Michael Fagan Switches Sponsors?!

[americantrotter]

Storm and Roto-Grip definitely flip flop between the brands. Saw a lot of Storm bowlers rolling the Defiant Soul on TV this year.

[swingset]

Maybe,,, JUST maybe that's why! Who wants to buy a ball with a lousy NUMBER on it, when you can get an IQ,,, ( this country could use a little more of that lol)! Or,,, The Lucid Dream ball,,,, Tropical Heat!! Who was it that said: "What is there in a name, is a bowling ball not still a bowling ball even it is call by a unimaginative number!

Would you like it if people were given numbers, instead of Names....NO,,,, NO one would like that! Ball's need to be named, just like my mother 3252, said!

Track should stamp a number on its balls in small case,,, but they need a NAME,,,, THEY NEED A NAME!

Now USA STORM have the King of Swing, throwing their American Made Products! Numbers are ok for prisoners, but NOT Storm Balls!! My sweet precious yellow like gold IQ tour pearl!

Some of the most desirable objects ever made go by numbers.







I actually like the number system, and think it's a lot cooler than some goofy name and big ugly logo on the side.

[crimsoneyes]

I had read somewhere that Ebonite Intl is no longer doing four brand sponsorships. As such the players are choosing one brand to be sponsored by. I don't know if that means that they only throw that brand now or if nothing really changes except the logo on the jersey.

[WolfGirl1980]

Some of the most desirable objects ever made go by numbers.







I actually like the number system, and think it's a lot cooler than some goofy name and big ugly logo on the side.

Nice Gibson you found my next great love Guitars and man would I love to be able to play one I have an Alvarez red and black and took some lessons once and didn't practice reason I didn't is cause I couldn't remember what I was suppose to be practicing the guy game some chords to go over but to play them in a certain way I forgot the way he told me how to play it. The way I know how to play piano or keyboard is by ear I taught myself I still don't know how to read music and I wish I did I know every good boy does fine and face but the other stuff and timing that I don't know and chords I don't know chords I have an electric guitar and I don't know how to tune it I have a tuner app but that still doesn't help me when I don't know which way to turn the knobs or whatever there called and I heard its easier to learn on an acoustic guitar so I waiting till I have enough money for an acoustic guitar I would like one with a western style pick guard or a sunburst color acoustic guitar hopefully I don't wait till its too late for me to learn anything about them. I am trying to wait till I can get one for x-mas this year I am wanting an Ipad for X-mas in 2 years maybe I get that guitar cause next year there be a new Iphone out.

[TCJ]

1. Isnt Track part of Ebonite?

Other people have answered, but here's some more information on a bunch of companies that I gathered:

900 Global:
900 Global, AMF 300

Brunswick
Brunswick, DV8, Radical (Not sure if they actually own the company, but they do produce the balls)

Ebonite:
Columbia 300, Ebonite, Hammer, Track

Storm :
Storm, Roto Grip

Independent (to my knowledge - I could be wrong on some):
Elite
Lane #1
Lane Masters
Morich
Motiv
Pyramid


I'm fairly certain that I've seen a bowler use Roto Grip and Storm products in the same tournament. No idea about Ebonite and all their brands.

[WolfGirl1980]

Don't you have to be Pro to have a sponsor? If so then why are we talking about it, is anyone among us Pro? I know one thing I would like to make bowling a career but I know I have a long way to go and I am 32 years old I hope I am not too old to be getting started are there any mentally handicap people who have bowling as a profession cause its all I think about it consumes me its all I wanna do for the rest of my life. What would the chosen career path be for mentally handicap bowler, what I mean is how far could a mentally handicap bowler go in this field?

[billf]

No, you don't have to be a pro to be sponsored.
A sponsored bowler can use any ball under the umbrella of the parent company. It's all in the contract wording but as of last week that was how they were all worded.

[billf]

He probably just wanted to roll something different. The one good thing about not being on staff for a specific company..... you can roll whatever you want!
He was with Storm previously, but it makes sense for Storm. Why not sign another guy who makes a bunch of shows?

Would have been cool to see him rolling DV8.

Scotty, I found where Fagan was with Brunswick in 2003 but I can't find anywhere showing or saying he was with Storm before. The scary part, Barnes was with Brunswick at the same time. How cool would it be to see Fagan, Barnes, Rash, Ciminelli and Ronnie Russel all throwing DV8/Brunswick!?!?

[GoodGravy]

I'm not sure about the other companies, but Jason Belmonte is with Storm, and he used the Wrecker (Roto Grip) when he lost against PDW who was using 2 different drilled IQ Tour Pearls in one of the championships a few weeks ago.

I have seen Storm and Roto Grip guys and gals freely switch between both brands, since Storm bought out Roto Grip I guess they are just one big happy multi-million dollar family!!

[Stormed1]

It depends on their contract. Those under the Ebonite umbrella could throw any of the 4 brands during qualifying but had ti throw what brand they were signed with on TV ie. Tommy Jones (Ebonite(, Bill O'Neal (Hammer), Mike Fagan (Track), Chris Barned (Columbia). I read somewhere that Tommy Jones has moved to Hammer and Ryan Ciminelliis now with DV