Author Topic: Then why have staffs? (Read 3056 times)

Pinbuster · « **on:** August 26, 2008, 11:36:46 PM »

In another thread it was asked if you buy a ball because of some others bowlerâ€™s good review or success throwing high scores.

Most replied that it made little or no difference to them.

If that is so then what is the incentive of a ball company to have staff members and/or put seed balls out?

If other bowlers are not impressed by what they see and read then the ball companies are wasting their money on these staffers.

The truth is bowlers are impressed by what they see both on the lanes and on TV.

When I worked in a proshop, the days after a ball did well on TV on the tour you would have a run on those balls. Sometimes we would sell 8 balls in a day or until we ran out of stock.

TV exposure did sell balls.

The biggest problem I see today is that the balls on TV are not available yet to proshops. By the time the shops get them they are now having the pros throwing another new release.

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #1 on:** August 27, 2008, 07:43:42 AM »

Why do car manufacturers engage in motorsport? Do you actually buy a Ford just because a Taurus won a race last Sunday? It is probably due to market pressure - manufacturers simply cannot refuse being present in the media that carries the respective sport. Bowling is IMHO no exception - and the short term effect on Joe Bowler is huge, I am with you on that. If it makes sense for the customer is another question - TV exposure is good for selling high end stuff to people who believe they can play like a pro just through buying expensive equipment. But I do not think that it is a sound long-term strategy for pro shops.

But there are also other factors involved - staff players (just as car drivers) act as brand ambassadors, and the way the act in the public has IMHO a huge effect on brand awareness and image building.
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scotts33 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 27, 2008, 08:00:25 AM »

BR users aren't the average Jane/Joe Bowler. I do think some TV exposure does sell balls.

I do think the PBA registration fees are outrageous for what the manufacturer gets out of it.

Use the Cell as an example from last year. Probably the hottest ball sales wise I would think. Independents used it on TV and more than one. Then, you knew it was a special ball. If a lot of independents use a particular ball it surely matches up to a lot of styles. That ball is worth a lot.

Time and time we see staffers struggle using the newest hottest hook monster on TV. In an effort to show the newest piece on TV the staffer uses the wrong ball and might do much better with an older piece.

I think more in golf than in bowling staff members do sell equipment.

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Scott

Gazoo · « **Reply #3 on:** August 27, 2008, 08:13:46 AM »

Vary few league bowlers actually watch the PBA on TV and go mostly by what they see in their leagues. I bowl in a center where Brunswick is not all that popular and a few years back showed up for league with an Ultimate Inferno. Kept getting asked "what ball is that". The next week there were 5 of them being thrown.

Jesse James · « **Reply #4 on:** August 27, 2008, 08:41:04 AM »

I agree with Gazoo on that one.

Though I might not be influenced terribly by a big or famous bowler using a particular named brand of ball, there are plenty of neophytes totally new to the sport of bowling who will purchase a ball, just because they see a particular person scoring well with it.

Most people know absolutely nothing about drillings, surface changes or even the type of conditions they are bowling on. So the first thing they see striking a lot..........that's the one to get!
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dizzyfugu · « **Reply #5 on:** August 27, 2008, 09:49:43 AM »

quote:
Most people know absolutely nothing about drillings, surface changes or even the type of conditions they are bowling on. So the first thing they see striking a lot..........that's the one to get!

Second that. And many also think "ball is expensive = more strikes". Well, at least it makes pro shops happy...

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Pinbuster · « **Reply #6 on:** August 27, 2008, 09:54:37 AM »

The truth is almost all of us are influenced by some sort of hype.

Otherwise why do so many buy a new ball each month?

scotts33 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 27, 2008, 10:02:17 AM »

quote:
Otherwise why do so many buy a new ball each month?

Cuz we can.

I do think ball sales will be down this year with the economy in the tank.

I drilled 4 balls last bowling year. I also made more $$$ bowling tourney's last year...than the past 5.

I built one new set of irons, built 2 new drivers, built one new putter.....I did not win any $$$ playing golf this year save $20 in a scramble and a few bucks and a few beers here and there in $2 Nassau's.

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Scott

LuckyLefty · « **Reply #8 on:** August 27, 2008, 10:03:47 AM »

I agree with Scott33. Of course the politically correct high IQ members of ballreviews are not affected by this type of hype and drivel!

