Bowlers Journal International - January 2008 - (Page 14) INSIDELINE IS THE PBA READY FOR A RETURN TO PRIMETIME? IT WAS ONLY ONE TELECAST, BUT THE TOUR'S EVENING RATING WAS BELOW-AVERAGE. MANY HAVE LAMENTED THE PBA home to luxury hotels, two interDecember 9, drew a .601. Tour's time slot on ESPN — a day national airports and the Chilchra The Tour had topped the .7 mark and time when it goes head-to-head Bowling Center. Chicago Tribune twice through December 9. It got a with the National Football League diplomatic correspondent Bay Fang .751 on November 4, the first week for about half of the Denny's Tour encountered the ultra-modern 15of the four-week PBA Women's season. If only the PBA could land a laner while on a long road trip to Irbil. Series, and a .719 on November 25 time period — perhaps a primetime On the evening of her visit, it was (Thanksgiving weekend). period — in which it had less formipacked with families and teenagdable competition, its ratings would ers, all more than happy to pay 5,000 KURDISH KEGLING soar, right? Well Politicians and military leaders will Kurdish dinars (about $4) per game. On December 9, ratings theorists tell you that, post Saddam Hussein, The center even engages in on-thegot their wish when lanes marketing. During that week's championher visit, Fang and her ship round on ESPN was companion were asked if moved from its regular they'd like to enter the 1 p.m. Eastern starting big championship tourtime to 8:30 p.m. Instead nament four days hence. of going up against First prize: a trophy and a numerous national and new mobile phone. regional NFL telecasts on Fox and CBS, it aired A U.K. RECORD opposite only one NFL Martin Chapman recentgame on NBC. One other ly established a new factor in play: A strike by three-game series record Hollywood writers had in Britain. At AMF Ilkeston knocked off first-time Bowl, Chapman rolled airings of several scriptback-to-back 299 games ed primetime series, and a 279 for an 877 total. which figured to boost And just to prove that he ratings for other original also has a good spare programming such as game, the next week he converted the 7-10 split. the PBA Tour. So, how did the PBA BRIEFLY do with its first primeWalter Ray Williams time telecast since Oct. Jr., winner of the PBA 30, 2001? The two-hour Motor City Classic and taped program drew the runner-up in the Etonic lowest rating of the seaChampionship, was electson, a .503. The previed Kegel Bowler of the ous basement number belonged to the season- Four bowlers with a combined 100 national pro titles among them — (clockwise, Month for November by opening Japan Cup, also from upper left) Leanne Barrette Hulsenberg (26 titles), Parker Bohn III (30), Carolyn the Bowling Writers of a taped event, which Dorin-Ballard (20) and Brian Voss (24) — have been elected to the USBC Hall of America Lea Hilokoski, garnered a .514. (The Fame for Superior Performance. Induction ceremonies are set for May 9 in Kansas a member of Finland's four taped telecasts of City, Mo. Special feature stories on the inductees will appear in upcoming issues. national team for a decade, died November the U.S. Women's Open there are two Iraqs: the area around 16. She was 62 Membership in the quarter-finals, which served as a Baghdad, struggling to rebuild and Canadian Tenpin Federation dropped lead-in to the Japan Cup, got ratings still a very dangerous place, and the from 40,424 to 37,528 in 2006-07. of .691, .562, .453 and .528.) A repeat Quebec bucked the trend, as it saw Kurdistan region, which has been of the USBC Masters, which aired its youth rolls increase by 12%. modernizing at a rapid clip, now in the PBA's usual 1 p.m. slot on DARLENE PRISCILLA (2) / HERO NODA / BJI ARCHIVES 14 bowlers journal international JANUARY 2008
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