Author Topic: Does Brunswick offer any Demo Days? (Read 9120 times)

TomRED · « **on:** January 16, 2009, 07:37:31 AM »

I have been buying Big B Balls for about 4 years, and I've been happy with most of them...(I love my Total Inferno...not so much with my Smash Zone)

My proshop whom I have been super impressed with since I was referred to him several years back, has had demo days at all his proshops, that have been about twice a year, yet there has never been an Brunswick Day...With all the new equipment out there in the last year, I would really like to try something else to fit a hole in my game, I know my proshop could recommend a ball to fit my style, yet I would still like to throw the new stuff to get a "feel" for it.

I understand that there is a great cost involved in traveling around with this equipment and what not, yet I don't see as much Big B equipment at my houses as the competition. I received an opportunity to throw some Blem's that my guy had aquired to try to put something together, but I wonder why nothing has been sponsored by the parent company...Maybe its just that I live in the little city of St. Louis that so often gets forgotten that its actually a fairly large bowling community unless Pete Weber is on TV then we get a shout out, but soon forgotten.

Any chance of this ever happening?

Thanks for any information.
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Equipment:
Smash Zone - 4000 Polished
Twisted Fury - 1000 Polished
Total Inferno - 2000 Polished
Target Zone
Power Groove Teal/Orange - Sitting at home

BrunsBob · « **Reply #1 on:** January 16, 2009, 07:32:35 PM »

Demo Days are patented by Ebonite.

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I'm gettin' old, I'm hurtin', but I've got Brunswick balls.......Color me competitive.

nextbowler · « **Reply #2 on:** January 16, 2009, 10:28:25 PM »

I don't believe that Brunswick couldn't put together a deal to let people
throw their equipment before purchase. Have had the opportunity to throw
the Ebonite umbrella equipment twice in the last month. One was at an
official demo day and one was an informal opportunity to throw the new
Columbia equipment. K&K Bowling is way ahead of the competition here in
Las Vegas and does a great deal to help bowlers.

holland1945 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 17, 2009, 04:20:48 AM »

I asked this before...how can you "patent" the idea of "having a bunch of bowling balls available for anybody to try at a certain time and location"? I could claim prior art being the house ball rack at any bowling alley in existence! Or the used rack in a pro shop.

The only thing I could see is the NAME "demo days" being trademarked, in which case you come up with a different name.

IANAL but I'm pretty sure there's a provision in patent law about "obvious things" being invalid for patent, and again, I would see "marketing your wares by traveling demonstration" falling under that.
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JustRico · « **Reply #4 on:** January 17, 2009, 07:15:12 AM »

The patent covers providing bowling balls in a demo, that necessitate the use of inter-changeable finger and/or thumb inserts.

In other words, you cannot use a process that allows bowlers to try out bowling balls and changing out the finger or thumb inserts.
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Formerly BrunsRico

« **Reply #5 on:** January 17, 2009, 08:36:37 AM »

I'm no attorney, but I'm pretty sure they are United States patent laws... Enforceable in the United States...

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Lane Carter, Strike Zone Pro Shops - Salt Lake City, Utah
Brunswick Amateur Staff
www.brunswickbowling.com

jbuzz31 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 17, 2009, 08:46:08 AM »

quote:
The patent covers providing bowling balls in a demo, that necessitate the use of inter-changeable finger and/or thumb inserts.

In other words, you cannot use a process that allows bowlers to try out bowling balls and changing out the finger or thumb inserts.
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Formerly BrunsRico

aint that a *****
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Ive Eaten From The Insane Root That Imprisons Reason

TheDude · « **Reply #7 on:** January 17, 2009, 10:36:34 AM »

I've spoken to RG and storm a bit about this. We are in canada so US patent law does not apply, but basically its not pushed as a demo day. An open house featuring product demonstrations by a rep. He just so happen to have some balls with him that have switch grip and a couple bags of extra inserts.

Ebonite has been succesfully been able to defend the patent, but its sort of like trying to patent the movie theatres, or cinema.

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Timothy @Juniors Pro-Shops
LaSalle, Quebec
Located inside Pont Mercier Lanes.
Edmonton, Alberta.
Located inside Ed's Rec Room.(WEST ED MALL)
King Of Roto-Grip In Canada.
Keep them honest!

www.juniorsproshop.com now open serving the world.

