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About the Elite Bowlers Tour, LLC

The Elite Bowlers Tour, commonly referred to as the EBT, began on February 6, 2009 and incorporated on August 22, 2011. The primary focus of the EBT was to provide bowlers an opportunity to compete in fun and challenging tournaments at a low cost. As the EBT grew, so did the goal of its governing board. Now the EBT's focus is to help grow the sport of bowling by providing different levels of competition for all bowlers while maintaining a low cost of entry.

Mission Statement:

The Elite Bowlers Tour shall help grow the sport of bowling by providing fun and competitive tournaments at the lowest cost possible while striving to give the highest level of customer service to all who bowl with us!

Vision Statement:

To become the most successful and respected bowling tournament organization in the Tampa Bay, FL region.

Elite Bowlers Tour Motto:

For the honor and love of the sport of bowling!

General Information

• The Elite Bowlers Tour is different from all other types of tournament providers in that it is incorporated as a limited liability company, but operates similar to a nonprofit organization. This allows the EBT to function with virtually no overhead. All of the EBT's operating budget comes from entry fees in the tournaments, donations, and fundraisers. Presently, the EBT retains about $5 - $6 in fees per entry. This allows us to purchase championship shirts, tournament software, and supplies.
• The Elite Bowlers Tour is certified through the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and the governing board strives very hard to insure that all rules are followed and that all financial obligations are met for its bowlers.
• The Elite Bowlers Tour generally bases its prize fund on the number of entries per tournament with the exception of The Champion Of The Year Tournament which has a guaranteed prize fund. The prizes and expenses are paid in the following order: 1) Lineage and Main Tournament Prize Fund, 2) Championship Shirts, and 3) Supplies. Any money left over is applied to the Champion Of The Year Tournament prize fund! Regional, National, and Subcontracted tournaments are structured slightly differently and questions should be referred to the tournament director.

Pictured above is the registered service mark of the Elite Bowlers Tour. But did you know that the EBT service mark is not just a random drawing? If you look closely, the official EBT service mark contains three small stars in the lower right corner of the bowling ball. Those stars represent the three founders of the EBT: Hal Kee, Gary Gordon, and Roger Shaw. The service mark contains the three colors of the EBT which are red, white, and blue. Those colors were chosen because the founders of the Elite Bowlers Tour have military and law enforcement experience and those colors are generally considered patriotic. The three swooshes represent "quickly moving forward." Here's an interesting question. Can you guess what the four pins represent? Absolutely nothing! They are just four pins placed into the picture to give the bowling ball purpose and to make it easier for people understand what the logo actually represents. After all, many people associate the letters "EBT" with an Electronic Benefits Transfer card. It's okay, we've heard that joke before. Now let's bowl!

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Seasons: 49 (1976 to 2024)

Record (W-L-T): 308-450-1

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BowlersMart Tampa University Inside Bowlero Tampa Bay

13109 N 56th St. | Tampa, FL 33617 | (813) 460-2869

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13109 N 56th St. Tampa, FL 33617 (813) 460-2869 [email protected]

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Welcome to BowlersMart Tampa University

Our full service bowling pro shop in Tampa, FL inside Bowlero Tampa Bay offers a large selection of bowling balls, bowling bags, bowling shoes and more.

Christopher Smith, store manager of BowlersMart Tampa University, is young but his passion and knowledge is way past his years. He is an accomplished bowler and loves to help others achieve their goals. Chris like to compete in local tournaments and is currently competing on the PBA Regional tour as well.

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Whether you’re in need of a new ball or need to find the proper fit with your equipment, all of our shops have experts who can deliver a top quality custom fit for your bowling ball that is second to none. We use state of the art milling machines that can deliver accuracy to within a one one thousand of an inch and can also oval thumb and finger holes for an exact fit on your bowling ball.

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Tampa Tunes: Local Guide to Concert Venues and Live Music Spots

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Sunny Tampa has some of the best live music and entertainment Florida has to offer. Concerts in Tampa Bay range from stadium and arena tours by music’s biggest stars to outdoor shows and formal affairs at the heart of the city’s cultural hub.

Below, we’ve highlighted five of Tampa’s best venues, including an open-air amphitheater on the Florida State Fairgrounds, a theater in the historic Ybor City neighborhood and a massive performing arts center on the banks of the Tampa Riverwalk.

Amalie Arena

Address: 401 Channelside Dr., Tampa, FL 33602

Box office hours: Monday to Sunday: 3 hours before ticketed showtime on event days only

Though it was originally called the Ice Palace upon opening in 1996, the chilly home of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning heats up when it comes to live music. The 21,500-seat arena has welcomed a slew of musicians over the decades, as varied as Reba McEntire, Rod Stewart, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Lizzo, Elton John and Bon Jovi.

