PBA ToC on ABC

This weekend will be one of the biggest weekends in the history of American Ten-Pin Bowling. I specify tenpin, because there are of course other types, such as candlepin, which is a style popular out east, plus a couple variations of duckpin bowling. The PBA Tournament of Champions is taking place, and it will be the richest tournament in the PBA Tour's history. There's $1 million in the prize fund, with $250,ooo to the winner. Second place will pay $100,000. So it's big in that regard, but also in that it could foretell the future of the PBA Tour.

This year, there are fewer tournaments since the very first years of the Tour, and some of the tournaments feature first place checks that haven't been this low in years. Ratings are around a million per show, a far cry from when I watched it pretty regularly in the late '70s and early '80s. I could write several pages on what I think is the cause of the problem, and the cure (hint: accept the loss of popularity, no gimmicks, and respect the game in the broadcasts). Someday I will. (I think I've said that before.)

So this weekend, the PBA Tour will try to rejuvenate itself by putting most of its eggs in this basket. Some cool things include Nelson (Bo) Burton, Jr. being back on the telecast, which will be broadcast live on ABC for the first time since 1997. It will be in HD, which to me is the coolest thing of all, as you will be able to really see the fine points of the ball revolution and reaction to the lane conditions. That's something only a true bowling geek can get into perhaps, but I'm hoping Randy Pedersen's analysis will help the casual viewer appreciate some of the finer points to some degree.

It airs this Saturday at 1:30 P.M. CST, and despite my skepticism of how it will affect (or not) the future success of the Tour, it will most definitely make for compelling television. These guys (and gals) are struggling to make a living, but at least one person (even two, you could argue) might make some life-changing cash. As a purist, I feel I shouldn't be as excited as I am for the show. But as a fan, how can I help it?