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Post by mccleary on Oct 12, 2007 11:52:58 GMT -8
I would just like to remind everyone to support SOAS sponsors and I encourage all members to say thank you to our sponsors for their support any time you have the chance.
I would encourage bowlers to take a look at Alex Romanowsky's Blockbusterbowling.com site for bowling equipment specials, to have a meal at Elmers Restaurant in Klamath Falls, to talk with Tom Cook of Edwards Jones and thank him for his support, shop at Bi-Mart, buy Hammer Bowling Balls, etc... and to especially thank all our host proprietors.
We will keep updating our sponsor logo's on the main soallstar.com page as they become available throughout the season.
Thank you, Jason
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Post by powell300 on Oct 12, 2007 19:03:37 GMT -8
Jason; Since you have brought this up, I would like to make a comment regarding Blockbusterbowling.com being a SOAS sponsor. I don't quite understand how this strengthens the relationship between the Proprietors and the SOAS. Should we not as members be patronizing the pro-shops at the centers that we bowl in instead of buying equipment through internet companies.
I was "again" shocked to see that Blockbusterbowling.com was our first sponsor at Lava Lanes. I was wondering how Randy Cochran feels knowing that his pro-shop would be losing sales to an internet company. Maybe there is something that I am not aware of that make our centers pro shops happy that we are promoting internet companies.
Being on Ebonites Amateur staff, I can tell you Pam Buckner and myself were not too happy to learn about this. Ebonite and Hammer have been great partners of the SOAS and I firmly believe this relationship has been damaged by this.
Maybe you have a good explanation of how this came about.
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Post by cookiemonster on Oct 13, 2007 8:44:03 GMT -8
Dennis, I am assuming you know that BlockBuster Bowling is a "Local" business run by one of our own SOAS member's Alex Romanowsky. Like my sponsorship (Edward Jones) at Roxy this was done to support the organization and to get my name out. While I cannot speak for Randy or Alex I am pretty sure the decision was easy for Lava because the sponsorship was $750 for the tournament plus lost revenue while we eat up 3/4 of the house. Rick is a nice guy and I am also pretty sure he has a cordial relationship with Alex. One of the things I learned in the Navy that I think will help us all on topics like this is: Counsel in private and praise in public. Just a some friendly advise so we don't publicly undermine a President doing his best to run this organization...Cookie
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Post by voiceofthevolcano on Oct 13, 2007 8:59:25 GMT -8
Dennis, First of all this is a Ric Donnelly decision, not a Jason McCleary or board decision. I know you think you are injecting "constructive" critisism, but with the last few posts, it is not coming off that way. We have never been a fan of internet sales. They certainly cannot help the pro shop business. I wasn't too happy when Bowlers Paradise coupons were added to my envelope with my USBC card in the past neither. The reality is the internet companies are not going away, just like any other sector of the marketplace. We as pro shop owners/managers have to find ways to coincide and deal with that reality. Alex is a member (board member) and a business owner. In the big picture, there are people who buy online. They might as well buy from a SOAS member rather than the other guys. I haven't spoke to Pam yet, but I fail to see where Ebonite International would be concerned with where they get their sales. peace, Randy C
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Post by Admin on Oct 13, 2007 13:39:29 GMT -8
I am confused here as well. I do understand the impact the Internet retailers have on "brick and mortar" pro shops and could go on for many paragraphs about that, but as Randy mentioned, this was a Lava Lanes sponsorship for their SOAS tournament. And this can be considered a local company as it does belong to Alex. I decided to post logos and links on the main site for each tournament sponsor but making sure that Hammer with their great support along with Ebonite as a whole over the last few years got top billing with size and location and feel its fair to do so. Now obviously we aren't going to get and post Brunswick or something like that but I don't see a conflict of interest here.
Now I don't speak to Pam as much as you, but knowing her a little bit I don't see where Ebonite gets hurt either. Perhaps you are talking about west coast sales being affected? Someone buying another brand from Blockbuster? I dunno. I would like to hear her side of the story for sure.
Anyway, I think it's fair to have Blockbuster listed and as a sponsor. I'm just surprised that after being reamed for not pursuing sponsorship that sponsors that the houses and organization have taken on are being questioned.
Now pardon me while I try and find a mental game for Hanscams tomorrow.
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exprez
Junior Member
Posts: 66
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Post by exprez on Oct 13, 2007 15:10:09 GMT -8
A question comes to mind;
1. Balls purchased on the blockbusterbowling.com website have to be drilled. Who stands to benefit from providing this service for a reasonable fee?
Dennis, I love you like a brother. That said, I am distressed by what I've been reading here lately. The All Stars, regardless of who the president is, has been a great organization for a very long time. I would like to see it stay that way for many years to come. The current inquisition mentality regarding every facet of the organization is helping it how? I'm now wondering if your conversation with Ms. Buckner was in any way helpful to the organization with regard to Ebonite/Hammer's long standing sponsorship of the organization. I have read elsewhere that you and several of the other Eugene bowlers are in the process of attempting to start up a tournament club of your own. I wish you all the best of success with that. I just hope your heart is in the right place with regard to the All Stars and that words and deeds do not currently exist to the detriment of a club that I will always love unconditionally. Please understand that I'm not trying to start a pissing match here. I'd just like to think that ANY member of the All Stars would be thanking Pam for her ongoing support of the club and urging her to continue to be a part of it in the years to come rather than using their amateur staff related access to her to fan the flames of their discontent at the expense of the club. I hope that's not how things went down in the aforementioned "conversation' with Pam. Unfortunately, it's hard not to get that impression based on what I've been reading here (and elsewhere). I hope I'm wrong about what I'm feeling in my gut right now.
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Post by man on the silver mountian on Oct 14, 2007 14:44:41 GMT -8
Dennis, Ric approached me about helping out with the tournament at Lava and your detremetal post has left me in doubt about any future sponsoring. I have a had a great relationship with Pam Buckner for over 20 -plus years and Ebonite for 30 years. This season I got Pam and Ebonite to donate raffle balls for the Southern Oregon Seniors. I personally spoke with her about your post this afternoon and she was unaware of you posting/speaking for her, as what you posted is not correct concerning Ebonite and I am also contacting Bob Reid at Ebonite in Hopkinsville as you are a staff player representing his company. This whole post has been forwarded to her and I am sure she will be in contact with you regarding this. This is a quote from Pam word for word:
"Any proprietor can get any sponsor they want"
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Post by pb30narow on Oct 15, 2007 10:05:40 GMT -8
I am all about good business. I would never tell a proprietor who they can choose as a co-sponsor, unless it is in direct conflict with any of our Ebonite International Inc. branded products. We are all in business to be successful, we support each proprietor who is supporting the sport of bowling by hosting Scratch Bowling Tournament organizations. We are the proud Umbrella sponsor of the Southern Oregon Allstars and wish to continue as a sponsor for many years to come. We wish each proprietor a successful event and each participant an opportunity to bowl to win. We thank you for your support of our products. Wishing you all a successful year, keep the organization growing, it is great for the future of the sport of bowling. Pam Buckner
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Post by Admin on Oct 15, 2007 22:00:14 GMT -8
Thank you for the post Pam. I am glad and appreciative to see Ebonite and their brands supporting the organization as well as all our sponsors this year.
Since this matter seems to have come to and ending point, I am going to lock this and move on.
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