IBC Youth Development introduces Bowling Day in the USA

Aaron Smith

June 28, 2022

ARLINGTON, Texas - The International Bowling Campus Youth Development team has introduced a new initiative to bring children and families into bowling centers across the United States in February 2023 to celebrate Bowling Day in the USA.

The program was rolled out Tuesday during Bowl Expo in Las Vegas, with the goal to have 500 centers welcome 100,000 families to have fun and enjoy the sport of bowling starting Feb. 11, 2023, the Saturday before the Super Bowl.

Bowling Day in the USA was created to help children develop an interest in bowling, with the long-term goal of the program to bring 10,000 young athletes into youth leagues and programs.

"For many of us, the first experience of rolling a strike with our family and friends was the first step in creating a lifelong passion for the sport," IBC Youth Committee chairperson Chrissie Kent said. "Bowling Day in the USA is designed to bring families together at local bowling centers to create lasting memories and showcase the sport in a fun and exciting atmosphere."

Centers interested in participating can visit BOWL.com/BowlingDayUSA to register for a FREE comprehensive kit to prepare for the promotion, which comes in at a $500 value, including a $400 social media ad buy.

As part of the kit, the IBC Youth Development team will set up online registration for each participating center through Eventbrite and help launch a 90-day targeted ad campaign on Facebook within a 50-mile radius of each center.

IBC Youth Development, the United States Bowling Congress and Bowling Proprietors' Association of America have worked together to subsidize the cost of the kits for participating centers.

While Bowling Day in the USA is targeted for Feb. 11, centers can host their event any day in February and are encouraged to make the experience special in their own way.

Local USBC association representatives can be invited to help support the events and assist in providing information about the benefits of joining a USBC Youth program, and the promotion kit offers a how-to playbook to help each center highlight its facility.

In addition to helping centers build their youth program, Bowling Day in the USA also offers an opportunity for one center to win a grand prize, too.

The participating center that registers the largest amount of new USBC Youth members for the upcoming 2022-2023 season, based on a percentage of growth over the 2021-2022 season and number of lane beds at the facility, will win a VIP experience of their choice, which includes two tickets to the Super Bowl, World Series or NBA Finals in 2024.

"We're very excited about introducing Bowling Day in the USA," IBC Youth Development Managing Director Gary Brown said. "We hope families embrace the opportunity to head to their local centers for a great experience, and the interaction helps lead to growth in youth programs across the country."