention and made this year's Bowl Expo week so special. It definitely made for little sleep and extensive use of maps or GPS systems because there was so much happening in so many places with so much road construction.
The festivities actually started June 24 at AMF Showplace Euless Lanes with the pro-am for Bowling's U.S. Women's Open presented by the brands of Ebonite International that started the next day. More than 200 people competed in the pro-am with a record 286 of the world's best professional and amateur women competitors entered in the main event.
"We threw a five-day event and a tournament broke out," BPAA Executive Director Steve Johnson told members of the Bowling Writers' Association of America. "I told our staff 'don't just do a tournament. Do a super event.' "
The more than 6,000 people who came to Cowboys Stadium (pictured left) for the stepladder finals June 30 learned first-hand what Johnson meant. Four lanes were built by QubicaAMF to surround the famous Dallas Cowboys star at midfield of the site of Super Bowl XLV nearly five months earlier. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders provided some of the pre-match entertainment.And then there was the star-studded stepladder taped for showing two days later on ESPN2. There were local stars Shannon O'Keefe and Lynda Barnes. There was 2010 U.S. Women's Open winner Kelly Kulick and runnerup Liz Johnson. And there was 43-year-old Leanne Hulsenburg.
As Leanne Barrette, she won 26 professional titles before the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour folded. In between she married, had a son and was inducted into the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame.
Hulsenburg (pictured right) won the 2011 U.S. Women's Open to ensure for at least one week, women's bowling had a prominent place in American sports.
That appeared in danger when USBC, the event's previous sponsor, was unable to continue in that role after 2010. With Ebonite's help, Johnson returned the Women's U.S. Open to BPAA control after leasing it to USBC for several years.
"One person said women's bowling is back. I said women's bowling never left," Johnson said. "Women's bowling never left the industry. The industry left the women."
The previous night put the bowling industry on display in an even broader way. The Night at the Campus featured tours of the complex, the grand opening of the new 50 Years of Women's Professional Bowling exhibit at the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame and a pro-am event at the International Training and Research Center to benefit the IBM/HF.
While only 500-600 people were originally expected, more than 2,200 people showed up. That's more than twice the number that came for the grand opening of the Campus in January 2010.Those who came enjoyed an old-fashioned Texas barbeque. They could roll shots on the 1930s-era lanes at the IBM/HF with the pins they knocked down re-set by human hands. They could bowl and mingle with the likes of hall of famers Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Tish Johnson, Norm Duke, Johnny Petraglia and Parker Bohn III and numerous current stars.
The ribbon cutting for the grand opening of the 50 Years of Professional Women's Bowling exhbit at the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame was one of the highlights of Bowl Expo.
In short, they saw the full potential of the International Bowling Campus in just a few hours.
This Bowl Expo wasn't without some history-making news off the lanes. For example, at 9:02 a.m. June 27, Cathy DeSocio of Wichita, Kan., was selected as BPAA president-elect meaning she will be the organization's first female president next year.
Two days later, Johnson opened the general session in grand style riding down the center aisle on an authentic Texas longhorn. After dusting himself off and still in his cowboy britches, he talked about one of Bowl Expo's other points of emphasis.
"The last couple of days we've heard and seen a lot of the importance of youth," Johnson said. "Youth are talking about bowling."
Soon thereafter, attendees heard from National Football League Hall of Famer and real estate executive Roger Staubach (right). He quickly noted the great relationships being forged in Texas at the International Bowling Campus."I know BPAA and USBC are together and getting along," Staubach said. "Maybe the NFL and NFL Players Association should take a lesson."
The next morning was Lucky Strike Lanes Chief Executive Officer Steven Foster's turn to speak. Foster started in the bowling business by founding the Jillians chain in 1988 and after selling it started Lucky Strike in 2003. The chain has grown to 21 facilities.
"This is a tough business," Foster said. "There are a lot of moving parts. We work hard and want to do better. In the end, a lot depends on that we believe in ourselves.
"Bowling is a paradigm of life – thought, action, achievement, and fulfillment – everything we do. It makes me feel like a kid. The act of bowling can be done in about four seconds but it generates a kid-like emotion of happiness and joy. There's nothing else I know that does that."
Foster's thoughts echoed what Johnson told the writers two days earlier.
"There's 71 million people coming through our doors," he said. "We need more people coming in the doors. We need them to come often. We need bowling to be the destination of choice. We need to be good at whatever way people want to bowl, casual, league or tournament.
"We have a great sport. Keep it positive. Keep it fun and who knows where bowling can go."
This year bowling came to Texas, home of nearly all of the organizations that shape it as a recreation, sport and business. Bowl Expo just brought everyone in the industry together to show how.
NOTE: The Bowling Examiner originally wrote this for the Bowling News Network.
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