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Author Topic: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?  (Read 7481 times)

Bjaardker

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Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« on: October 10, 2006, 04:08:15 AM »
(moved this from the PWBA forum because I would like to get more input on this & start a conversation)

I think that saving pro bowing all hinges on the USBC revolutionizing the sport itself & getting people to come back to bowling.

There's no mystique to bowling anymore. When you watch Tiger nail a chip shot from 180 yds out & hit it within 2 ft of the hole, you're in awe. But almost any jackhole can throw the front 5 or 6 now days. It's not magical. If they brought back the sport to bowling, gave people reasons to compete again, then people would watch it on TV.

Why do so many people watch golf? Because so many people are golfing as a sport. People wont watch bowling on TV anymore, because they can't relate to it. Now I know what you're thinking, tens of millions of people bowl every year. However, there's a huge difference between some people going out & bowling for a fun evening, and Bob & the guys getting together on a tuesday morning to hit the links. People are no longer bowling as a sport, it's become just a game, and that's not changing any time soon thanks to an incompetant USBC. It's no coincedence that around the same time ABC dropped the PBA, leagues were folding all over the country & memberships to the ABC & the WIBC were in decline.

IMHO It's going to take a network TV contract to save the pro bowling tours. Without the revenue from such a contract, I don't see the PBA lasting much longer, let alone the PWBA coming back. Only problem is, unless you're producing a product people want to watch, and are excited about, the networks wont be interested. I think this starts with the USBC.
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cgilyeat

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2006, 12:16:21 PM »
Not to be too cynical, (I guess I will be)but first the USBC has to save itself and the rest of bowling.  I seriously doubt that they are capable of doing that much less capable of saving pro bowling.
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Djarum

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2006, 12:24:12 PM »
I think the only way to get it back is to make it more difficult. That way joe blow can't shoot a 180. How we make it more difficult is up to debate. When the average goes down, and you have creame rising to the top, and bowling a 220 actually means something, then people will join. I think it loses peoples attention because it does get so easy.

Dj
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splendorlex

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2006, 12:46:03 PM »
Also, if you're comparing bowling to golf, they're just too different.  How many different courses are there?  A LOT!  Bowling alleys?  Essentially they're all the same.  Heck, the fact that they could throw together an alley in the middle of mall says somthing!  There is NO environmental excitement.  Maybe if bowling could incorporate some water hazards...

But also, what Bones says is right.  I like to watch bowling because I love the sport, and love to see guys/gals who KNOW what they are doing.  To the average Joe, or even to the average bowler, it looks like every shot is pretty much the same.  Where's the excitement?  There is none, and never will be.  Now, if the women were to bowl in BIKINIS, you might see some national interest!
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LuckyLefty

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2006, 12:52:24 PM »
Clara Guerrero!  Can save bowling.

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS excite and entertain...low scoring is out in selling to the public.
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sheppy335

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2006, 01:23:59 PM »
Funny you say that. I had a guy lst year come up to me in my Mixed league and ask me why i dont bowl professionally on tour. I had to laugh, i told him they would eat my shorts out there. I explained to him that the oil pattern we bowl on is a heck of alot easier and the pros would average like 240 to 250 on it. Then i told him the professional patterns are very difficult and require a repeated motion and great spare shooting. I thanked him for the compliment and todl him i am no way good enough. That is were the problem is no one realizes that it isnt easy out there.
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Oil is served Best with fingers!
Why does the 8 Pin laugh at me!

Sheppy

Pinbuster

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2006, 01:26:16 PM »
I don’t think anything will remove it from the position of a 3rd tier professional sport.

As general sanctioned bowling declined interest in pro bowling declined.

The original model failed and both tours closed doors.

The new PBA model is failing its original vision. Despite bringing in new marketing blood as sanctioned bowling continues to decline so does the PBA. Sponsor don’t see the return for their dollar so they are not signing up.  

Evidence of this is the reduced prize funds this year.  
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LuckyLefty

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2006, 01:28:16 PM »

"Lady in RED....(like a song)"

REgards,

Luckylefty
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DonSVO

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2006, 01:32:05 PM »
i think the reason people watch golf is because of the type of person who appreciates golf... They understand that golf is hard, they understand how tough that 180 yard shot within 2 yards of the pin.

we cater to mediocrity in the bowling world... easy scoring shots make bad bowlers look better. your average joe blow bowler shoots 220 on a low-volume top hat and has no clue what a flat shot is.
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Bjaardker

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #9 on: October 10, 2006, 01:51:55 PM »
It sounds like most of us are in agreement that the excitement is lacking because almost anybody can throw a string of strikes now.

Bowling didn't used to be a 3rd tier sport. It was revered with large purses & major television contracts....then people stopped watching, right around the same time they stopped playing.

To give you an idea of this... ask people who Earl Anthony is. A good portion of the people you ask will know the name, and a good portion of that group will be able to tell you he's a bowler. Now ask them about Walter Ray Williams Jr.....Willing to guess what that percentage will be?

That's all extraneous to the point of my post which is that Bowling is no longer a sport, so people don't consider watching it on TV.

I've often suggested that they add a UV component to the oil so the cameras can show the oil pattern in real time but it's still invisible to the players. Also in leagues or open play they should add a dye to the oil so people see what they are playing on & can compare it to that which the pros play.

Also, there is still excitement in this game. Last night my wife was watching the USBC women with me & commented how exciting the last match was with it coming right down to the end. Besides....how much excitement is there in golf other than the occasional nice shot? Not much. then look at Arena Football. That game is nonstop excitement, but people don't watch it much. There has to be another X-factor to the viewership equation other than excitement.
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DON DRAPER

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #10 on: October 10, 2006, 02:05:23 PM »
sheppy335, i understand what you mean. my sister and nephew( who mean well ) asked me why i don't turn pro. i told them averaging 230 in league isn't the same as the oil patterns on the pba tour are very difficult. they didn't understand this until i gave them a thorough explanation. even then i'm not sure they fully realized what i meant.
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EL

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #11 on: October 10, 2006, 02:12:03 PM »
The only way you going to save Pro Bowling (on TV)is....reality bowling.  Maybe have the men's bowling in speedos.  Maybe start a fist fight with each other.  Maybe in match play the losing bowler has to kiss the winner in the lips, heck better yet the butt?

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EL

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #12 on: October 10, 2006, 02:17:14 PM »
But to be real serious here, Bowling will never have the same exposure as the other sports.  Ask yourself this question, if you had a son or daughter and they want to be a "professional".  Want to earn a living being a professional and get exposure.  Would you pick bowling?  Where is the money or endorsement these days?
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se7en

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #13 on: October 10, 2006, 02:27:20 PM »
I remember watching The Colbert Report one night, or it might have been Stewart, but they had went to the guy who created the slogan 'Flick your bic' and asked how the US Army could market themselves to boost enlistment.

Sadly, even though they were joking, I think the guy had a good point. The best way was to market the Army as hip, or cool (and may have likened it to Grand Theft Auto - Vice City).

The problem with bowling is that is has never been marketed as anything but a Sunday church cornfest. 'As American as apple pie!' the USBC commercial states. They are marketing bowling as goody-goody, so it will never be anywhere close to other sports when it comes to reaching out to a majority of youth.

At least the Women's Challenge stepped it up a notch. I think they need to reimage bowling with a cool-factor, not the apple pie approach.
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Floridarevmachine

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Re: Can anyone save Pro Bowling?
« Reply #14 on: October 10, 2006, 02:50:00 PM »
I've noticed that there really isn't a real super phenom on the tour.  Yes I know there are guys like Tommy Jones, Patrick Allen, etc. , but there is no Tiger Woods of bowling yet, Golf was somewhat popular before Tiger, but look at it now.  I think if someone like Tiger comes along there will be more of an interest.  There are guys that have good years, but most don't have great years every year like Tiger seems to have.
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