USBC Nationals runs Feb-July

Megabucks

Masters

PBA events

 

 

Brunswick has always had a Jan or Feb release in all the time I've been on Staff or employed. It's a pretty set schedule for releases.

I can give it to you from every perspective, because I've been just a bowler. I've been a pro shop owner and now I am a ball rep.

 

As a bowler, I welcomed the releases all during the year. Competing at the local and pro level, I wanted to test and tune every type of ball I could get my hands on. I drilled 100s of balls and never got to the point where I said "I'm good, I never need another ball."

As a pro shop owner, I welcomed the releases all during the year. I was not forced to purchase anything I didn't want to. I made my best buying decisions based on past history, performance, and what I thought would appeal to my customers. A lot of times I got it right, sometimes I got it wrong. When I got it wrong, I marked it down and moved on. I tracked my sales history and how many "turns" each product got. Having new releases throughout the year gave me more to talk about with my customers. I was in the business to make money and make people excited about bowling. The great bowling balls stuck around for years, and there have been only a small handful in the last 10 years that had "staying power".

 

As a ball rep, I can say one thing. We work on a very set release schedule, and until the sales numbers show otherwise, consumer sales are driven by new ball releases. If the demand is there (which it is), then it is our business to create the supply for that demand.

 

That is as straight forward and honest as I can be.

Nick, don't you think that when you release the next greatest ball, that it takes away from the shelf life of the last next greatest ball? Years ago, products were given time to ripen and become those staples. If they were duds, those were the ones that you saw on the discontinued list, not all the ones that you see now because there wasn't enough time as the next greatest ball before the next next greatest ball came out? 

 

In my pro shop days, the guy that I worked for was a huge Ebonite fan. So much so, that he bought 48 blue Omegas. As we all know, that ball was a commercial flop, and was on closeout as soon as they came out with the Omega LM. Those balls back in those days (Blue Omega, Riptide, Tombstone) were supposed to be the next greatest ball, and they weren't going to be, no matter how long they were on the market, so Ebonite was right to come out with something to cover their messup with those.

 

But now, I feel that it hurts the pro shop to have to keep up with a large mid season launch. If I am correct, DV8 is coming out with 2 new balls (one color, one tweak of an older ball) and Big B is coming out with 2 (some hyphen max ball, and another Nexus). Pro shops don't feel confident buying in large amounts to get bulk discounts, because they know that 4 months later, that stock may be outdated.

 

August used to be an exciting time. You hear about new additions to the lineup of whatever company, and those mainly stuck around for the year, at least. Now, it's like the weather in Chicago. Don't like the weather? Wait 5 minutes. Only, in pro shops, it's "Don't like the line up? Wait 3 months." 

 

I feel it's unfair to a potentially great product to get introduced in the middle of the year, because more than likely, it's going to get lost in the end of the year shuffle. 900 just came out with the Train, which I think is because either the Bank Roll didn't perform like they wanted it to, or it didn't sell like they wanted it to. From what I've heard and seen, going to be a great ball. Waiting to put holes in mine. Just makes me sad that I have to wonder if it's going to be around for the league bowler to try before it's marked down because the Bullet Train is right around the corner.

 

Traditionally, league bowlers buy at the beginning of the season. Then there are schmoes like us Ballreview yahoos who buy whenever we have the urge! The whole market isn't comprised of people like us. We're a niche group.

 

It makes me feel like I used to when I was in electronics sales. People would ask me "When is this computer going to be obsolete?" Well, technically, it was obsolete before it hit our shelves. But, it is only obsolete when it stops working for you! /sales guy pitch. Badly timed releases in the technology world are murderous. I feel the same way with bowling balls.

 

That's all. I just wanted to complain.  

The sky is falling

The end is near

The final warning

The sun disappears. 

 

My arsenal

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67160612@N08/ 

Honestly if the ball Brands want to flood the market it doesn't affect the bowler, if anything it enhances the opportunities for the bowler.

 

In the end if they don't sell it the Ball Companies that lose out from all the production costs.  And plain and simple there's a lot of people who buy tons of balls (myself included) but it is my choice and my money.

Thanks for your continued business!

 The OMG has been supported for 12 months now.  Released last Jan and it was placed in our catalog this summer.  So it has been given ample time to be placed on the shelf and sold through.  Believe what you want but Jan-Feb is a strong month for HP sales.....tournaments, tax returns, flat out timing or thinking that you need a new ball.....all play a factor. 

Any manufacturer would love to make one ball and sell hundreds of thousands of them.  Its just not possible in today's climate or in the sport we are in....What works for you will not necessarily work for me.  Our sport is not standardized....lane surfaces vary, oil patterns vary, styles vary etc.  Is there a need for 400 different options...no.  But again that's where capitalism comes in....without someone buying the product there would be no companies....the consumer ultimately controls who survives.