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Author Topic: Has any one ever noticed!  (Read 3044 times)

RPM MAX

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Has any one ever noticed!
« on: June 20, 2006, 08:37:24 PM »
Brunswick seem to go through phases of releasing mostly certain types of coverstocks. What I mean is in the late 90's early 2000's particle balls were the norm every other ball seemed to be a heavy oil particle! Then its seemed the last few years it was reactive pearl balls. Now it seems that solid reactives are becoming the coverstocks of choice for new balls! Has any one else ever noticed this? Any one think they have any explination for it?
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TheDude

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Re: Has any one ever noticed!
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2006, 05:15:56 AM »
Market cycles and floor planning for them. They have to follow a product release schedule more closely now than ever. Constantly checking feed back of products considering the next 4 balls might be on the drawing board.

All the large companies have had schedules and have been following them to feed there own target market demands.

Best time to release a ball for most house conditions is the summer/fall because most house bowlers are looking to buy that new ball that has lots of backend and good carry.
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BrunsBob

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Re: Has any one ever noticed!
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2006, 10:59:54 PM »
Well said Dude. Right now the market says NO to particles and YES to Skid/Flip reaction. A WHOLE lot goes into the final decision on each release. So far we've hit our targets pretty darn well....at least that's what the polls tell us. If all the nay-sayers on here could just see all the factors that we face when creating a new ball. And we know we won't please everyone with each new ball, we just hope the majority are very pleased.

RoB LAW

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RPM MAX

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Re: Has any one ever noticed!
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2006, 03:12:52 AM »
Point taken Robert! market place demands drive what is produced but for people who throw only brunswick do u not think it is important to offer the consumer a well rounded arsenal at all times? If memory serves when I started using just brunswick in the early 2000's when the fuze line was the top performance line all you could buy was particle or pearl reactives. If memory serves the only solid ball in production was the smashr which some people said was part pearl!
 I love my brunswick equiptment I would never use any thing else ever again. I just think its important to cover all the bases in coverstocks at any one time. I have no use for a heavy oil particle ball but some people need them and like to use them and at the minute brunswick do not cover particle equiptment very well. Yes they have the ambush which is the only particle in production I belive at the this time.  
  A lot of older bowlers prefer particle because it reminds them of urethane and helps them hook the ball. With no suitable equiptment to their style and needs I fear some may try other companies and will be lost to the nation for good.
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BrunsBob

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Re: Has any one ever noticed!
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2006, 02:18:27 PM »
Good points RPM. We will be back with particle soon now that we are up and running in our new plant. With the new machinery we will now be able to make more attractive, multi-color particles for the first time ever. This summer was not the time for a particle introduction, but it will be soon. Our dilema is that we know we need it in our line, sales just don't justify it being our main concern. The average bowler, and the shops that sell them, would still rather have it be a dull reactive for oily conditions. This stems mostly from the ability of the ball to move sharper downlane being reactive, something that the average league bowler is very concerned with. The majority of bowlers perceive hook to be what they see the ball do on the last 15-20 feet of the lane, whereas we know that a controlled arcing hook is much more effective for higher consistent scoring.

RoB LAW

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DON DRAPER

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Re: Has any one ever noticed!
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2006, 02:32:58 PM »
brunsbob, you couldn't have said it better. your average league bowler wants to see that big booming backend reaction---even if it isn't the ideal reaction that will create higher scores. give me a smooth arcing particle ball any day.
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dizzyfugu

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Re: Has any one ever noticed!
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2006, 08:21:58 AM »
There is also technology advancement. Look at the SCI: this ball handles oil (OOB) that made a high load, matte particle ball necessary if we were 5 years back. Particle enhancement has become more and more obsolete (although I think it is still a nice option for certain conditions), no wonder Brunswick has only 1 particle ball left in the current line (the Ambush; PG, Goliath and IZ are gone).

It is also a marketing issue. It has not been long since Brunswick silently dropped the "Proactive" name for their particle technology (end of 2003?). I think it was associated with early hooking oil balls, and hard to transfer to today's sharper reaction shapes. I think Brunswick has to re-position themselves in this area.
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CoachJim

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Re: Has any one ever noticed!
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2006, 08:40:15 AM »
IMO Brunswick stopped making solid Heavy load particle equipment because it would be hypocritical for them to justify making balls that damage the lanes when they also make the lanes.

I might be wrong, but didn't Brunswick do a study that proved Particle balls damaged lanes, and came out against the use of particle equipment? I also believe it was about that time that Brunswick introduced the Activator coverstock. Since then hasn't most of the major ball companies have came out with their own version of Activator type coverstocks in their high end balls, and have been using particles their mid price lines, and seem to be using them less and less to wean people off of them?
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