They plan to blend a passion for bowling, experience building a modern business and the sports marketing prowess of Hamilton and ex-Nike executive Steve Miller, named PBA president, to create the next global sports sensation. They have a long way to go. They must reverse years of bowling bashing, where rented multicolored shoes, polyester shirts and beer frames have served as punchlines swirling around the Fred Flintstone and Ralph Kramden league-bowler stereotype. Sports radio host Jim Rome ripped bowling on his show a few months ago. Hamilton says this imminent social rebirth of bowling will be led by the rejuvenation of the professional game.
Pro bowlers are great athletes.
We want to tell their stories, let people see how exciting it can be. Whenever you go, it's a blast. People don't have any respect for you. But Schenkel is retired and the 9.1 Nielsen rating pro bowling earned for ABC in 1973 plummeted to a 1.9 in 1997, the last time it appeared on the network. The older demographics of the telecast, now airing on ESPN, have not stirred the interest of major sponsors, leading to low prize money.