I am not sure of that, but I do like the fact that using the animal patterns for all tournaments really sets a standard for the sport. Atleast if I participate in a PBA Experience league I would have some twinkling of a plan to attack the lanes. I never got much a chance to bowl on old regional patterns, I need practice on those conditions to excel. I am no WRW Jr or PDW.
Good luck to all out there on the regional tour.

I bowl in a PBA Experience league on Scott AFB, Il (they are have a PBA Regional tournament there this weekend) and I have heard several people saying the same thing.

It's about time, Why they were different to begin with made no sense. The only drawback now that the regional guys may face is that when we bowl regionals we are usually on Wood or Guardian or in some cases Armorplate. The Pros are always on HPL or Anvil. These patterns play very different on the new synthetics then they do the old ones or guardian and wood.

Nothing we shouldn't be able to overcome though - at least going in to exempt play we know the patterns.

that is correct...at least for the central region.. all the tournaments besides the Regional championship is all the Pro patterns..

I bowled some regionals back before they changed the PBA. No Cheetah or Vipor patterns then. I have never heard of the HPL or Anvil. What are they?