Bowlers Journal International - April 2008 - (Page 52)

THE USBC MOVE BY BOB JOHNSON WHY ARLINGTON? AND WHY NOW? The governing body makes a Texas-sized decision to abandon its long-time Wisconsin home. THE UNITED STATES BOWLING CONgress is trading bratwurst for barbecue, Kopp's frozen custard for Blue Bell ice cream and Miller beer for Lone Star. It's also vacating its $7.45 million headquarters facility in Greendale, Wis., and heading south to Arlington, Texas, where it will share a $14 million Officers of both USBC and BPAA say that the integration of their work forces — USBC had more than 200 employees before word of a likely move to Arlington prompted numerous resignations, while BPAA has 32 — would result in more efficient operations and more effective implementation of propast President of the BPAA. "That's not something I want to see happen." Because Bojé is a bowling center proprietor and remains an influential member of the BPAA Board of Directors, there was speculation that he forced the hand of the USBC Board to have bowling's governing body work more closely — figuratively and literally — with the men and women who own the "playing fields." It's an assertion Bojé strongly refutes. "Th "Those people are just wrong," he says says. "I did not drive this decision, and neit neither did Jim Sturm (a proprietor who also sits on the USBC Board, and n is next in line for the presidency of BPA BPAA). I'd bet there's not one USBC Boa Board member who would tell you that. I've simply been a vehicle of communicati cation between two organizations that wer were operating in vacuums before — a sing single voice talking to both of them." Ov Over the past 25 years, the number of competitive bowlers in the United States — generally defined Unit t by the combined memberships of the Ame American Bowling Congress, Women's International Bowling Congress and Inte You Young American Bowling Alliance, whi which merged to form USBC in 2005 — has gradually declined from 9.7 million 2 to 2.6 million. A majority of proprietors (inc (including many who were approaching retirement or figured they'd be able s to sell their centers and property for a sub substantial profit as real estate values escalated) saw no reason to panic esc bec because they were able to replace lost leag league linage with open play linage, much of which was premium priced. muc But as open play began to decline in some areas last year, the financial security provided by multi-month leagues (even if they did pay lower per-game fees) suddenly began to look good again. To leaders of both non- "international bowling campus" with the Arlington-based Bowling Proprietors' Association of America. The decision to move was made by the USBC Board of Directors after hearing presentations by civic leaders of the greater Milwaukee and Dallas areas at a hastily called meeting in Atlanta on March 9. 52 bowlers journal international APRIL 2008 grams. But they insist that the impetus for USBC abandoning its home for more than a century is to revive competitive bowling. "If we lose the competitive side of bowling, then [the] bowling [industry] is going to end up as 700 or 800 mega-fun complexes around the country," says Jeff Bojé, President of the USBC and a

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Bowlers Journal International - April 2008

Bowlers Journal International - April 2008 Contents Leading Off Letters Bowlitically Incorrect Calendar Par Bowling The Coach Frame of Mind Inside Line The Truth Be Bowled Tournaments Pro Bowling PBA Bayer Classic PBA Pepsi Championship PBA Don Johnson Classic Regional Roundup Cover Story Up Close Senior Tour The USBC Move USBC Convention Pattern Play Anniversary Flashback Time Capsule Media Beat No Holes Barred Shop Talk Spotlight Marketplace Hall Marks Profit Prophet Advertisers' Index Classified Advertising Intelligencer Business Calendar Business People Strikes Me

Bowlers Journal International - April 2008

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