PBA Membership Drive Targets Renewals, Youth, International Competitors

[bowl1820]

PBA Membership Drive Targets Renewals, Youth, International Competitors
by Bill Vint February 3, 2012 07:23

SEATTLE – The Professional Bowlers Association has launched a new membership drive to encourage new members to experience PBA competition, former members to return to the fold, young bowlers to test their skills at the PBA level at an affordable price, and bowlers from around the world to enjoy the benefits of PBA membership as competitors in the new PBA-World Tenpin Bowling Association World Bowling Tour program.

The new membership campaign introduces a new low-cost PBA24 membership specifically designed for players ages 19-24, and a new PBA International membership to grant specific PBA benefits, including the ability to win PBA Tour titles, to international players who bowl in PBA-WBT events.

“The PBA24 program is designed to make membership significantly more accessible to a vital group of talented young bowlers who have decided they are not going to bowl in college or exhausted their collegiate eligibility, and are looking for the next challenge to expand their skills,” said PBA CEO Geoff Reiss. “There is no better place to do that than in PBA competition.”

In addition to the competitive challenges, membership in the PBA includes financial advances including discounted lineage fees for practice at hundreds of bowling centers across the nation that support the PBA, discounts on the latest in bowling equipment provided by PBA’s Registered Product Companies, instructional opportunities, a membership newsletter and a number of other privileges.

“From a purely economic standpoint, PBA membership provides a wide range of benefits that vastly out-weigh the cost of membership dues,” said PBA Commissioner Tom Clark.

For past members, the PBA is offering a no-penalty renewal program through March 31. Reinstatement and/or initiation fees will be waived for those who restore full and standard memberships – a savings of $99 – and an amnesty program will waive up to three months of dues owed for 2010 and/or 2011. Players who rejoin by March 1 who have won a PBA Tour, Regional or Senior title at any point in their careers will be eligible to enter the 2012 PBA Tournament of Champions.

New members and players who rejoin will be eligible for the new Regional Players Doubles Championship presented by Hammer (Feb. 10-12 at South Point Bowling Center in Las Vegas), and to receive invitations for the 2013 Dick Weber PBA Playoffs. And they will be eligible for all PBA Tour events during the 2012-13 season when the PBA returns to an open entry (non-exempt) policy for all tournaments.

The new PBA24 membership costs only $49 and includes all Standard Membership benefits plus a $50 discount off the entry fee for the player’s first PBA Regional tournament. Players must have a 200 or higher average for at least 36 games in the current league season, or a 190 or higher average in a PBA Experience or USBC Sport league, or in USBC-certified collegiate competition.

The PBA International membership costs $99 and is designed to allow international bowlers who compete in World Bowling Tour events to earn PBA titles, and to make those players eligible to bowl in the 2012 PBA World Series of Bowling. International members also will be allowed to enter up to three PBA Regionals and one non-WBT PBA Tour event in the U.S. other than a World Series event.

Players who apply for PBA International membership must be members-in-good-standing in their home country’s WTBA federation. A player who wins a PBA-WBT co-branded event must upgrade to full or standard membership in order to bowl future PBA events.

The PBA also has introduced a referral program whereby existing PBA members will earn a $50 discount on a PBA Regional entry for every PBA24 member who enrolls and designates the player as his/her “sponsor.”

[striker12]

nice i defently want to get into the PBA but ik im not ready yet soo im going to wait a year befor jumping into the PBA cause i want to learn abit more befor i learn alot

[greycat]

Yeah, guess what pba, I was ready at 23-24 to bowl your tourneys but at pba entry vs house entry fees led me a different road and I still bowled the same people. In fact my choice tourney was the dick weber knew and liked the house. true, I am a ticked off to see this now. I hope some young bowlers take advantage and make good money.

[striker12]

im defently going to be taking advantage of this but maby next eyar ocne i get my avg back up and when im 19 where then i finaly get my G rather then jsut this G2