Why do the majority of house owners seem to think it is the bowler's responsibility to recruit and form leagues?  How come when people are leaving in droves they sit back and say "Oh well... once they're gone you can't get them back."?  Seems to me if you run a center, you should be helping as much as possible to recruit new league bowlers, and help the leagues get organized and formed.  Why do they give up when people are leaving rather than try to figure out the problem and find ways to fix it, and ask to bring bowlers back in?

I would imagine if an owner called up Bob and said "I noticed you weren't bowling this year... is there anything I could have done differently that might have influenced you to stay?" that ol' Bob would tell him the lanes were in bad repair, the pinsetters always broke down and his help was rude and unhelpful.  Then the owner could hire new help, fix the pinsetters, and learn to take better care of the lanes.

After all this is done, what are the odds that if contacted and told of the measures taken to resolve the center's shortcomings, that Bob might come back and bowl again?  Maybe not league, but perhaps Bob might come in to practice once in a while to see for himself, and maybe if the owner asked Bob what he thought, Bob would feel the owner truly is interested in his business and would offer suggestions and come back to bowl more often?

Am I off course here, or does most of the blame for bowling's decline actually lie with the owner's failure to promote the game and maintain their facilities to the standards expected of their clients?

* please note, I am aware not ALL owners are like this - I am speaking in general terms.


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9~

If life is a waste of time,
and time is a waste of life,
then let's get wasted together
and have the time of our lives

Nice thread and nice posts guys/gals...

9andaWiggle, you have hit the nail right on the head.  While I agree that it is "cheap" for the center to try to get their bowlers excited and inspired to go out and get more bowlers for them, I also believe that we the bowlers are the ones that can truly make a difference in our sport.  Here's a compromise that EVERY bowling center should utilize...

Pay bowlers to get bowlers.

Real tough to figure that one out, isn't it?  As someone said earlier, every new bowler is worth on average, close to $1000/year.  Let's look at this closer and break it down.  One new bowler joining only a mini league will more than likely bowl in another mini league during the season.  $8 lineage (2nd shift mini league) x 2-12 week mini leagues (24 weeks) is almost $200.  Now add in alcohol, bowling equipment, snack bar, any open bowling and friends they bring in and you're probably close to that $1000 mark for the season.  MOST importantly, you've got that person in your database!

Stormlefty mentioned the importance and benefits of having new bowlers in their database.  DING DING DING.  Right again!  How much is that new bowler worth now?  What if you mailed every league bowler a coupon for a free day of bowling for their birthday party?  Free food, free bowling, and maybe even a complimentary drink?  Who bowls by themselves on their birthday?  NOT ME!!!  So the league bowler brings 4 or 5 friends along (who pay full price), and suddenly, you've got 4-5 new people on your mailing list too.  

I also like the idea of the "grocery store" scan card.  Keep track of how often the bowlers are coming in and how much money they are spending.  Occassionally send them coupons and free stuff if they spend x amount in the center.  I'm sorry, but if one person is spending $5000 in your bowling center between the 3 leagues they bowl, the bar, the snack bar, and the pro shop, and open bowling; then you can afford to send them a free birthday party and maybe 10 free games or something.

Showing your "regulars" that you appreciate them goes a long, long ways in regards to loyalty.
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Brian
MichiganBowling.com
http://www.MichiganBowling.com

Famous Last Words of a Pot Bowler--"Ok, but this is my last game!"

I agree with kingpin76 and have similar experience in a local house. Even though this house keeps up a house league with two divisions, plus hobby tournaments and a "player of the month" competition, the condition of the lanes and the technical equipment has gone worse since 1 1/2 years.

When I started bowling (in April 2004) the lanes were greasy, never stripped, because this house serves mainly open bowlers with Friday and Saturday night moonlight bowling. But the staff was O.K., then.

Then there was a short period when you could actually enjoy playing, about 6 months. But thereafter, until now, things went worse. Investments are only made for beamer equipment to project some go-go girls on screens over the pits, oil is sparse and in a ridiculus short THS pattern where NOBODY with a normal release can play. Maybe a polyester...

League is bleeding members, but they do not care. Companies' sport groups (e. g. local Merzedes Benz production site team with almost 50 members!) changed their house, but the management does not care. League is held up by some enthusiasts and the fact, that the people are nice. But not the house, very expensive and poor value for money from a sports' point of view. They even lost official recognition as an official tournament site, because the lanes do not fit German bowling sport standards anymore.

There have been complaints for more than a year, but nothing changes and probably will change. The reason: the management milks money from this house, the staff is... not motivated, and the Duesseldorf facility is a sister house of another bowling alley in Muenster, where the "real" management is located and where some "real" sport bowling is done with a much better condition.

Sad decline, and the most stunning thing for me is the fact, that there is NO reaction towards the sport players' needs or comments.
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DizzyFugu --- Reporting from Germany
Team "X": http://homepage.mac.com/timlinked/
"All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream..." - Edgar Allen Poe