Luby Publishing President Keith Hamilton and Publisher Mike Panozzo have issued the following statement regarding the sale of Bowlers Journal's brand assets to USBC, which was announced here on Friday. . .

For the first time in 107 years, Bowlers Journal will not fly under the Luby banner. On Friday, the United States Bowling Congress took over ownership of America’s longest-running monthly sports magazine in a transaction that also saw the Bowling Proprietors Association of America assume management of our business-to-business magazine, Bowling Center Management.The word "Bittersweet" doesn’t begin to convey our feelings as owners of Luby Publishing. From the day we purchased Bowlers Journal from Mort Luby Jr. In 1994, we have viewed our role in producing the iconic magazine more as stewards than owners. Our promise to three generations of Lubys, all members of the USBC Hall of Fame, was to preserve and protect the legacy that they had built. It is the reason we named our company Luby Publishing.After 26 years, however, the challenges facing magazine publishers everywhere, industry consolidation and, finally, a worldwide pandemic left our future uncertain. We simply didn’t have the resources to revive and grow the magazine as we would have wanted.In planning a future for Bowlers Journal, the most important thing to us was finding a custodian that cared as much about bowling and the magazine’s place in the industry as we do, and had the resources to expand the magazine’s reach and influence and to keep it alive for another 107 years. The USBC is the perfect landing spot for Bowlers Journal. And rest assured, Bowlers Journal will not become a mere cheerleader for association programs.Personally, we would like to thank the subscribers for their unfailing loyalty. Advertisers pay the bills, but the readers have always been our No. 1 priority. Of course, we are also eternally grateful to the companies in this industry that have supported us in producing Bowlers Journal.We have been blessed over the years with an incredible and loyal staff, many of whom have been with us for more than 20 years. It is amazing that a staff of eight could produce some 50 editions a year.The bowling industry is part of our soul, almost entirely because of the people in it. You all have enriched out lives. Thank you for a lifetime of great memories.Keith Hamilton, PresidentMike Panozzo, PublisherLuby Publishing, Inc.