Bowling Industry Proposes White House Lane Makeover

Bowling's popularity has been falling for years which means the bowling industry is constantly on the hunt for opportunities to promote itself to a public which is increasingly moving on to other recreational pursuits.

So after President-elect Barack Obama won the White House, bowling-industry officials clearly had an epiphany. Combine Obama's famously bad bowling (gutter balls) during a presidential campaign stop and the outdated White House bowling alley and maybe there's a public-relations opportunity.

Barack Obama bowling at the Pleasant Valley Bowling Center in Altoona, PA in March 2008. (Chicago Tribune photo by Zbigniew Bzdak)

Thus, bowling-industry types have a modest proposal for Obama. As a gift to the American people, they will completely renovate the current White House bowling alley which dates back to the Nixon era and looks like it, transforming it into a high-tech video-game era family entertainment center where he can practice his bowling technique.

(Aging White House bowling alley.)

The bowling officials describe their proposal in a press release:

In an incredible display of non-partisan collaboration that would make any politician blush, the leading organizations within the bowling industry are joining forces to offer to bring the White House Lane to the digital era. The enhanced ultra-modern lane would include a completely new technology surface, cutting-edge bowling balls, a top-of-the-line high definition scoring system and light display, a digital stereo sound system, club seating, Bowlopolis kids digital graphics, and modern electronic bumpers (perfect to help both the President-Elect and his children adopt proper bowling technique).

(Photo credit: Qubica/AMF)

"Our goal is to provide the President-Elect and his family with the modern day bowling experience. (Of course, their goal is also to get some free publicity and associate themselves with one of the world's most popular and forward-leaning brands -- Obama.)

They continue:

"We're focused on completely refurbishing the White House Lane - no pin will be left behind," said Jim Sturm, president of the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA). "In a sign of solidarity that should give inspiration to politicians on both sides of the aisle, the leading organizations within our industry have formed a 'coalition task force' to help enact a different kind of positive change on Capitol Hill."

The bowling organizations that have teamed together to offer to revamp the White House Lane include the USBC, BPAA, PBA (Professional Bowlers' Association), TNBA (The National Bowling Association) and the IBPSIA (International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association).

It's not enough that many hope Obama can revive the economy; now he's expected to breathe new life into bowling too.

Swamp Politics

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