Here is a few points that I did not notic in this thread as to the potential issues that our sport endures:

 

Point Money... We pay 25 per night... end up paying +$30 per point at the end of the league... This is a savings accout prize fund... Why not reduce the nightly fee to 15... and pay 1st,2nd and 3rd. Stop paying point money. Then for my $50 weekly I bowl 3 nights instead of two. This would increase bowling center linage and improve my skills.

 

No incentive... When I started bowling you would goto a scratch league and want to improve (practice)  to become a member. Today there are few locations that created this desire to bowl.

 

Skills - If it takes just power (speed and spin) to create carry and accuracy and reptition is not a premium then becoming a scratch bowler is easier. You can go from begining to a scratch bowler in many instances in just a year or two. Again reducing the amount of practice and league competition for proprietors.

 

While others have mentioned that technology (pins, balls, surface, oil patterns...etc) has made the game easier to score upon it has changed the game. Certianly the skills of yester year (ball speed control, rev rate control, targeting, lofting...etc) has been replaced with new skills (layouts, ball covers, ball cores, ball surface) they both require the understanding of what is happening on the lane surface. But the issue here is that if you have the right ball in your hand you are leading... the wrong ball in your hand you are loosing. Where as, the ball in yester year did not have such a huge impact as the skill was not taking advantage of the pattern using equipment it was the skill of manipulating skill within the bowlers physical game. The game is different. I would not say for the better because it comes down to who can choose or has the correct technology at the right times.