900Global and AMF ilegal in PBA

[Tampabaybob]

It's all about the money, guy's. He who has the deepest pockets, gets the most press. It always has been and always will be that way. Years ago the only names you heard were Brunswick, Ebonite, and AMF. Except for Brunswick, they lost their following because most people didn't care for their equipment and their failure to stay up with technology caught up to them and people stopped buying (for the most part) their stuff. Roto grip has been around for many years, but I can remember only one or two guys using Roto equipment back in the 60's and 70's. Today they, like Storm, (owned by the same company by the way) are one of the hottest selling tickets to there. They have good equipment and keep their name out there for recognition.

[americantrotter]

I can understand where the PBA is coming from it's in their best interest to get the most that it can get to improve it's product and it's reach, but it really sucks for the smaller companies.


I see two real problems with this:

Bowling equipment is expensive in the first place and these costs all get passed on to the consumer in the end. Our sport doesnt grow enough to leverage any true economies of scale, so new bowlers arent helping mitigate the cost either. (Meaning, the PBA's influence doesnt really offset the expense it creates)

Higher fees make it more difficult for a smaller company to innovate and expand if they can't get similar exposure at the top level of the sport.


In reality though this is a USBC issue, if it hurts bowling they are the governing body, the PBA is a separate business. If it concerns the USBC enough they should act. (I doubt it does though)

[scottymoney]

I could be wrong but that 6 figures I think pays for their commercials to be on ESPN during the shows. National commercials on your sports biggest stage...... hmmm I think I would pay the money.

Again it all comes down to marketing and having the faces to make people want the product.

[J Anderson]

In reality though this is a USBC issue, if it hurts bowling they are the governing body, the PBA is a separate business. If it concerns the USBC enough they should act. (I doubt it does though)

The USBC and the PBA are completely separate entities. While the equipment specs are the same and the game has the same basic rules there are some differences. Most notably the PBA has a shot clock while USBC has some vague wording about unreasonable delay of game, and the USBC has a rule limiting a player switching hands where a PBA member may throw with the opposite hand at any time.

The USBC has enough problems with declining membership to do what they're supposed to do, let alone try and boss the PBA around.