Raymond James Stadium

Address: 4201 N Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa, FL 33607

Box office hours: Open only on event days

By far the largest venue in the Tampa area with a capacity of 75,000, Raymond James Stadium is home to both the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the University of South Florida Bulls football team. But when the pigskin is not being tossed around the field, the stadium draws some of the biggest music tours in North America, including Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour, The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour, Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

Address: 4802 US-301, Tampa, FL 33610

Box office hours: Open at 12:00 noon only on show days

Located on the Florida State Fairgrounds, the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre opened in the summer of 2004 as an open-air amphitheater with an approximate capacity of 20,000 (9,900 reserved seats and room for roughly 10,000 more fans on the open lawn). In the last year alone, the outdoor venue has been visited by the likes of Post Malone, Boy George and Culture Club, Morgan Wallen, Pentatonix and more.

The RITZ Ybor

Address: 1503 E 7th Ave., Tampa, FL 33605

Box office hours: Monday to Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and one hour prior to showtime

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Sunset Events (@sunsetevents)

The Ritz Ybor holds a whole lot of history in its walls. Having initially opened in 1917 in the historic Ybor City neighborhood, the venue was originally named the Rivoli Theatre and built for Tampa’s growing Afro-Cuban community to come together. Renamed the RITZ Theatre from 1945 to the ‘70s, the building has been used as everything from a cinema and adult movie theater to a nightclub and, now, a concert venue over the last 107 years.

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Straz Center (@strazcenter)

Address: 1010 N Macinnes Pl., Tampa, FL 33602

Box office hours: Monday to Saturday: 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., hours vary on Sundays, holidays and special events

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts is a multi-theater complex located right along the Tampa Riverwalk. The spacious building holds five venues, including Carol Morsani Hall, Ferguson Hall, Jaeb Theater, Shimberg Playhouse and TECO Theater, and also boasts an onsite restaurant, café and coffee shop. The Straz Center is home to the city’s opera company, touring Broadway productions, other professional theater, stand-up comedy and more.

Browse Tampa Concerts by Genre

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Babar hoping paceman Rauf will regain full fitness and make an impact for Pakistan at T20 World Cup

Pakistan’s cricket team skipper Babar Azam speaks during a press conference regarding up coming Twenty20 series against Ireland, England and T20 World Cup, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, May 6, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan’s cricket team skipper Babar Azam gestures during a press conference regarding up coming Twenty20 series against Ireland, England and T20 World Cup, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, May 6, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan’s cricket team skipper Babar Azam gives a press conference regarding up coming Twenty20 series against Ireland, England and T20 World Cup, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, May 6, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

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ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan captain Babar Azam is hoping Haris Rauf will regain full fitness after a shoulder injury and make an impact at next month’s T20 World Cup.

Fast bowler Rauf has been included in an 18-man squad for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, with Pakistan delaying its 15-strong party for the World Cup in the United States and West Indies until May 22.

The fitness of Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan and Azam Khan will be assessed during the seven T20s against Ireland and England.

“I wasn’t expecting that he (Rauf) would recover so early and start bowling again,” Babar told reporters in Lahore on Monday as the team prepared to fly out to Ireland, where the first T20 will be played in Dublin on Friday.

“There’s pressure on him to make a comeback. There’s lot of talk going around on his injury and how he will respond to it. But I think he will make a good response because when you give yourself proper rest mentally and physically, you can make a different impact.”

Rauf has been out since dislocating his shoulder in late February during the Pakistan Super League. Since then he has gone through rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

The seven-member selection committee, which also includes Babar, have named fast bowler Hasan Ali, who last played a T20 international in 2022, as backup for Rauf.

Babar backed the inclusion of Hasan after pace bowlers Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim and the PSL’s top wicket-taker Mohammad Ali were omitted.

“There’s no injustice with anyone. We debated a lot on the World Cup combination and Hasan is there as backup for Rauf because of his experience,” Babar said. “Zaman and Ali are new-ball bowlers but we already have enough new-ball bowling options.”

Fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who played in two T20s against New Zealand after ending his retirement, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Abbas Afridi are Pakistan’s pace options.

Under Babar, Pakistan has done well in the last two T20 World Cups, reaching the semifinals in 2021 at the United Arab Emirates and losing to England in the final at the 2022 tournament in Australia.

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mohsin Naqvi, has promised a cash award of $100,000 to every player if the team wins the tournament.

“What happened in the past is in the past, unfortunately we couldn’t finish the way we wanted,” Babar said. “We’re doubly confident and believe we can bring the trophy home.”

Pakistan starts its campaign against host United States in Dallas on June 6 before taking on arch-rival India in New York three days later.

White-ball head coach Gary Kirsten will likely join the team in England after completing his Indian Premier League assignment with Gujarat Titans.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

A new Major League Baseball stadium is pretty much guaranteed 81 home games a season. And, with any luck, the team hosts a few playoff games, too. But what about the other 280 or so days, the ones when the team is out of town or during late fall and winter, when the team doesn’t play?

The Tampa Bay Rays and city officials have said they expect the stadium proposed for St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant District to attract a heavy schedule of non-baseball events. Team officials feel the proposed 30,000- to 35,000-seat stadium places it nicely in the “missing middle for venue capacity” between the Bucs’ Raymond James Stadium at about 70,000 and the 21,000 that can pack into Amalie Arena for a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game.

