Beating the dead horse Dave! Nobody argues your point, did you not read my post. But, this is a new era and every proprietor has the right to protect their business even though you turn your nose up to it. You are in the minuscule minority and all the chest beating in the world won't change the landscape of the bowling industry! Nobody disputes a person should get better being challenged, but the majority doesn't care about that or how sport pattern believers, feel. Unless you believe the game and industry would be better off if they lost another million bowlers, then either forget about THS and do what you have to, to be happy, but don't believe sport patterns are the life preserver of bowling.

Using the term "league hack" denotes that the person saying it, is a bowling snob. Don't be a bowling snob. Nobody likes a bowling snob!!

Going from house straight into sport is too big of a transition for most bowlers.  They will complain and eventually quit.  Your best chance is to gradually ween your league off of the walls and slowly introduce them into tougher shots.  Here is what I did while in the process growing my league from 18 to 24 teams:

In 2013 we bowled on a 8-1 ratio house pattern where our 20th bowler was 205. 
In 2014 we bowled on 2x 8-1's and 2x Kegel Challenge 4-1's.  Our 20th bowler was 198.
Last season we bowled on 4x Kegel Challenge 4-1's and our 20th bowler was 193. 
This season we are bowling on 3x Kegel Challenge 4-1's and 1x Sport Compliant.  Our 20th bowler is currently at 190 with our 2nd easiest pattern coming up for Q4. 

Don't take away the adult T-Ball bowling equivalent (House shot)! Too many egos will be bruised!

Very few people want to take the time to get better. They just want to drink beer, stand left, throw right, avg. 220+, go home and feel good about themselves.

I practice most Sundays, using a variety of balls, trying at least 3 different lines/zones and shoot games of lowball at corner pins.

I do know one guy that comes in that practices on PBA patterns they put down for him, as he shoots regional PBA 50s.

I am one of a handful in my area that would welcome a sport shot.

What if you went to a golf course and couldn't play from the tips and the hole was as big as a garbage can lid? 

Yes, tournaments are available but leagues other than summer novelties are not.  For those of those who can not compete at the highest level in scratch tournaments, we are back to nada.  I've done my fair share of donating in these events but there is nothing better than seeing tougher patterns week in and week out.

I think sport leagues also make bowling a competition again and not a video game with the cheat mode enabled.  I used to bowl 2, 3 or 4 nights a week but when it is all on the China, I just don't see the point.

I bowl two leagues: One Sport and the other THS. I enjoy both for the obvious different reasons.
 
Living in both worlds, I'd suggest taking baby steps if you want to convert the THS league to something tougher. Going cold turkey from THS to the more challenging Sport/PBA patterns will alienate the majority of bowlers in the league. Most have not developed (nor care to develop) the skills necessary to have any success, any many will probably not come back next year. 
 
If the THS league has multiple rounds, consider suggesting picking one or two rounds where minor tweaks are made to the THS pattern. It's relatively easy to lay down some additional oil from 10 to the gutter to create a little more out-of-bounds. It will give bowlers a taste of something tougher without completely destroying averages. If it's not well received, it's only for a round before going back to the normal THS.
 
We started this in out in our THS league last year, and it's basically worked out. There was some bitching and moaning during the first attempt because averages went down more than anticipated. But tweaks were made the next time the modified pattern was put down, and averages went up enough to keep the complainers under control.
 
This method will give the house a feel for how far they can go without possibly destroying the league and losing business. Something to consider.

Even if we wanted to bowl on a sport pattern, the house has explained to us that they won't put one out for us, so it's a moot point. They say doing that properly would require striping the lanes multiple times both before and after league play to fully erase lane memory and there's not enough time available to do that. They currently do in-fill before league and nothing afterwards. They won't even clean the back ends before league.  Fortunately I don't see it as being a big deal because the house shot is already difficult enough for 97% of us league bowlers (those of us who bowl less than a 700 series every night).

this sounds like just a lip service excuse.  I don't the center has to tape the lanes every week any more, at least I haven't noticed it this year when I am early to the center.  It shouldn't be that hard for the center, if the center was willing.  I would assume they have another reason, but don't want to share it.

My sport league is 2nd shift, 9 teams.  so the center oils 6 pairs.  the first pair is a burn pair/back up for break downs.  they adequately strip and oil the lanes in 20-30 minutes between the leagues.  My league members start to trickle in when the league in front of us in the 7th frame or so of their last game.