Have you heard anything about the World Bowling League in recent years? Neither have we. But there are signs that it could actually take shape, as Los Angeles Dodgers star and passionate bowler Mookie Betts has purchased the first announced team in the World Bowling League (WBL). The news was first published on Reuters.
The league's owner, League Sports Co., revealed the purchase in a press release on Tuesday, but the financial details of the deal remain a mystery.
Betts is partnering with Cam Lewis, his business partner from The One Marketing Group, to run the team. They have named their franchise Team OMG. The full team lineup has not yet been announced.
BowlingLife is currently working to get more insight into the deal.
Betts' Bowling Background
Betts' bowling journey isn’t just a side hobby—it’s been a part of his life for as long as he’s been throwing baseballs. Growing up in Tennessee, he was a multi-sport athlete, excelling in baseball, basketball, and—you guessed it—bowling. He won his first tournament at just 8 years old, a no-tap Thanksgiving event in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. By the time he was 10, he was already a USBC Youth member.
Bowling runs in the Betts family. His mother, Diana Benedict, was not only his first Little League coach but also the one who introduced him to the sport. In fact, she was at a bowling alley for league night the night before Mookie was born. Talk about a bowling pedigree.
In high school, Betts carried a plus-200 average and finished third in the Tennessee State Championships in 2010, earning the Tennessee Boys’ Bowler of the Year award. Before making his mark in Major League Baseball, he bowled his first USBC-certified 300 game in 2013, and now occasionally competes in PBA Tour events.
What is World Bowling League?
Now, the big question: What exactly is the World Bowling League?
On October 6, just a day before the IBF Congress meeting and the IBF presidential election, the IBF announced a groundbreaking agreement with League Sports Co. (LTC) to launch the World Bowling League (WBL) in 2024.
In WBL's 45-minute-long introductory video, LTC announced many sports innovations, such as a brand-new 360-degree lane design, strategic elements like reverse scoring and restricted throws, and cutting-edge innovations like an AI scoring system.
According to LTC’s founder and CEO, Adi K Mishra, the WBL aims to revolutionize bowling, catering to fans, competitors, broadcasters, sponsors, agencies, and bookmakers.
LTC also promises unprecedented financial incentives for athletes, with collective prize money expected to reach $3-5 million in the first year, potentially growing to $10 million in the second year, depending on expansion.
The league plans to host 12 to 15 events per year, spanning the United States, Europe, and Asia. World Bowling League have posted visualizations of WBL events in Tokyo, Dubai and Monaco.
This ambitious project, aimed at modernizing a sport where results are still often tracked on paper sheets and World Championships are broadcast on personal YouTube channels, has left the bowling community both excited and skeptical, wondering if it can truly deliver on its promises.
