(July 22, 2002)

At Best Women's Professional Bowling Is A Fringe Sport

DALLAS TX (July 22, 2002) Wendy Macpherson, the top all-time money winner in women's bowling, lugged her bowling balls and equipment to the car after failing to make the finals of the Dallas Open.

Ahead of her was an eight-hour drive to Collierville, Tenn., site of the next week's Professional Women's Bowling Association tournament. She'll pay for the trip out of her own pocket - gas, food, hotels and entry fees.

"This is 17 years for me, and nothing's changed," she said as the PWBA wrapped up its $60,000 Dallas Open tournament Friday at Don Carter's All-Star West lanes. "Sometimes it gets very wearing on you."

In this age of millionaire athletes, women bowlers have yet to arrive at the promised land of big money, endorsements or television exposure.

"We don't get any respect," said Cathy Dorin-Lizzi, president of the PWBA Players Association, "and we don't make the money we deserve."

North Richland Hills resident Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, the top money winner last year on the 21-year-old PWBA tour, made a decent living by the standards of working Americans. She won $135,045 in prize money, plus money from an endorsement deal for Ebonite International Inc., a ball maker.

The earnings potential of the best women's bowlers doesn't even approach the individual winnings of the top women in tennis and golf. Venus Williams won $2.6 million on the Sanex Women's Tennis Association Tour. Anika Sorenstam won $2.1 million on the Ladies Professional Golf Tour.

Macpherson made $1.1 million in professional sports, but it took her 17 years to do it. And some weeks, the pay is lousy: She finished 10th in the Dallas Open, earning $1,425 for her trip to town.

Macpherson finished third on the money list at $92,940 last year, plus $26,000 in equipment incentives. Travel and other expenses eat up about $30,000 a year, she said.

"This is actually good money, compared to what we started with," she said.

PWBA prize money will total at least $1.3 million his year, compared with $250,000 in 1981.

After Dorin-Ballard, Macpherson and a few other tops stars, women bowlers' incomes go down quickly. Dede Davidson, the 10th best women's bowler last year, made $40,615. Karen Stroud, ranked 20th in winnings, took home $24,470.

"I bowl for my house payment every week," Dorin-Lizzi said.

John Falzone, president of the privately owned PWBA since its founding, pleads for a little perspective. Sure, the golf and tennis stars make a lot, but Women's National Basketball Association players average $40,000 a year and professional women's soccer typically average $34,000.

"Professional bowling is not on a par with professional golf and professional tennis," he said. "I'm not sure it ever will be."

The size of the economic pie and the number of fingers in it determine incomes in professional sports. Women bowlers aren't striking it rich because their fan base isn't large enough to attract the holy grail of big-time sports - corporate money.

The PWBA does have sponsors, of course, but most of them are bowling equipment and apparel companies. "We need a big sponsor outside the bowling industry to invest a big sum of money," Dorin-Lizzi said.

Bowling is the most popular sport in America, with 55.5 million participants, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association reports. That's why the women bowlers see a large potential audience for their tour.

It's just a matter of finding ways to reach them. "We need a really good marketing company to take on our tour and market it in the way it should be presented," Dorin-Ballard said.

Falzone says its not easy to reach bowlers scattered all over America, but the PWBA has stepped up its prospecting for money. It hired Strike Ten Entertainment Inc., a leading bowling marketer, three years ago to build the sponsor base. Strike 10 quickly brought Miller Brewing Co. on as a national sponsor. Negotiations are under way to bring in Pepsi-Cola as soft-drink sponsor.

The Professional Bowlers Association shows what a better sales pitch can do. In early 2000, three former Microsoft Corp. executives bought the men's tour, which had fallen on hard times. They beefed up the marketing, and two years later the PBA is on the upswing, with more outside sponsors, television time and prize money.

"You probably never do enough from a promotional standpoint," Falzone said.

Many women bowlers probably could make more money in other occupations. They continue to endure the long drives and pay the hotel bills because of their passion for the sport.

"This is where I want to be," Dorin-Lizzi said.

[Source: Richard Alm The Dallas Morning News]