MORE THAN 1,000 BOWLING CENTERS JOIN TOGETHER TO SHATTER WORLD RECORD FOR MOST GAMES RECORDED IN A SINGLE DAY

741,821 Games Played in 24 Hours as Part of Nationwide Challenge Spearheaded by the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA)

ARLINGTON, TX, October 5, 2009 – The Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA), the bowling industry's premier trade association, announced today the setting of a new world record for the most games played in a single day.  On National Bowling Day (September 5, 2009), more than 1,000 bowling centers across the nation joined forces to record 741,821 games - surpassing the existing record of 548,721 games, an increase of over 35%.
 
"The success of the World Record challenge is a testament to the strong state of the bowling industry.   In addition to the hundreds of thousands who took part in National Bowling Day, we've seen consistent year-after-year growth including more than 67 million having bowled in the past year alone," said Jim Sturm, president of the BPAA.  "This is an exciting time for bowling.  New and better centers are opening and the industry's popularity continues to rise among new audiences such as children, women and young adults."

Added Sturm, "The high level of consumer participation in the World Record challenge, coupled with the 1044 individual proprietors who joined forces to break the record (808 for the previous record), speaks to both the popularity of bowling and increased solidarity across our industry."

The success of the World Record challenge was driven by a first-of-its-kind promotion led by the BPAA in partnership with the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), encouraging member bowling centers across the country to offer a free game to anyone who visited participating centers on National Bowling Day.

Added Steven Johnson, executive director of the BPAA, "The World Record success illustrates the tremendous marketing power of the bowling industry.  Companies like Pepsi, VH1, Jolly Time and Tony's Pizza can attest that a partnership with the BPAA taps into a membership of more than 3,400 of the nation's top bowling centers with a footprint that spans the country."
 
The new bowling world record is recognized by the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA), United States Bowling Congress (USBC), Strike Ten Entertainment, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), and the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA).