Author Topic: Are there any ball companies... (Read 2625 times)

uptheboards · « **on:** June 08, 2009, 04:05:32 PM »

...that you feel make bowling balls the company wants to make rather than what the public wants and actually needs?

We have 17 companies still making bowling balls and about 15 in each company catalogue. That is 255 bowling balls available at any given time take or leave a few. Is that too many? If each company puts out 15 a year give or take a few, in two years we have over 500 bowling balls to choose from!

rockerbowler18 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2009, 12:53:11 AM »

I think it's a good thing that you've put it into mathematical terms.

Although my initial feeling is that there are too many balls. However, there aren't. For several reasons.

1. If they buy it, the company will make it. It's simply good business practice. Why would a company decide not to make money? That isn't the point of a business. Obviously all these balls are selling or the companies wouldn't be making them.

2. Without all these options, someone would be complaining that there has been a decrease in ball production.

3. Technology has advanced to a point where, although it is still crucial to throw a good shot, weight blocks, layouts, coverstocks, and oil patterns DO make a difference. In Earl Anthony's day, everyone had 2 balls, and whoever could make the right adjustment could take the lead. Now, it's whoever has the right knowledge of the game. It's a different aspect. If making a layout change/ball change is what differentiates between the winner and the loser, so be it.

Ball Change = Adjustment

in the same way that

Moving your feet = Adjustment

in the same way that

Moving your mark = Adjustment

It's all just an adjustment. Yeah, there are a lot of bowling balls. There are also a lot of lines on a lane, a lot of adjustments, a lot of spares, and a lot of bowlers.

So in my opinion, no, it's not too many.
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dizzyfugu · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2009, 04:17:42 AM »

I am with rockerbowler. After all, it is the market that decides whether a company's offerings find buyers/users or not. Yes, there are a LOT of balls and companies out there, but some seem to have stable sales, some not. They seem to have a competitive edge, from the buyers' point of view (how weird or objective this might ever be! But that's finally not relevant), and that's what finally counts or keeps the company at the market.

You can start a huge discussion whether a certain ball brand or company "makes sense" or not - but finally, market mechanisms sort out what fails to stand the test of competition.
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Edited on 6/9/2009 4:18 AM

JessN16 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2009, 04:33:10 AM »

In the context of your original question, I think both MoRich and Lane #1 make stuff based on a formula they think is right, come hell or high water. But both of them are still answerable to market forces.

Mo is our sport's mad scientist, so whatever comes out of that company is going to be tech-heavy in the core. Lane #1 is so closely tied to the Diamond core that I never expect it to completely get away from it (hell, when you use a diamond in your logo, that should tell you something).

Having said that, I don't think either of them, or anyone else for that matter, is stubborn enough to just go their own way with no accounting for fashion or buyer preferences.

Jess

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #4 on:** June 09, 2009, 04:58:25 AM »

quote:
In the context of your original question, I think both MoRich and Lane #1 make stuff based on a formula they think is right, come hell or high water. But both of them are still answerable to market forces.

Thank you for mentioning them - that was my first thought, too, but I did not dare posting...

As past examples of market forces at work, just look at Insite and Banger. Probably decent balls, but nothing about them that truly made them "different" or "desirable", except maybe a bigger price tag and marketingt that was just cool for the manufacturer.
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Smash49 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 09, 2009, 10:45:43 AM »

In the old days a company would come out with a couple of new balls a year. Brunswick had the Black Beauty, Black LT48 and the Green LT48. Even when the Rhinos came out there was a long time between releases. Now with the different cores and balls designed for different types of bowlers, lane conditions, etc etc... the market has far more balls than ever before. The selection is greater and better. In the old days balls were black and if you made a selection it was for a different color white dot. What was considered ugly then is mainstream now. There is also a lot more duds out there. If you made a bad ball long ago it hurt. Now if a company makes a bad ball now, well ok that one stunk. I think the ball manufactures make a guess as to what will sell. Sometimes they are right and other times they can't give them away. They also have the main staples, White Dots, Maxims and TZones that are stable. Storm made Trop Storms for years and Ebonite has made Tornados. Both are reliable and sell well. Every once in a while you get someone with a wild hair that throws something radical out there. If it works they are the industries big star, if not it's swept under the carpet quickly and the next ball is out.

Smash49
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Smash49

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spmcgivern · « **Reply #6 on:** June 09, 2009, 10:53:10 AM »

quote:
1. If they buy it, the company will make it. It's simply good business practice. Why would a company decide not to make money? That isn't the point of a business. Obviously all these balls are selling or the companies wouldn't be making them.

Don't tell the auto manufacturers this. People bought big cars and SUVs and they get chastised for manufacturing them.

But to the original question. I am curious to what extent the ball manufacturers are mirror images of the auto manufacturers. I never really thought too much about it, but with Ebonite owning a big chunk of the market, what is to say the balls made under their umbrella aren't just remarketed versions of each other. I know the cores are different and the covers "say" they are different, but in a successful business model, do you compete against yourself? (demise of GM) Is Ebonite maintaining all these ball companies for the simple fact that there are still brand loyal bowlers out there?
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I am not a pro-bowler, but I do play one on BallReviews.com

uptheboards · « **Reply #7 on:** June 09, 2009, 11:05:32 AM »

I think brand loyalty has a lot to do with it. Just like cars. If you drive a Ford and your family has for 50 years, I doubt you will try anything else, however for those of us old enough, do you remember: Zeinth, RCA, Magnavox, Curtis Mathis televisions? Remember when America made the electronics products for the whole world?

In that case brand loyalty made no difference.

AStrikingChink · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2009, 01:04:16 AM »

A cable connection is the only thing keeping my beautiful 1982 27 inch diagonal Magnavox Color Television still going strong without a converter box, still wish I had my Curtis Mathes floor console TV. Many good late night memories of the 8-bit Nintendo blasting at full volume on the Curtis Mathes trying to defeat the likes of Gannon and King Koopa!

Matt (the former chink of collegebowling)

golfnutFL · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2009, 01:24:58 AM »

I would add Legends/Lane Masters (if they still exist) to the two you mention.

quote:
In the context of your original question, I think both MoRich and Lane #1 make stuff based on a formula they think is right, come hell or high water. But both of them are still answerable to market forces.

Mo is our sport's mad scientist, so whatever comes out of that company is going to be tech-heavy in the core. Lane #1 is so closely tied to the Diamond core that I never expect it to completely get away from it (hell, when you use a diamond in your logo, that should tell you something).

Having said that, I don't think either of them, or anyone else for that matter, is stubborn enough to just go their own way with no accounting for fashion or buyer preferences.

Jess

noturcuzin · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2009, 01:38:14 AM »

Visionary
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InSite Bowling Products:2004-2008

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2009, 03:25:16 AM »

quote:

Don't tell the auto manufacturers this. People bought big cars and SUVs and they get chastised for manufacturing them.

That's not the point. They went down because they went on and on with the same thing, not reacting or even anticipating future developments and customer demands. It is poor marketing, and IMHO partly arrogance. People do not mot buy that many gas-guzzling huge cars anymore. Hummer is dead, and righteaouyls so. Others will surely follow, not only in the US. The smart and flexible ones will survive.
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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany

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notsohotshot · « **Reply #12 on:** June 10, 2009, 08:47:57 AM »

I think the redundunce of discontinuing a ball simply because of color and replacing it with a different color every season is not a good thing for the customers out here or for the pro shop and distributors.ie Ebonite. They are also guilty of taking the same weight block,putting a different cover on it and putting a different name on it and put it out for sale.they say that they spend a lot for R and D but I don't see it. Storm is bad about coming out with 3 balls in every line all with just a different cover,same block. If there were not so many of the same ball I really think the price to the consumer(us) would be lower!!

MI 2 AZ · « **Reply #13 on:** June 10, 2009, 05:02:04 PM »

quote:
Visionary

Visionary is not the usual ball of the month type of company. They usually try to provide a line of balls that provide specific ball reactions without too much overlap. This year they had to introduce more balls than normal because of two ball lines no longer falling into the new USBC specs, but normally they will keep their balls in production for a few years. I just checked out their 2005-2006 catalog and from that, three balls are still in production - Frankie May Gryphon, G-3, and the Blue/Green Centaur. They have also kept a urethane ball available in their lineup since at least 1998 (Red Sorcerer, Glowing Amulet, Slate Blue Gargoyle, Ogre Urethane).
--------------------

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Edited on 6/10/2009 5:02 PM

Author Topic: Are there any ball companies... (Read 2625 times)

uptheboards

Are there any ball companies...

rockerbowler18

Re: Are there any ball companies...

dizzyfugu

Re: Are there any ball companies...

JessN16

Re: Are there any ball companies...

dizzyfugu

Re: Are there any ball companies...

Smash49

Re: Are there any ball companies...

spmcgivern

Re: Are there any ball companies...

uptheboards

Re: Are there any ball companies...

AStrikingChink

Re: Are there any ball companies...

golfnutFL

Re: Are there any ball companies...

noturcuzin

Re: Are there any ball companies...

dizzyfugu

Re: Are there any ball companies...

notsohotshot

Re: Are there any ball companies...

MI 2 AZ

Re: Are there any ball companies...