Ebonite

Sep 24, 2012

BATESVILLE, VA – Killer ‘B’ Promotions (KBP) and the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) announced today the signing of an exclusive licensing agreement under which KBP will create and market a line of PBA-branded bowling balls for use in the Teen Masters.  The licensing agreement is part of a joint effort by the PBA and KBP to spur the growth of competitive youth bowling.
 
The announcement comes five years after the Teen Masters staged its first competition in which the bowlers all used the same ball. “This journey began during a meeting in the Dexter Den at the 2007 Teen Masters when the top teen bowlers were offered a special tournament in which they could each choose one ball to use,” explained KBP President and Teen Masters founder Gary Beck. “Their collective and emphatic response was, ‘Make us all throw the same ball. That way we will know who bowled the best.’ The following year we introduced our first Ebonite Bowl To Win Showdown in which all competitors were given identical balls to compete with.  The overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic response from the kids who participated has kept us moving diligently toward this day.”

Using modern design technology, two low differential balls with non-flaring, symmetrical cores will be produced.  One will have a polyester cover and the other a urethane-performance cover.  The balls will be manufactured by Ebonite, the Official Bowling Ball partner of the Teen Masters since 2008, and available for purchase on TeenMastersBowling.com.

Lane conditions are also a critical component of the initiative.  Kegel, the Official Lane Maintenance Partner of the Teen Masters since 2003, will design two low-volume oil patterns, one long and one short, for use with the PBA balls. The patterns will use 65 to 80% less oil than current oil patterns. The combination of the new PBA bowling balls and Kegel patterns will stabilize the scoring environment by significantly reducing oil transition.

The PBA balls and low-volume Kegel patterns will initially be used in the 2013 Teen Masters National Championships scheduled for June 29 – July 4 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., plus a select number of Teen Masters leagues and qualifying events held in the spring.  The same balls will continue to be used in subsequent years, reducing equipment costs and allowing bowlers to focus their financial resources on practice and lessons.

“Kids are the future of the sport and the PBA is excited to play a role in this initiative,” said Tom Clark, PBA Commissioner. “It will make the sport easier to coach and easier to learn, and both are key ingredients in the retention of youth participants at the competitive level.” It was Clark who introduced a limited equipment event at the sport’s highest level when he conducted the PBA’s Plastic Ball Championship from 2009-2011.

“The PBA balls and low-volume Kegel patterns will allow us to create a playing environment in which the skill of the participants will be the dominant factor influencing the outcome of our competition, continued Beck.  Shot making will be critical. We intend to put the credit for good shots and responsibility for poor ones back in the hands of our bowlers.”

Interested bowling centers, coaches and pro shops are invited to learn about the opportunity to implement the new competitive environment in their youth programs by contacting Gary Beck at garyb@killerbpromotions.com or visiting the Teen Masters website, TeenMastersBowling.com.

About Killer ‘B’ Promotions
Killer ‘B’ Promotions creates and manages bowling events and promotions that engage consumers and deliver measurable value for sponsors. Our portfolio of promotions includes the Sandals Bowl Your Way To Montego Bay (1992), Chevy Geo Bowl Up A Storm (1993), and the Chevy Malibu Challenge (1998).

Events include the PBA Battle At Little Creek (2001 & 2002), the AMF Dick Weber Classic (1994 & 1995), the Brunswick World Tournament of Champions (1998 – 2000), and the BPAA US Open (1998). Killer B’s flagship event is the Teen Masters, America’s only national bowling championship for high school students.

About the Teen Masters
Started in 1997, the Teen Masters is the longest running national championship event in youth bowling.  Since its beginning, the Teen Masters has used a challenging scoring environment to test the skills of its participants while teaching valuable life lessons such as perseverance and overcoming adversity. The Teen Masters has also delivered memorable experiences by staging its finals in exciting locations such as Universal Studios in Orlando, the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas, and in New York City’s iconic Grand Central Terminal. The Teen Masters will return to Grand Central in 2013 on August 6, 7, and 8. Teen Masters sponsors include Dexter Shoe Company, Ebonite, Kegel, and Bowling.com.

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