USBC Declares Motiv Jackal/Jackal Challenge Approval Revoked

[Aslan]

The good news is....most bowlers have no idea what the differential is....they just bought the Jackal because it has a picture of a coyote on it.

Granted...now that they KNOW it's illegal...the cost of the Jackal on Ebay is going to skyrocket as every bowling cheater, in their shoes powdered with ultra-slide, with their towels soaked in acetone....are now gonna flock to get their hands on the new must have ball for any cheater's collection....which they will wait until their averages are a good 157...then bust it out at sweeps and roll a 708.

"If ya ain't sandbaggin, ya aint tryin."

Iceman better hope to God the USBC doesn't show up in Hicksville, Kansas to test his Deadly Aims.

[Aslan]

Meaning Motiv is going down in 3, 2, 1...

Of course this is all speculation but sounds a bit like VW Diesel fiasco. Doctored balls sent over to USBC for testing to pass certification.

Motiv is only getting fined $16,000. Even for a Michigan-based company...they'll probably survive.

The recall could get pricey though...and just wait until league night...when the 1-2 knowledgeable people start trying to tell the league secretary that Bill Hoffstra can't roll his Jackal...because it's illegal in a USBC sanctioned league. I anticipate at least 75 fist fights breakout this week between Jackal owners and their competition.

Why couldn't it have been an illegal AMF ball....nobody even knows AMF makes bowling balls...it would have been less problematic.

[NewToBowling]

Motiv is only getting fined $16,000. Even for a Michigan-based company...they'll probably survive.

The recall could get pricey though...and just wait until league night...when the 1-2 knowledgeable people start trying to tell the league secretary that Bill Hoffstra can't roll his Jackal...because it's illegal in a USBC sanctioned league. I anticipate at least 75 fist fights breakout this week between Jackal owners and their competition.

Why couldn't it have been an illegal AMF ball....nobody even knows AMF makes bowling balls...it would have been less problematic.

The fine isn't the issue. This could be just the tip of the icerberg. Guessing USBC will start monitoring and testing Motiv balls more and more.

The PR issue alone will set them back a lot in comparison to other ball manufacturers.

[jab5325]

Meaning Motiv is going down in 3, 2, 1...

Of course this is all speculation but sounds a bit like VW Diesel fiasco. Doctored balls sent over to USBC for testing to pass certification.

I'm not sure how big of a deal this will end up being, but I'm interested to see how Motiv spins/plays this. It could be an existential threat to the company, or it could be not that big of a deal--I don't think there's much in between.

[vdubtx]

Not many manufacturers out there that will get that close to the limits of specs. I know of some older Hammer balls that are a .060 Diff and then these 2 Motivs that are over.

Wonder if the older Hammer's(Taboo Blak,Purple,spare to name a few), if still in use anywhere, were over after getting approved by USBC.

[vdubtx]

Also, this posted on FB

[Aslan]

I'm not sure how big of a deal this will end up being, but I'm interested to see how Motiv spins/plays this. It could be an existential threat to the company, or it could be not that big of a deal--I don't think there's much in between.

The fine is nothing.

The RECALL is $$$$$.

And think of the other problems....you have leagues rolling tonight. Sanctioned leagues. Who goes around telling league secretaries that the Motiv Jackal is no longer approved? What if that's your only ball? You think a 190 average bowler with a Jackal is going to be happy if he has to bowl with a house ball tonight? How many drunken fights are there going to be as teams argue that they should have won tonight's match...because the guy on the other team shot a 641 with illegal equipment?

Re-equipping the pros is easy. They bowl in scheduled tournaments. Re-equipping 20,000 league bowlers...that's $1 million in shipping alone. Now, did Motiv sell 20,000 Jackals? Probably not. But, maybe. Even if they just sold 7,000....that's $350,000 in shipping to take those back and send out a new ball. Lets say the cost of the new ball is $35...that's another $245,000. So, conservative estimate, the recall will cost Motiv nearly $600,000.

The questions are:
1) Why did USBC decide to do this? Is it a response to a complaint?
2) If this is just an uptick in their policing efforts...are other ball manufacturers getting nervous?
3) Did Motiv do this on purpose? Or was this something they thought passed...and something failed?
4) Motiv uses similar cores in other balls. Were all other Motiv balls tested and found to be okay? What about planned releases for summer? Will Motiv have to scrap their new releases?
5) The USBC has stated it won't take anything (titles, winnings, etc...) away from bowlers who unknowingly used these balls in competition. Will the PBA back that stance? What if the Motiv pro bowlers KNEW they were illegal? Does that change anything?

This could be HUGE for Motiv. They're a small company...and in my opinion have been the most successful since DV8 and before them Storm...at kinda taking a significant market share of an industry that is tough to break into.

I anticipate Motiv must have known this was coming. I seriously doubt the USBC blindsided them with this public release. That means Motiv is doing their own in-house testing to verify the tests by the USBC...and likely considering appeal options...and contingency recall options.

But at this point....outside the USBC and Motiv...I bet very, very few people know anything about this.

On the upside:

1) The USBC is finally doing their job...unafraid of the ball manufacturers...at least as it appears.
2) This is the kinda story that makes bowling a topic for discussion in the national media. I wouldn't be shocked if it gets mentioned on CNBC or something like that.

[Aslan]

Also, this posted on FB

I hate my Nazi IT department...I can't read Facebook. Now I gotta try to read it on my phone!

[vdubtx]

I hate my Nazi IT department...I can't read Facebook. Now I gotta try to read it on my phone!

[Aslan]

That picture describes every reaction on the Motiv Facebook page.

Everybody with a Jackal is whining. We'll see how whiny they are when their ball becomes a collector's item..."first time USBC enforced a rule since 1973"....when Paul Colwell made himself pass out trying to soak bowling balls in MEK in his hotel room bathtub.