But JoeBowler....does!

I have too....I'm willing to admit it!

The number of balls I have purchased because it looked great on TV is too great to list. The other set of balls I have bought because a guy in my center threw it great and shot 800. The third set (the only ones I should have purchased probably) I saw a guy in my center who threw it sort of like me....and on my side and scored great!!

REgards,

Luckylefty
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Juggernaut · « **Reply #9 on:** August 27, 2008, 10:18:30 AM »

The last ball I bought strictly from watching it on T.V. was a Storm Blue Thunder back in 1997. P.D.W. was tearing things up with that ball, but soon after I was wishing I had gotten the Columbia Outrage instead. The B.T. was alright, but I bowled much better with the O.R.

Since then, I have always tried to gauge my ball buying habits of what I have actually seen in leagues with my own eyes. Things that have been successful on the particular shot I am playing on, not something a pro made look great on their conditions.

AN example is this: I am just now starting to look at a MoRich Lev-RG for this years fall season. That ball has been out for a year now, but I wanted to wait and see just how well it performed and how long the cover lasted and am now satisfied that it would be a piece that I could use. Also, since it has been out a while, it can be had for a bit less than the "Ball of the Month" clubs latest offerings.

I didn't see the Lev-RG on T.V. at all that I can remember. I've seen Walter Ray using Mo's stuff, but not the Lev-RG. Besides, Walter Ray doesn't throw like me, so I couldn't use him as a guide anyhow.
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Crankenstein300 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 27, 2008, 12:21:53 PM »

Staffers do more than just try and win whatever they are bowling in using a particular brand. They are there to promote the brand and also serve as testers for equipment. Now a lot of it still is to get exposure on TV and in tournaments but they still are representatives as well.

abrown · « **Reply #11 on:** August 27, 2008, 12:29:55 PM »

they simple fact is if your average bowler sees the couple big guys in the house throwing honor scores then they want what ball they have just like what they see on tv i remember when the original bw came out i bowl in a very low scoring house(traditionally) the shots farely easy but it's hard to carry me and another guy were the first to have the bw we combined for 3 300 in the first month and a half after we got them now you go down the lanes and there's uaually one on the rack or more that or people had them and didnt blend with them. thats my take on it i'm not a staffer but i know a couple for hammer and storm what they use usually sales

shelley · « **Reply #12 on:** August 27, 2008, 01:48:58 PM »

Staffers do more than just make the ball look good. They promote the company by recommending their equipment to other bowlers, they try to sell the company's equipment before another company's if they own the shop, they're the visible face of the company.

We might argue here the value of having national staffers throwing balls on TV and how we don't buy just because PB3 won with a Twisted Fury, but someone, somewhere has done the research and found that people really do buy based on what wins on TV. Apparently, most pro shops will agree with that, regardless of what a bunch of yahoos on an Internet message board think.

SH

Pinbuster · « **Reply #13 on:** August 27, 2008, 01:52:36 PM »

So what BR posters are saying that they are above the hype of reviews and seeing the balls thrown but that the "normal" league bowler is not.

DanH78 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 27, 2008, 01:57:17 PM »

quote:
So what BR posters are saying that they are above the hype of reviews and seeing the balls thrown but that the "normal" league bowler is not.

I'm not above hype. I'm above "Win on Sunday, buy on Monday". I don't really care who throws what on Sunday, but if I know staffers like a certain ball when no one is watching, that carries some weight.

Also, one of the points of staffers is that they should have more knowledge of a product than your average bowler, so if I'm looking for a ball for X condition from their company, they can tell me about it and promote it.
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Author Topic: Then why have staffs? (Read 3056 times)

Pinbuster

Then why have staffs?

dizzyfugu

Re: Then why have staffs?

scotts33

Re: Then why have staffs?

Gazoo

Re: Then why have staffs?

Jesse James

Re: Then why have staffs?

dizzyfugu

Re: Then why have staffs?

Pinbuster

Re: Then why have staffs?

scotts33

Re: Then why have staffs?

LuckyLefty

Re: Then why have staffs?

Juggernaut

Re: Then why have staffs?

Crankenstein300

Re: Then why have staffs?

abrown

Re: Then why have staffs?

shelley

Re: Then why have staffs?

Pinbuster

Re: Then why have staffs?

DanH78

Re: Then why have staffs?