The decline of bowling started with 250$ bowling balls that hook if you drop kick em.I came up bowling in the early 70s.Would bowl 4 to 5 nights a week because it was cheap.Leagues and bowling balls to keep up with the game have become expensive.

 Seemed like around 2000 bowling started going down it was like no one promoted bowling and the ABC quit checking lanes its like they lost control and Proprietors decided abc wasn't going to tell them how to run there business.

 Then you have the majority of leagues are people over 50 who's parents may have bowled.Now they don't and whats left is 75% of your leagues are older bowlers who grew up with bowling in its hayday.Next time you bowl just look at who's bowling.

 As far as the two hander one hander two finger fiasco,Doesn't bother me what does is the lame ass houseshots with 10 boards of stone dry friction.Its ridiculous in my town.Three centers owned by the same owner who puts same crap out at all three.

 I think most of the bitching from older bowlers is not really jealousy they just want fair conditions to compete with the 20mph friction finders.Bowling has became an unfair sport with the advantage going to speed and friction.

 You younger guys reading this just remember us old farts paved the way.Glad I got to bowl when it was good.Because I think when us boomers are gone you will be lucky to find 10 team leagues at any lanes.

Here in one senior league they put out less oil. They use this excuse old people like to see  balls hook.Place is so far out of touch with reality.I am 57 throw around 15 to16 mph and rr 375 to 400 usually just throw entry level stuff.I can still compete at times but lots of my old friends have quit.

 Its like the USBC wants to put the old folks out to pasture.Which is not what my business model would be.Without the older bowlers now bowling would be in big trouble.Which I think they are real close.

 Its like they are trying to make it this big physical sport.So it may get in the Olympics.If you can't throw 20 mph an rr of 600 you need to go away.I watched a dang dart throwing tournament that payed 100 grand.Geez bowling can't hardly pay 10 grand unless its a major.

 I do like what Mo says in the video about 80% percent of lane condition are illegal.
I do wish they would at least mandate 6 or 7 units of oil across the lane.3 units is about nothing with the equipment of today.He also said they are in the business of bowling and want people to succeed.If anything should have been changed its lane condition.Not the balls the new rules will change nothing to the integrity of lane patterns.Plus the mad scientist will just make stronger cores.Ok my rant is over.

Bowling is declining because there's an entire generation with 50k+ college loan debt, advanced degrees, making $40k a year and rent is $1500-3000/mo for a 1 bedroom in all of the big cities that have the best opportunity for career advancement.

77% of Americans polled do not have over $500 in a savings account. 44% of Americans polled have less than $500 to their names. The average car note in the U.S. is $499/mo. Working class people can't afford hobbies anymore. They are one emergency away from being destitute.

Do I commit $150-200/mo in bowling leagues & equipment maintenance, or do I save the money and cut another bill? This is a common question the majority of people who "quit" had to ask themselves. It's just harder for people to admit in public that they quit due to a financial crunch. They instead blame a multitude of reasons, bowling related.

Or is this just more *hyperbole*?

Yet the same people have $1000 iPhone(with $150- $200 a month plan),  $200 Nikes and a $600 car payment. Oh and most of these people with the high student loans have a degree that doesn't pay dick .

USBC needs to face facts,  the younger generation just doesn't think bowling is cool.

Here, more hyperbole, but I dare you to give me facts to prove me wrong.

The reason bowling is down at this moment in history is us. The generation that bowled in the 70s-early 00s are whiny lazy entitled pissers. The next generation of bowlers are going to be who save what we love. They're putting in the time and effort to better themselves and the game. WE are moving out of the Archie Bunker stages and into the Marshall Kent stages. Young men and women, not accepting that house shots are the only thing they can bowl on. Not letting social constructs dictate that bowlers are this way or that way.

We perpetuate this image of ourselves. The kids aren't going to continue our reign of self loathing and vilification we are known for.

Any time I see a child smiling and laughing at a bowling center, I feel like there may be hope for the sport. Then I come here and see this bullshot. If bowling fails, it's OUR fault, not the people throwing it with 2 hands.

Bowling was an average participation sport at best, until the advent of the automatic pin-spotter. This invention is what thrust bowling into the lime light and popularized it. It then started to fall off in the 80's once other newer inventions like arcades, and video games, and cable TV and home computers fought for it's market base. Go look at the numbers and facts, relative to day in age.

The as you say, whiny, lazy, entitled pissers, are the only people who are keeping bowling alive, lol! They didn't want the short oil that the ABC came up with and subsequent scoring explosion. Just because they want to see some rules, you consider them whiny. You should also do a little fact checking as to the average age of bowlers who bowl SPORT leagues. It's middle aged.

The average age of a standard league bowler is still middle aged. Middle ages bowlers, the group you are bagging on, are the ONLY ones keeping bowling centers open. Youth league bowling is at an all time low. About the only youth bowling is from birthday parties. DO you want to guess as to the average age of the parents who's kids we should be seeing in youth bowling right now to help it grow? It's the millennial age group. It's the age group you are pontificating for.

