by Bill Vint

The Professional Bowlers Association and Bowlmor AMF, the world’s largest operator of bowling centers, have entered into an entitlement partnership agreement that will make Bowlmor AMF an official partner of the PBA and official host of the 2015 Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational on Jan. 8 at AMF Bowl-O-Drome Lanes in Torrance, California.

The agreement was announced today by PBA Commissioner Tom Clark and Bowlmor AMF CEO Tom Shannon.

In addition to the entitlements, Bowlmor AMF will be highly visible on PBA telecasts, including a package of billboards, commercial spots and on-site signage, and recognition throughout the 2014 and 2015 seasons across the PBA Network including Xtra Frame online webcasts, PBA’s official website, pba.com, and the full range of PBA social media outlets, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Bowlmor AMF will provide the PBA promotional support through its network of 340 domestic bowling centers.

“Bowlmor AMF has established itself as the single most prominent operator of bowling centers in the United States and has announced its intentions to play a major role in future growth of our sport,” Clark said. “The PBA is pleased to announce the formation of a relationship that will be mutually beneficial in the years ahead.”

“We’re proud to partner with the PBA for this tremendous event and support the players who lead the industry,” said Tom Shannon, Bowlmor AMF Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and President. “This is an exciting time for the bowling industry and Bowlmor AMF is committed to growing the sport at every level – from recreational bowling to league play and professional bowling.”

The sixth Chris Paul PBA Celebrity Invitational presented by AMF will return on January 8 to AMF’s 40-lane facility in suburban Los Angeles. The fundraiser for Paul’s CP3 Foundation will feature a number of well-known celebrities along with several PBA stars. The event will be televised by ESPN on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1, at 4:30 p.m. ET, leading into the most-watched television event on the sports calendar.

The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is an organization of more than 3,200 of the best bowlers from 27 countries who compete in PBA Tour, PBA International Tour, PBA Regional and PBA50 Tour events. The PBA is in its 55th consecutive year of nationally-televised competition, reaching more than one million American households and thousands more around the world who watch PBA activities on Xtra Frame, the PBA’s exclusive online bowling channel. PBA sponsors include Barbasol, Bowlmor AMF, Brunswick, Concrete Software, Ebonite International, GEICO, HotelPlanner.com, Jack Link’s, MOTIV, Storm Products and the United States Bowling Congress, among others. For more information, log on to www.pba.com.

Bowlmor AMF is the largest operator of bowling centers in the world, with 340 domestic locations and 8 locations in Mexico that specialize in corporate and special events, as well as league and walk-in retail bowling. The company was created in 2013 following the merger of Bowlmor, an upscale bowling and entertainment company, and AMF Bowling Worldwide. Bowlmor AMF acquired Brunswick’s bowling center business in 2014 and its portfolio of bowling retail brands includes AMF, Bowlmor Lanes, Brunswick Bowling, Brunswick Zone, Brunswick Zone XL and Brunswick’s brands. For more information, please visit: www.bowlmor.com, www.amf.com, www.bowlero.com and www.bowlbrunswick.com.