Historic agreement - BPAA and ABPA join forces

[GeorgeF]

Such a huge boost for our industry

Proprietor's Association of America (BPAA), the bowling industry's premier trade association, announced today that it has inked a global partnership agreement with the Australian Bowling Proprietors' Association (ABPA).

The first-of-its-kind agreement, unprecedented in its scope and scale, brings together two of the largest entities in the bowling industry, immediately offering unrivaled business-building services to ABPA member centers.

"The ABPA has done tremendous work to advance the bowling industry throughout Australia and we're extremely proud to welcome each of its member centers to the BPAA family," said Steven Johnson, executive director of the BPAA.

"This unprecedented agreement signifies both the surging worldwide popularity of bowling and increased interest in the BPAA's multinational branded products. Our partnership with the ABPA is a major first step as we expand our international services and tap into the burgeoning global market for bowling."

"We're thrilled to join the BPAA, a true leader and innovator in the bowling industry. The steady growth in bowler participation throughout North America – a 4.5% increase in the past year alone – is a testament to the impact that the BPAA has made through its investment in bowler and proprietor development products and services," said Gary O'Neill, chairman of the ABPA.

"This agreement enables the ABPA to offer our member centers an incredible range of new offerings that will enhance the growth of their businesses."

Through the partnership agreement, the ABPA's members – more than 100 bowling centers across Australia – will now reap the membership benefits provided by the BPAA. The ABPA's members will be entitled to take full advantage of programs that include:

Marketing tools such as the Bowlopolis brand youth development program
Management, education and training programs including "Bowling University" (online accreditation) and "Coach it Up" (casual bowler training and in-center training courses)
Web services, BowlerTrac (database software) and a soon to be announced innovative new online reservation system
Numerous development, marketing and communications tools

"This historic agreement between the BPAA and ABPA marks an exciting milestone for the bowling industry, while creating a host of new business and consumer opportunities for ABPA members," said Jim Sturm, president of the BPAA and a director of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC).

"Now is a very exciting time for bowling. From the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, we're seeing growth across the map in consumer participation and a true spirit of solidarity across the industry."

 

[wchester]

Bendigo's Dragon City lanes has been a BPAA member for years, so this announcement isn't really all that 'historic'

Proving that figures can be twisted to make anyone or anything look good. The 4.5% bowler participation increase that was quoted in this press release would be nice if it meant league membership was up, but sadly the decline continues.

In fact, it was the BPAA who forced the American Bowling Congress to relax their requirements that every bowling lane be resurfaced every twelve months.

In 1963, Bowling Proprietors were enjoying a boom in business and politicked the ABC to change the resurfacing rule that was already in place. The ABC gave in to their pressure, and now the proprietors could forego this all important, critical maintenance duty until their lane surface surpassed the existing ABC specifications.

This was a crucial mistake. The ABC leaders should have held their ground, but instead they bowed to pressure from the proprietors, and today we are suffering the consequences of their decision.

Within a few years, lane conditions began to be sub-standard. Lane patching and excessive re-coating became the norm. More application of lane oil was needed to off-set the higher friction that was being created. This procedure led to blatant lane blocking, thus beginning the 'historic' rise in scoring, which by now has gotten completely out of hand, destroying any credibility bowling had as a sport. You can thank the BPAA for turning our beloved game into a mere recreation.

 

[jimcross]

WCHESTER, A bit of historic perspective is a good thing. Unfortunately it changes nothing. I bowled in the early 60s, and then left bowling completely until about 1994. unlike those of a similar era, who had kept bowling, and for whom change therefore happened gradually, and to some extent went unnoticed, I was hit full-on with the change.
I kept saying to people " what the hell happened"? I left a vibrant sport, with sports coverage in the MSM, and I come back to a game of tiddleywinks, 'played' mainly for fun and entertainment.
This was not necessarily so for actual tournament bowling at the time, which was reasonable, BUT not known outside the bowling community.
What worried me was the general collapse of league play, which was HUGE, when I left in 1963. Leagues were the 'feeders' to the higher levels.
In my view, it was proprieters who oversaw that change to fun - fun - fun.
By then ( the 90s ) at least some of them were aware that there was a lot of competition in the entertainment field, and could see the advantages of a strong league base. Not easy to reverse, however.
Anybody can put out great sounding press releases.