As far as harder lane conditions; SPORT conditions (created in the early 2000's) were  started by the very age group you are bagging on. They saw the drastic disconnect between ability and average, and said we need to come up with a product that better reflects ability.

Do you support your local sport leagues?


You are entitled to your opinions, but you should at least use some FACTS to base them off of, because you are way off with your age groups.

You just proved my point again. Everyone that left has priorities way more important than bowling. 30-40 years ago there was no such thing as a an internet bill, cell phone bill, FIOS bill, Netflix subscription, and the multitude of services, now bills, than the everyday adult in 2018 has. Living expenses have risen 300% since 1985 while the average salary with inflation has only risen 10%.

I stand by socioeconomic issues of the shrinking middle class bring the #1 issue of declining participation in bowling.

I haven't proven anything. I'm just stating that bowling isn't in decline because it's to expensive. Bowling is no more expensive now than it was 30 years ago when indexed for inflation. People just chose to spend their money elsewhere.


And by the way, "internet bill, cell phone bill, FIOS Bill, Netflix subscription" are not living expenses, they are luxuries. Just like that daily Starbucks visit, people are just choosing to spend their disposable income in other places.

Being in my mid 40s I am kind of the bridge generation and I love bowling but even I have found league to be a chore and unfun in general.  So much prefer bowling the dozen games I throw a week on my own schedule plus if I suck oh well don't have to see it on my average the next week.  Will admit I am unique in that most people who own 50 bowling balls, spinner, etc are competitive bowlers.  I just absolutely adore bowling, general public and taking it super serious competitively not so much.  Guess I am contributing to ruin of social fabric in this country or whatever but trust me if you need me to be super social we are in deep sh*t.  Just glad to have a hobby I enjoy and gives me at least a tiny bit of exercise.

Quote from: DP3 on September 26, 2018, 06:23:21 AM

You just proved my point again. Everyone that left has priorities way more important than bowling. 30-40 years ago there was no such thing as a an internet bill, cell phone bill, FIOS bill, Netflix subscription, and the multitude of services, now bills, than the everyday adult in 2018 has. Living expenses have risen 300% since 1985 while the average salary with inflation has only risen 10%.

I stand by socioeconomic issues of the shrinking middle class bring the #1 issue of declining participation in bowling.

I haven't proven anything. I'm just stating that bowling isn't in decline because it's to expensive. Bowling is no more expensive now than it was 30 years ago when indexed for inflation. People just chose to spend their money elsewhere.


And by the way, "internet bill, cell phone bill, FIOS Bill, Netflix subscription" are not living expenses, they are luxuries. Just like that daily Starbucks visit, people are just choosing to spend their disposable income in other places.

I think that you took the tone of my post as being combative toward you, that's not what I meant...I apologize. I meant that as more of "Your point piggybacks the one I am making". You are correct in saying these things are "luxuries", but we cannot ignore that there are certain essentials (internet/cell phone/*entertainment*) that are a staple in the monthly budget for Americans. I think we agree that *No one* is going to work a hobby into their monthly budget over having a means of internet and wireless access. The point I am making is not "bowling is too expensive", the point is that the financial & socioeconomic issues of the middle class over the past 25-30 years, combined with what the average 18-40 year old prioritizes over hobbies is the #1 contributor to the decline in our sport.

With the ROI at every competitive level of bowling being atrocious, the last remaining bowlers that we have are here simply because they love to bowl. Taking away any exciting/new elements that may entice more participation at the youth level is not the way to save the game. Two handed bowling will never be abolished, we know this as fact. But bowlers stop participating when they:

-Are no longer having fun
-No longer can afford the expense
-Life events take priority (Kids, long work hours past league start times, moving)

If you look at the period of life when the above three start happening for the average person, ages 25-39, that's where the biggest drop off of participation is happening.

They're not quitting because two handers are beating them or wrecking the shot. They're not quitting because they bowled a sport tournament and averaged 165 when they've averaged 230 for the past 10 years on china. They won't quit because they can't use their stack leverage w/ weighthole in 2020 either. It mostly comes down to a life event that's big enough and private enough for them to but out a hobby that they loved for many years.

They're not quitting because two handers are beating them or wrecking the shot. They won't quit because they can't use their stack leverage w/ weighthole in 2020 either. It mostly comes down to a life event that's big enough and private enough for them to but out a hobby that they loved for many years.

While I don't disagree with the statement, there are people who have quit, because they were on the verge, and watching the high rev rates was enough to push them over.

It's like I have continually said, a well run business KNOWS it's current customer base, and finds ways to create NEW customers without alienating it's current customers.

I will say this though, I know PLENTY of people who don't watch the PBA telecasts if there are two-handers on them. It's not entertaining for them to watch something they don't identify with. They watched the Masters show though.


Pushing a product that constitutes, as you say, 0.00025% of it's consumer base, is a BAD business model, like it or not. Simple economics.