A few years from now, those of us who love this game of bowling will reflect on its past and search for milestones in its colorful and interesting history.
When we look at the year 1997, we will find that it was an interesting part of what I believe will be remembered as a transition period for the vast $10 billion bowling industry.
The year started on a spectacular note when Nebraska college student Jeremy Sonnenfeld rolled a 900 series on February 2. Some folks thought it was a big deal, but when they started comparing him to golf superstar Tiger Woods, I had to laugh. Stars & Strikes may have been the only publication to point out that Sonnenfeld’s 900 was the ninth perfect series in bowling history. The fact that it was the first one sanctioned by the ABC only emphasized their weakness in governing this sport.
A week after the 900, ABC Executive Director Darold Dobs died, and the industry lost a very progressive leader. It’s comforting to know that Darold didn’t live to see the mess that developed in his World Team Challenge later in the year.
Strike Ten Entertainment emerges as a major part of the industry, announcing several big deals. It got in a little hot water by claiming to be the marketing company for the industry. Several independent marketers took offense. STE and BPAA were very critical of the PBA for hiring The Marquee Group. Later in the year, Strike Ten hired Kaleidoscope Marketing to help LPBT.
June 21 was a sad day for bowling. It marked the final PBA telecast on ABC Sports after a 36-year run. Chris Schenkel and Bo Burton bid a tearful farewell. A lot of us wept in our living rooms. Not long after, PBA announced a new deal with CBS. Not the same, but some exposure for the best players in the world.
BPAA and Strike Ten shocked some of us when they announced that there would be no U.S. Open events in 1997. When they couldn’t get outside sponsors, AMF agreed to fund the event for three years; that should give them enough time to find new sponsors. I hope someone is already working on it.
BPAA hit a big home run with its Bowl Expo Show in Las Vegas in the summer. AMF stole the show with a huge display and promotion area which included six full-size bowling lanes.
Glow bowling, AKA "disco bowling," also had a big presence at Bowl Expo for the second year. I know a lot of centers are making money with this stuff, but trust me, it’s not the long-term answer.
Another hot item in the summer was the fire at Columbia 300 Industries. The good news is that it was not a total loss as first reported, and Columbia will be back 100 percent very soon.
The PBA and LPBT both made news at the end of the year. The PBA did it by turning a bowling center setting into a mini-arena and allowing fans to cheer throughout the show at the Touring Players Championship November 12. Super promoter Gary Beck was behind the concept, and it is an idea that is right for the times.
A couple of weeks later, LBPT President John Falzone announced that LPBT will change its name in 1998 to the Professional Women’s Bowling Association. Sounds pretty good….
The biggest newsmaker of this year is AMF. The company continues to purchase centers; it has gone public with its stock; it is supporting the U.S. Open; and it signed a deal with the most famous athlete in the world—Michael Jordan. How can it possibly top all that in 1998?
Stay tuned, folks. It looks like the bowling industry will completely reinvent itself before the new millennium. It’s going to be a very interesting future.
Jim Goodwin, a BWAA director and LPBT's regional program director, is the award-winning editor/publisher of Stars & Strikes, in which the preceding originally appeared. Subscription rates are $20 per year (Pin Point Publishing, 2850 Red Valley Run, Rockwall, Texas 75087 .. voice/fax: 972/771-0069).