USBC, BPAA report consistent results in initial test of Red, White and Blue patterns

11/13/09

By Gene Kanak
USBC Communications

For the past several months, the USBC and Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) have worked closely with bowling centers to test the new USBC Red, White and Blue oil patterns. USBC and BPAA data indicate all three patterns have passed both difficulty and fairness standards.

During testing, which was conducted at Red Bird Lanes in Duncanville, Texas, and Dunbar Bowling Center in Dunbar, W.Va., the USBC Red pattern played at the same level of difficulty as each bowling center's standard house pattern based on each bowler's entering average from the 2008-09 season. The results for the White and Blue patterns also have fallen in line with USBC and BPAA's predicted and intended ranges. These results were observed in all participating bowlers regardless of average.

USBC Red is intended to be the most forgiving condition, USBC White is expected to be more challenging and USBC Blue should be the most difficult of the new conditions. USBC Sport Bowling conditions continue to be the most challenging level of oil patterns.

"We are very pleased with the results of these early tests," USBC Technical Director Steve Kloempken said. "Further analysis is required, but, right now, the Red, White and Blue patterns are exhibiting the degrees of difficulty and fairness that were intended."

The next batch of tests is now underway at centers such as AMF Fun Fest in Arlington, Texas, Mountain Sun Lanes in Hailey, Idaho, and Cityview Lanes in Fort Worth, Texas. Additional centers have expressed interest and will be brought online as test sites as soon as they are equipped to do so.

If the latest round of testing yields acceptable results, the Red, White and Blue patterns will be made available for local and state tournament use in Spring 2010 and for the Fall 2010 league season.

As part of the effort to gain attention for the new condition categories, USBC is sponsoring an upcoming stop on the Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour. The Pepsi Red, White and Blue Open, presented by the USBC, will be held at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan., Dec. 7-13. The finals will air Jan. 3 on ESPN.

"The Red, White and Blue program has a lot of potential for USBC and BPAA because it has the ability to educate bowlers and provide options to proprietors," USBC Vice President National Governing Body Neil Stremmel said. "Bowlers can use these patterns as stepping stones to transition from house leagues to Sport leagues, and proprietors can use them as a means of putting out fair, tested conditions for use in league or tournament competition."