News
QubicaAMF Signs on as PBA Regional Tour Partner
The Professional Bowlers Association today announced a partnership agreement has been signed with QubicaAMF Worldwide, the world leader in bowling capital equipment and state-of-the-art automatic scoring technologies, that will bolster the extensive QubicaAMF PBA Regional Tour program.
Under the partnership agreement, QubicaAMF’s participation assures the prize funds for the more than 150 tournaments conducted in the PBA’s seven domestic regions (East, South, Central, Midwest, Southwest, West and Northwest) will exceed player entry fee contributions, enhancing the professional experience for all competitors.
“Since the PBA Regional program was officially launched in 1970, thousands of bowlers have had an opportunity to experience PBA-level competition in hundreds of cities across America,” said John Weber, PBA Director of Regional and PBA50 Tours. “Thanks to the support of QubicaAMF, the PBA will continue to provide the future stars of the PBA with affordable, close-to-home opportunities to develop the skills they will need to compete at the highest levels of our sport. At the same time, the QubicaAMF PBA Regional Tour provides thousands of fans an opportunity to see our established and emerging stars in person.”
As titled sponsor of the QubicaAMF PBA Regional Tour, QubicaAMF’s logo will be part of all of PBA’s on-site and online materials related to the regional program.
“We are thrilled to be able to give this boost to the Regional Tour and partner with the PBA,” said Pat Ciniello, Chairman of the Board of QubicaAMF. “QubicaAMF is committed to the sport of bowling—from developing products for leagues and tournaments to the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup, this year celebrating its 53rd Anniversary, which promotes the sport of bowling at all levels across the world. We feel that supporting the PBA and the bowling centers that host the regional events are important steps to ensuring the continuing success of our beloved sport.”
The QubicaAMF announcement arrives just as the PBA Regional program springs into its busy summer season, drawing praise from PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark, who described PBA’s seven regional directors as “the rock stars” of the PBA.
“They are the core of the greatest bowling tournament club ever created: the PBA,” Clark said. “They are great bowlers…trusted tournament directors…mentors…friends. They run their programs humbly, with integrity, professionalism and unmatched experience.”
The QubicaAMF PBA Regional Tour is managed by these seven men, under John Weber’s supervision:
● Russ Mills has managed the PBA East Region since 1997. A former PBA Tour and Regional competitor, Mills also was a former Ebonite district sales manager.
● Sam Zurich assumed management of the PBA South Region in 2012 after eight years assisting former South Regional director Harry O’Neale. Zurich is a two-time PBA Tour and 40-time PBA Regional title winner.
● Bobby Jakel has managed the PBA Central Region since 2006. A former collegiate bowler and USBC Open Championships “eagle” winner, Jakel bowled in PBA competition for 2 1/2 years before assuming his administrative role.
● Rich Weber was co-manager of the PBA Midwest Region between 1984-1998, working with his late father Dick Weber and younger brother John, before assuming full-time responsibility for the region in 2006. A two-time PBA Regional titlist in his own right, Rich Weber also was PBA50 Tour Director from 1990-98.
● Pete McCordic has managed the PBA Southwest Region since 1997. He came into the role after bowling on the PBA Tour for 18 years, winning two PBA Tour titles, bowling a nationally-televised 300 game, and winning seven PBA Regional titles. His twin brother Paul is currently active on the PBA50 Tour.
● Gary Mage, who does double-duty as PBA West and Northwest Region manager, is in his 51st year of involvement with the PBA. He bowled on the PBA Tour from 1968-1981, winning one title. A former bowling center owner, he was founder of the PBA Northwest Region in 1978 and has managed the program ever since, adding the PBA West Region to his duties in 2004.
Over the past three years, the QubicaAMF PBA Regional program has conducted an average of 165 tournaments each year, paying out more than $6.5 million in prize money.
To follow the QubicaAMF PBA Regional Tour, including upcoming events and results, visit pba.com and click on Menu/schedules/ “Regional Tours.”
About the PBA
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, PBA Women’s Regional and PBA50 Tour events. The PBA is in its 57th consecutive year of nationally-televised competition, reaching bowling fans around the world who follow PBA activities through the PBA Network which includes Xtra Frame, the PBA’s exclusive online bowling channel, ESPN and CBS Sports Network, and the PBA on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. PBA sponsors include Barbasol, Brunswick, Ebonite International, GEICO, Grand Casino Hotel and Resort, HotelPlanner.com, MOTIV, 900 Global, PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game, QubicaAMF Worldwide, Rolltech, South Point Hotel Casino and Spa, Storm Products and the United States Bowling Congress, among others. For more information, log on to www.pba.com.
About QubicaAMF Worldwide
QubicaAMF Worldwide is the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of bowling and mini bowling products. With worldwide headquarters near Richmond, Virginia and European headquarters in Bologna, Italy, the company offers a complete line of high-quality, innovative solutions for new and existing bowling and entertainment centers.
QubicaAMF has over 75 years of experience, an installed base of more than 10,000 centers worldwide and can provide the perfect combination of bowling equipment, products and services to build a traditional bowling center, an FEC or entertainment facility to suit any budget. The company has sales offices in 10 countries, a distributor network with worldwide reach and maintains the largest R&D team for software, electronic entertainment systems, front end, and electro-mechanical products in the industry.
QubicaAMF is the organizer of the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup, the largest annual sporting event in terms of the number of participating countries, which promotes bowling on a global level. The company celebrated the historical 50thanniversary of the tournament in 2014.
Additional information about QubicaAMF is available at www.qubicaamf.com.
ABOUT QUBICAAMF WORLDWIDE
QubicaAMF is the largest and most innovative bowling equipment provider in the world with 600 employees worldwide. We build and modernize more bowling entertainment centers than any other company in the industry and have an installed base of more than 10,000 centers in 90 countries. The company has a sales and distribution network with worldwide reach and maintains the largest R&D team for electro-mechanical products, software, electronics, and entertainment systems in the industry.
QubicaAMF has over 100 years of experience and can provide the perfect combination of bowling equipment, products, and services for new or existing bowling entertainment centers, FECs, Cinemas, or any other facility in the hospitality, retail, or restaurant industry. Our ongoing mission is Making Bowling Amazing. We are convinced that bowling has so much more potential to attract and entertain even more people. With our products, we will help our customers fully unleash that potential.
The company has U.S. headquarters in Richmond, Virginia and European headquarters in Bologna, Italy.