Unlike most baseball facilities, the Rays’ new stadium will have a roof protecting attendees from inclement weather, which many touring acts prefer. The stadium will also be brand new. The novelty could help the stadium compete against Tampa Bay’s and Central Florida’s older venues.

The Rays and city officials think the stadium will attract concerts, festivals, graduations, conferences and expos. The Rays also shared that they think the stadium has the potential to host other sports, including college football, soccer, lacrosse and rugby, for which the seating capacity of an NFL stadium might be too large.

Of course, St. Petersburg City Council and the Pinellas County Commission still have to vote on the stadium and redevelopment project with its basket of public subsidies, including $600 million from the city and county for the $1.3 billion stadium. And among the many considerations is how often the stadium will be used — or not used. Recent history at the Rays’ current stadium and other Major League ballparks provides some answers.

First, it’s worth noting that arenas where professional hockey and basketball teams play generally attract more concerts and other major ticketed events than larger stadiums that house baseball and football teams. With a few notable exceptions like pop star Taylor Swift, not many acts can consistently sell out a 50,000- or 70,000-seat stadium in city after city. Locally, more top concert performers book Amalie, not Raymond James or Tropicana Field, which can hold about 45,000.

When performers think they can attract 40,000 fans in a given city, they will often choose to play two nights in the 20,000-seat local arena, instead of having to change their stage setup and everything else that goes into playing a much larger venue, said Victor Matheson, an economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts who has studied the impacts of events at professional sports stadiums.

Touring bands and other events can be reluctant to play in stadiums that don’t attract a lot of acts, Matheson said. They feel more comfortable relying on an arena with a steady track record of successfully hosting big shows. “It’s a comfort thing,” he said. “Why take a chance in a place that doesn’t have as much experience?”

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Matheson and some other researchers analyzed events at 29 Major League Baseball stadiums with help from Pollstar, a concert trade publication that tracks touring data. Other than home games for the local baseball team, most of the stadiums attracted fewer than a handful of major ticketed events each year, with an emphasis of “major” and “ticketed.” Using that criteria, Houston’s Minute Maid Park, for instance, hosted just 10 non-baseball events over the four years ending in November 2018, the researchers found. And that was better than average. Most of the baseball stadiums in the study averaged less than two a year.

The Pollstar data tracked most major music concert tours, many other cultural events such as comedians, kid-themed shows, and some sporting events such as wrestling, ice skating exhibitions and the Harlem Globetrotters. It did not include events that weren’t ticketed, like political rallies, religious services, graduations or high school sports. Still, it provides an idea of how few non-baseball events take place in some of these stadiums.

The Rays, though, said there has been a “significant uptick in the number of concerts hosted at (Major League Baseball) ballparks,” adding that some concert promoters think the bowl seating that wraps around the concert stage is ideal. The new stadium should also be a “first-class venue for sound and acoustics,” the team said.

Over the years, Tropicana Field has had some success in hosting events other than baseball. The Enchant Christmas light show has drawn about 1 million visitors over its four-year run, according to the Rays. A huge crowd attended the WWE’s Royal Rumble in January. College football teams have played bowl games at the Trop, which is also home to the Gasparilla Classic, a gymnastics event that draws about 6,000 competitors. The Trop has also hosted home shows and other expos, and thousands of Pinellas County high school and St. Petersburg College seniors, their family members, educators and friends have attended graduation ceremonies in the air-conditioned comfort of the Trop. But as Matheson said, no city heavily subsidizes a billion-dollar stadium to host high school graduations or prep sports. “It might be convenient, but is that convenience worth a billion dollars?” he said.

The Rays also think the redevelopment of the other parts of the 86-acre property with thousands of new homes, offices, a full-service hotel with convention space, retail stores and other amenities will help attract more events to the stadium.

“We believe conferences and conventions will find it appealing to utilize (Major League Baseball) meeting spaces at the ballpark in addition to hotel facilities and ballpark tours, plus the allure of our downtown will make it an attractive destination for mid-sized conventions,” the Rays said in an email.

Cathie Wood of ARK Invest fame has even talked about establishing a local version of Austin’s famous South by Southwest festival, a film, music and interactive-technology showcase that spans nine days and attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees to Texas’ state capital each March. Wood, who recently helped open the ARK Innovation Center in St. Petersburg, has said she would “love to help fill” a new baseball stadium in the offseason.

Creating a festival even a fraction as successful as South by Southwest would be a coup for St. Petersburg. The optimism is enviable. No marks off for thinking big, either.

So can the Rays buck the historical trend and be the baseball team that fills its stadium with big non-baseball events that consistently lure thousands of people to the area? The Rays seem confident, but there is no way to know for sure. It’s one of many unknowns that the St. Petersburg City Council and Pinellas commissioners will have to weigh when they finally vote on the deal.

Graham Brink is the editor of editorials at the Tampa Bay Times. The opinions in this column are his own, not necessarily those of the Times Editorial Board. Reach him at [email protected] .

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