Cover Story
DEFYING THE TREND UBA Bowlers Drive Revenue & Fresh Crowds By Ryan Vasko
T
he noise from their fans starts to build even before the last bowler from the Str8 Bizness Cartel (SBC) steps onto the lane. They battled fellow Battle Bowl final team Train Wreck all day, playfully chirping at each other (bowlers and supporters alike) throughout a close season finale. But boosted by a score of 300 inside of a 746 series from eventual MVP Dakwan Tyler, SBC proved to be too much. After a final spare pickup that was a formality by that point, the crowd erupts, a dozen-plus members of SBC crowd onto the lane to celebrate, and the 15th annual Battle Bowl wraps up with a new squad taking home the 2024 Wilder Cup and just another year changing the game and growing the sport for the Underground Bowling Association (UBA). The UBA isn't your typical bowling organization—it's a high-energy, competition-driven entertainment platform that transforms traditional bowling into an electrifying experience. Think fierce rivalries, team personas, and show-stopping events that draw in serious bowlers and passionate spectators. "The UBA is not a league because that's a particular mentality," said president and owner Philip Chance. "We're an association, a bowling entertainment platform. Our lingo is different; our dress is different. We're all about that high energy, that camaraderie, and creating a highway for bowlers into something completely new." More WWE than PBA, the Underground Bowling Association is a group all its own—and it is winning because of it. It embraces the edgy and fun, encouraging trash talk and building different challenges into the rules' structure. The result isn't just a fresh and original take on bowling—it's a
Tate Philip Chance and Tynell
20 IBI April 2025
competitive environment that mirrors the energy, camaraderie, and culture of the players who form its teams. By sheer numbers, bowler participation, and community support, the UBA is an impressive success story. Doubly so in an environment where many centers have struggled with dwindling league participants while also facing growing competition for customer attention and dollars. And as the UBA looks to continue expanding, they're offering an incredible opportunity to proprietors wanting to tap into new audiences and revenue streams as franchise owners. In 2024, the UBA ran more than 400 events across 13 states. They boast over 230 active franchisees and thousands of members in an association that started with just 16 guys in 2009. Over 3,000 people showed up for the end-of-season showdown this past August alone. Their calendar fills nearly a year's worth of a season, with teams traveling throughout their regional footprints and joining up at bigger, marquee-style matches. They've built a strong word-of-mouth following, which they continue to grow through social media, while also fueling team spirit by marketing and selling coveted team merchandise. "We focus on the culture of bowling," said Chance. "The events generate a lot of engagement because the focus is on the personalities involved and the energy happening behind the lanes. It's why we encourage the callouts and the trash-talking. It's like the NBA; why can't we treat lanes as arenas?" This smooth-running machine and an ever-growing slate of events overseen by Chance and CEO/co-founder Tynell Tate have injected new life into a host of alleys since its inception. Mainly (and initially) an east coast operation, the UBA now sports five conferences from the Atlantic to the Southwest, and they have eyes on continuing to stretch across the country with a growth plan catered primarily to the business models and needs of bowling center operators.