Brickguy221 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 17, 2009, 10:51:43 AM »

Storm had 2 demo days in the Oklahoma area last year, so it can be done. I don't recall if it was called demo days or not, but they had balls to try just like Ebonite.
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick

Edited on 1/17/2009 11:52 AM

Verbs · « **Reply #9 on:** January 17, 2009, 01:29:55 PM »

Ebonite and their companies are significantly cutting back on their Demo Days, from what I understand, due to the current economy.

It is very expensive for a company to run a Demo Day with shipping in the balls, staffing, etc.

It is great for the pro shops. But for the company itself, a Demo Day is, at best, break even.

What is hoped for is that you have a great experince at the Demo Day. You purchase a ball the day of the Demo. Then, when it is time to buy again, you remember the great experience you had, and buy that brand of ball without the help of Demo Days. And/or, you tell your friends about the experience at the Demo Day and they purchase a ball from that company because of your positive experience.

Sort of like the old shampoo commercial where you told 2 friends, they told 2 friends, and so on, and so on...........

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Larry Verble

holland1945 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 17, 2009, 01:46:01 PM »

quote:
Ebonite and their companies are significantly cutting back on their Demo Days, from what I understand, due to the current economy.

It is very expensive for a company to run a Demo Day with shipping in the balls, staffing, etc.

It is great for the pro shops. But for the company itself, a Demo Day is, at best, break even.

What is hoped for is that you have a great experince at the Demo Day. You purchase a ball the day of the Demo. Then, when it is time to buy again, you remember the great experience you had, and buy that brand of ball without the help of Demo Days. And/or, you tell your friends about the experience at the Demo Day and they purchase a ball from that company because of your positive experience.

Sort of like the old shampoo commercial where you told 2 friends, they told 2 friends, and so on, and so on...........

Well if it's good for the pro shops and not great for the company, seems to me that the pro shop should be charged some nominal fee to cover costs.

I could even see charging people to attend the demo session, and maybe even use some or all of that entry fee to go toward the purchase of a new ball, one of the ones they tried.

I still can't believe, even with the addition of interchangable grips, that this is something that could be patented and that the patent has stood. It's so brain dead obvious...there's nothing "new" here, just the combination of a few existing technologies. Of course, the US patent system is screwed up anyway, software patents in general are at least as stupid as this one.
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Support REAL change and REAL conservative politics in America:

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Verbs · « **Reply #11 on:** January 17, 2009, 01:51:55 PM »

holland,

Almost all of the shops that I know that has had them have charged a fee, which also serves as a credit if a new ball is purchased.

When I was with Brunswick, we did something similar, but didn't use interchangable thumbs. We were sent a cease & desist letter very shortly afterwards. Brunswick's legal dept. chose not to fight the patent and the issue was dead.

Verbs
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Larry Verble

Crankenstein300 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 17, 2009, 02:17:29 PM »

What if someone were to run a "demo day" type event using an interchangeable thumb like the Vise IT? Is that infringing on the patent?

Spider Ball Bowler · « **Reply #13 on:** January 17, 2009, 02:18:16 PM »

Yea I went to an Ebonite Demo Day a few years ago and had to pay $10 or $20 I think. The proshop guy wrote down any of the pieces that you liked, and tried to get you to buy one lol. My list was short, Xcel was the only thing close and I didn't even like it.

I prefer looking at a ball, and making educational guesses on which will work for me. That way when I'm right, I can tell people I am a genius and when I'm wrong, I blame the company for putting out such a horrible piece of equipment.

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Ahhh Disco Biscuits!

Verbs · « **Reply #14 on:** January 17, 2009, 02:23:18 PM »

Yes. Not because you are using a Vise product. But because you are using an "adjustable" grip of some kind. This patent, from what I understand is not brand specific.

quote:
What if someone were to run a "demo day" type event using an interchangeable thumb like the Vise IT? Is that infringing on the patent?

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Larry Verble

Author Topic: Does Brunswick offer any Demo Days? (Read 9120 times)

TomRED

Does Brunswick offer any Demo Days?

BrunsBob

Re: Does Brunswick offer any Demo Days?

nextbowler

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holland1945

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JustRico

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jbuzz31

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TheDude

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Brickguy221

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Verbs

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holland1945

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Verbs

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Crankenstein300

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Spider Ball Bowler

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Verbs

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