ESPN telecast ratings reach new heights for 2001 - 2002 sesaon
For the first time this season the PBA’s ESPN telecast reached over 1 million households. Last Sunday, Feb. 10, the PBA Columbia 300 Tar Heel Open, Burlington, N.C., brought in a 1.17 rating - the highest this season.
This was the second consecutive week that the rating has been over a 1.0 (1.11, 951,083 households, in Dallas and the third time this season (1.16, 986,249 households, in Taylor, Mich. The average rating for the 2001 - 2002 events is up 15% from the 2000 - 2001 events which has pushed the number of homes reached up 22% as well.
Couch's PBA’S newest millionaire
Jason Couch finished tied for third in the PBA Columbia 300 Tar Heel Open, Burlington, N.C., and earned $10,000 to surpass $1 million in career earnings and tie Pete Weber as the fastest to do so - 253 events in 10 years.
“This is an amazing feeling,” said Couch, who needed only $296 to break the $1 million mark. “To share this honor with a PBA Hall of Famer and someone as great as Pete is truly an accomplishment.”
Couch joined the PBA in 1991 and began competing on the National Tour in 1992. He earned PBA Rookie of the Year honors that year and $48,645 in 30 events. In the next nine years, Couch would earn nine PBA titles including back-to-back Tournament of Champion wins (1999, 2000) - a feat that has never been accomplished by any other professional. Couch hoped to break Weber’s record by earning the $296 last week in the PBA Dallas Open but did not make the first cut to cash.
“The fact that I didn’t break it and just tied it doesn’t really take away from the achievement,” said Couch, who is the PBA’s 23rd millionaire. “To think that Weber’s record has stood for 13 years is pretty incredible. Before I even began bowling on tour I had three goals, one, I wanted to win rookie of the year honors, two, I wanted to win a title and three, I wanted to break (or tie) Pete’s record.” So what’s next for Couch? “I guess the fastest to $2 million,” Couch commented.
Bohn brings home the bacon
For only the third time in his 18-year career in the PBA, Parker Bohn III has surpassed the $200,000 mark for single season earnings. In the PBA Columbia 300 Tar Heel Open, Burlington, N.C., Bohn lost in the round of 8 to earn $5,000 and bring his season earnings to $202,450. He is the first person to surpass $200,000 this season.
The 28-time PBA champion’s best earnings for one season came in 1999 when he earned $247,722. This is also the 12th year he has surpassed $100,000 in single-season earnings and his 10th consecutive year, which is a PBA record.
2001-2002 PBA Season Stat Leaders as of 2/13/02
2001-2002 Point Rankings
1, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 346,279. 2, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 290,994. 3, Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., 283,015. 4, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 282,424. 5, Chris Barnes, Dallas, 276,365. 6, Bryon Smith, Roseburg, Ore., 263,550. 7, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 256,665. 8, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 249,825. 9, Patrick Healey Jr., Mexico, 244,815. 10, Tommy Delutz Jr., Flushing, N.Y., 235,840.
2001-2002 Money Leaders
1, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., $202,450. 2, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., $158,125. 3, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., $151,200. 4, Mika Koivuniemi, Finland, $140,800. 5, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., $138,475. 6, Chris Barnes, Dallas, $134,115. 7, Ricky Ward, N. Fort Myers, Fla., $132,650. 8, Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., $123,100. 9, Patrick Healey Jr., Mexico, $117,875. 10, Brian Voss, Atlanta, $93,383.
2001-2002 Average Leaders
1, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 221.38. 2, Jason Couch, Clermont, Fla., 220.91. 3, Chris Barnes, Dallas, 217.64. 4, Ryan Shafer, Elmira, N.Y., 217.35. 5, Patrick Healey Jr., Mexico, 217.13. 6, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 216.89. 7, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 216.05. 8, Mike Aulby, Indianapolis, 215.77. 9, Brian Voss, Atlanta, 215.39. 10, Ricky Ward, N. Fort Myers, Fla., 215.30.