 

[GoTheCell]

So let me get this right Wayne, you are going to run down everything someone tries to do for the sport? Wasn't that long ago you were all egotistical and you were going to change the face of bowling as we know it. You failed with your attempt at the TBA and ever since then you have posted nothing but garbage like you have above. Is there a link there by any chance?

As for Bendigo being part of it for years, wtf does that have to do with BPAA merging with ABPA? Absolutely nothing, it just means Bendigo has been a member.

 

[wchester]

Once again, I am being attacked by GoTheCell. This time it's for posting what is a FACTUAL account of something that happened some 47 years ago....in order for bowling to thrive as a sport, we need the TBA to be completely impartial, with no connections to any proprietor groups.

And as for the relevance of my statement regarding Dragon City lanes' membership in the BPAA. It was to show that the Australian bowling proprietors didn't need this 'merge' in order to avail themselves any of the BPAA marketing programmes.

My attempt to gain a place on the TBA board was met with apathy and derision. They've done some great things since haven't they? lol

Maybe someone else can right the ship before it goes under. How about you? Why don't you put your hand up and get involved, since you care so much for our game.

 

[tonx]

Once again, I am being attacked by my Man Crush

Fixed for accuracy....

 

[GoTheCell]

Not attacking Wayne, just stating the truth as I see it, much the same as you do.

We need TBA to be impartial? Wouldn't our governing body be much better informed and able to act in the interests of bowling as a sport if they had the feedback and input of the proprietors as well as the bowlers?

Membership of the BPAA - what has Bendigo actually done as a member? have they taken advantage of the membership in any way or just joined for the hell of it?

The sarcasm about TBA just puts icing on my case.

I happen to be someone who does help out with bowling where I can. I have in the past helped the juniors at our centre. I have run leagues, been on our Association, helped other bowlers with the limited knowledge I have and so on. How about you, does sitting back and running down everyone's attempts to do something count as helping the sport?

 

[GoTheCell]

To go back onto topic a bit, anything that promotes the sport and improves it will be good. If this merger achieves that then it has to be good.

 

[steve jones]

Go The Cell - for your information the proprietor of Bendigo Bowl has been very possibly one of the most productive, outward looking and significant independent operators in this country for more years than you could possibly imagine. Not all would agree - and most certainly the man himself would state that he has been opinionated enough over 40 plus years to alienate more then a few. But innovative he was, his connect with the BPAA [if he wasn't the first Australian proprietor to do so he must have been damned close] was hardly "for the hell of it".

Many, many years ago someone in this business taught me a great lesson when they simply said "because you don't know what's going on doesn't mean that things are not happening - it just means you are in the dark..and son, I was doing this when you were ****ting yellow"!!

 

[GoTheCell]

Go The Cell - for your information the proprietor of Bendigo Bowl has been very possibly one of the most productive, outward looking and significant independent operators in this country for more years than you could possibly imagine. Not all would agree - and most certainly the man himself would state that he has been opinionated enough over 40 plus years to alienate more then a few. But innovative he was, his connect with the BPAA [if he wasn't the first Australian proprietor to do so he must have been damned close] was hardly "for the hell of it".

What has the proprietor being productive etc got to do with this thread or what I posted? People really should start reading what is posted instead of glancing at it and then going off on a tangent.

Lets go with your statement that it was "hardly for the hell of it". Bendigo would then be an example of what benefits a centre could obtain by having membership of BPAA and it would be interesting to hear those benefits and how they helped bowling as a sport and the bowlers in general.

 

[twenban]

I think what "wchester" is saying is - what is good for the industry doesn't turn into benefits for the tournament player or bowlers - good press is no longer enough. In the US one PBA event has been cancelled due to lack of sponsorship as a result of the failing US economy.

Attacking someone doesn't do anyone any good, it just alienates people when we need to band together to promote the sport of bowling. From memory I think I drove a long way once to bowl at an event at Bendigo .... I think.

Ah .. the days of 12,000 entries in the SPC ... and the formal ceremony to start the four days of competition and plus live TV coverage of the stepladder finals.