Bring PBA Telecasts To Australia

[falloutboy]

I was watching some PBA Tournament matches from 97 last night, it got me thinking, why don't they bring out the PBA televised matches to ESPN or Fox Sports. I know the Women's tour isn't going anymore, but the men's matches could still be played. It would be great to see the PBA now because they were always great to watch. A bit more coverage in the sport could get more people back into bowling, or even new bowlers getting into leagues and tournaments.

Just my idea anyway, but I liked watching Walter Ray Williams Jr & Parker Bohn III battle it out.

 

[Street Racer]

i got told they did? but no1 was really watching them......

thats what i got told anyway


I would like to see it on the air

Brett

 

[rychenroller]

For a quick fix, you can watch youtube for nothin..plenty of pba on there inc. 2006/7

 

[Ash]

I know when Optus Vision first started they were showing PBA events on ESPN, but they haven't for a long time...

Given the amount of sports channels on pay tv these days, I don't see why they can't make room for it on a Sunday or whenever...

I'm not even sure where to start to find out how to get them back on the air, or to even get it considered...

Any ideas?

 

[The Insider]

It would be good but remember the Coca Cola Classic that used to be televised on Sunday arvo?

What happened there? Lack of ratings? Maybe that is why bowling is not televised here...

 

[Tiger]

It would be good but remember the Coca Cola Classic that used to be televised on Sunday arvo?
What happened there? Lack of ratings? Maybe that is why bowling is not televised here...

Remember when it used to be on the telly during the lunchbreak in the cricket?
I thought I heard once that it rated reasonably well, but inevitably it was pushed aside to make way for something else.

The ABC telecasts of the South Pacific Classic were quite good too, a couple of posters on this forum were on the telecasts.
The last one I remember had Gordon Bray - Rugby Union commentator - anchoring the shows - did a really good job.

 

[aphelion]

It would be good but remember the Coca Cola Classic that used to be televised on Sunday arvo?
What happened there? Lack of ratings? Maybe that is why bowling is not televised here...

The Coca Cola Classic was awesome, I was watching a few of my Dad's old tapes of it just the other day. I might have to give it its own dedication thread, and watch a few old-schoolers squirm in the process, heh.

I think it died when channel 9 introduced the Cricket Show to the lunch breaks.

The lane conditions could have been a bit more favourable as well. Nobody wants to watch "Australia's best bowlers" throwing 170's.

Oh, and the Baker system seriously sucked.

 

[Tiger]

The lane conditions could have been a bit more favourable as well. Nobody wants to watch "Australia's best bowlers" throwing 170's.

I recall an article in an old Pin Action magazine from many years ago with Bob Cook raising that very point.
In saying that some of the low scoring matches just shouldn't be put to air because it was doing the sport quite a deal of harm by broadcasting matches which were struggle-fests which were a turn-off to viewers.
I believe Jim Ferguson shooting a 155 on a televised match was one example used at the time and there were quite a few other such examples.

 

[falloutboy]

I really enjoyed watching the Bowling matches on Channel 10. Last games I recalled I watched included Paul Longayroux and Andrew Frawley. That's all I could remember seeing it was so long ago.

The PBA games are usually pretty high scoring matches, usually 200+, so low scoring shouldn't be an issue.

The ratings I hate, because say for example you have 20,000 people watching the telecast, but 25,000 tape it without watching it, the ratings don't come into play at all. Ratings don't apply to every tv, digital set top box either, there are only selected ones that apply. So not sure why Companies get too focused on ratings.

Look how many keen bowlers there are right through Australia. Bowling has always had a tough run through entertainment, eg, where's a good and decent bowling game, with tournaments, real pro's, and something realistic. The last decent one was back in 1998. Even though we have so many Bowlers in Australia, we can't get anything televised at all.

Just an idea purely, what about big Australian tournaments televised and put on the tv occassionally. You could have a few big Senior's, Juniors, Youth Tournaments from all the states televised a few times in the year. Would be great to watch and would raise the profile up of bowling, more than what it is now at the moment.

Just an idea, but what does everyone else think?

 

[bradwick]

Hi All

My suggestion on this would be to go to the Fox sports web site and petition them to see what they can do. Also even try the ESPN site.

My understanding of this is they get enough requests they make look at seeing what it would cost them to bring it over here. It does come down to ratings though and i know for a fact the Tenpin Masters on Foxs Sports does not rate that well so this maybe the contributing factor

 

[Shayne Melton]

If you go onto the PBA web site there is a part called "Strike Pass". If you subscribe to this you can watch every PBA telecast. They also play old tv matches in the off season. It cost about $5.95 a month. Thats a bit cheaper then foxtel.

 

[mickyd213]

It would be good but remember the Coca Cola Classic that used to be televised on Sunday arvo?
What happened there? Lack of ratings? Maybe that is why bowling is not televised here...

I remember watching Tim Mack, Andrew Frawley, Carl Bottomley, Terry Wenban and that tall American lady... Thats what got me hooked on bowling

 

[AdrianS]

It would help if we got the 'real' ESPN instead of the watered down 'asian' one we get now. I have seen college bowling on ESPN in the past, thats goin back 3+ years though. I think i'm still trying to get my sleep patterns back into wack after watching Kelly Kulick win the US open at 5am back then too!!

 

[rambo1]

hi adrian,
which sat the watered down version of pba telecasts
rambo1

 

[AdrianS]

Ahh, i meant we kind of get this 'best of' version of ESPN instead of ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN classic straight off the satellite, if that happend the money would be in the mail tomorrow from me to Austar to get it put on. My guess is it would take too many viewers away from Fox Sports so thy cant or wont do it.

 

[Lemmings]

The only reason why I dont have FOX is because I don't give a hoot about TV.. though I always watch Cricket, Top Gear, Football... so the important stuff then...
Anyway my point exacs... Get Ten-Pin back on the TV... FFS it's better than some shit on TV at the moment... /ends rant


Wayne

 

[falloutboy]

As I said in one of my earlier posts, maybe televising big australian tournaments and putting them on free to air tv, maybe either saturday or sunday arvo would work. Be really good to check out some of the big tournaments interstates, which alot of people wouldn't see usually.

Could ideally work, maybe bring PBA matches on early evening as well on a selected day. Just a thought, but could work out.