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47 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, May 11, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend April 23, 2004 Medford Open champion Pete Weber will have a chance to defend his title when the PBA returns to Southern Oregon next season. Still Standing Medford remains a PBA stop, but the West is stripped of most venues By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune Nobody sets ‘em up and knocks ‘em down like the Professional Bowlers Association, but this was a doozy even by its standards. The PBA lined up on the approach, took aim at a schedule in need of a shake-up and swung with such force it created unprecedented havoc. It was a pocket shot if ever there was one, and venues scattered and fell amid the chaos. Yet there stood Medford, so much like a pesky 10-pin. No analogy could be more appropriate. Advertisement Yes, the PBA is returning to Medford, but the magnitude of that decision truly comes to light when placed against the backdrop of the association’s wide-ranging restructuring. Medford’s in, but most of the West Coast toppled as if the Big One hit. Gone is the stop in Seattle, home of the PBA and the Earl Anthony Classic, named for the game’s greatest winner. Gone are two stops in Reno, Nev., site of the National Bowling Stadium and host to a major, the ABC Masters. Almost gone was the only other stop in the West, the U.S. Open in the Los Angeles area. It was in and out of the picture several times before the host center, Fountain Valley Bowl, and the PBA found common ground. That stop is no longer a major, however. "I think this is a big coup for the city of Medford," said Ric Donnelly, the Lava Lanes owner whose three-year contract with the PBA expired with the completion of January’s Medford Open. "We didn’t let it slip through the cracks, and we could have very easily. We could have sat back and hoped maybe they would come back, but instead we really pushed for it, and it all came together." Ultimately, the PBA, which has seen more change than a slot machine in recent years, yearned to be in places with nice facilities and population bases that support the tournaments, not only in attendance, but in pro-ams and other periphery events. Centers don’t come any nicer, according to many of the pros, than Lava Lanes. Further, the red-carpet hospitality and financial commitment of the Medford Visitors and Convention Bureau is profound, and pro-am fields fill up quickly, as do the bleachers during competition. Seattle and Reno have nice houses, but interest was minimal. "Why are we going back to Medford?" said PBA commissioner Fred Schreyer, who will be in town today to formally announce the agreement. "We’re going there because the event is so well supported. The community has adopted it and made it a big part of the calendar. It’s a place we need to be just because of the reception we get." Perhaps most telling is that Medford, once it agreed to a fee double what it previously paid, never really made it to the chopping block. "We looked at ways to keep Medford in ," said Schreyer. "We needed to keep Medford in, and we went to some pains to do it." As the PBA worked through the logistics of a 20-stop schedule, with roughly one-third of the places being new, Medford remained in the equation. Paramount to that was the placement of tournaments around it that would make it feasible for players to travel to and from Southern Oregon. Next season, the Medford Open will be held Dec. 8-12, the next-to-last stop in the first half of the season. It comes after a new Denver-area event and before Los Angeles. After the holiday break, the tour starts its second swing in Phoenix, another new venue, then continues through the Southwest and South before turning northward. "Had we not been able to get an event in Denver or do something else that might lead to Medford," said Schreyer, "we might have had to let it go." The PBA has been looking at making scheduling changes since the end of the 2002-03 season, said Schreyer, with the idea of enhancing the profile and exposure of the players. Vacating sparsely attended areas and adding venues in the Midwest, where popularity is high, made sense. Just as it did to stay in Medford. "To be honest, you have a very progressive group down there," said Schreyer, "and they were anxious to do what they could for us. But we were motivated to be there." The agreement is for one year, something that will be common at most sites, said Donnelly, as the tour makes the transition to an all-exempt tour and tests new markets. "I would love to commit to more," he said. The week of the tournament will be different from years past. Actual competition, featuring 64 players in bracketed match play, will be Thursday (rounds of 64 and 32), Friday (rounds of 16 and eight) and Sunday (finals). Players will arrive at the center Wednesday for practice, and pro-ams will be held on Saturday rather than early in the week. In addition to the new venues, there are other notable changes in the PBA’s schedule, which is to be formally released — complete with tournament names — on Monday. The first half of the season is actually comprised of eight events, down two from last season because of a later start, and the second half is 12. The Masters will now be in Milwaukee, which is hosting a tournament for the first time since the early 1990s, and will be under the sponsorship of Miller Brewing. Holding a major as the first event of the season gives the PBA "a chance to make a big splash out of the gate," said Schreyer, likening it to opening day in other sports. Another major, the Tournament of Champions, previously culminated the first half but is now the season-ending event. Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times