National Deaf Bowling Association Announces 2004 Tournament in Fort Smith, AR — July 20-24, 2004

From: NDBA - Mar 24, 2004

For addition information contact:
Roger A. Sellers
TDD: 870-222-5640 (voice callers: Dial 711, ask to contact 870-222-5640)
Fax: 870-222-5641

PRESS RELEASE

March 24, 2004

National Deaf Bowling Association Announces 2004 Tournament in Fort Smith, AR — July 20-24, 2004

Sprint Relay Announced as Exclusive Relay Sponsor

The National Deaf Bowling Association (NDBA) proudly announces the 2004 Tournament will be held at the World Bowling Lanes, Fort Smith, AR on July 20-24, 2004. Sprint will serve as the exclusive Relay sponsor of the tournament.

Founded in 1964 at San Jose, California, by deaf bowler, Niel Jones, the NDBA will be celebrating its 40th annual tournament, along with the 30th National Deaf Women Bowling Association (NDWBA).

Sprint will provide Video Relay Service (VRS) and Sprint Relay Online for the tournament to help bowlers and their families stay in touch and to learn about and experience newer relay services. Sprint VRS, powered by CSD, is a free service through the internet that enables the deaf or hard of hearing user to communicate in American Sign Language to a hearing caller. Sprint Relay Online is also a free service that combines TRS with the ease and ubiquity of the Internet, allowing users to make calls from any PC or Web-enabled Internet device without having to use traditional TTY equipment. More information about, and access to, these services can be found at www.sprintrelay.com.

The 2003 tournament was held in Bloomingdale, Minnesota. To bid to host the tournament, the guaranteed prizes must be a minimum of $7,500 for NDBA and $3,750 for NDWBA.

The largest turnout for this tournament was in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1989 where a total of over 750 bowlers of both sexes attended the tournament and it also had the highest prize payout of over $103,000. The average prize payout has been in the $15,000+ range for the men and approximately $8,000+ for the women.

A featured event of the tournament includes the NDBA Hall of Fame banquet, which is dedicated to all of bowlers, male and female, of both tenpins and duck pins leagues. The Hall of Fame has two categories, one for bowlers and one for leaders. A total of 38 bowlers/leaders have been inducted. The banquet features a guest speaker, with the most famous one being Earl Anthony, a professional bowler and Bowling Hall of Famer. New Hall of Famers are selected by former Hall of Famers and are announced during the Banquet.
The National Deaf Bowling Association was made a 501(c)(3) tax status organization in 1999 by the Internal Revenue Service. The deadline to purchase reduced rate combo tickets is June 15.

The contact person for the tournament and Hall of Fame Banquet is Roger A. Sellers, TDD 870-222-5640, Fax 870-222-5641 and e-mail to: rvasel@earthlink.net

About Sprint
Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 67,000 employees worldwide and over $26 billion in annual revenues in 2003, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States’ first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local communications services in 39 states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.