As much as I would like to see big prize funds I just don't think you will see it happen.

Getting bowlers to pay more, good luck with that. Look at the last outcry over the raise in USBC dues and that was less than $5 a year. Look at how many don't want to sanction anymore. 

Unlike golf, you can't get over 100k people in to spectate during a  tournament. So virtually all the money has to come from TV and other sponsors.

With maybe 1.5 million sanctioned bowlers left, I doubt it a third of them watch the PBA on TV and they are for the most part not in the 18 to 35 demographic sponsors want. Just not enough eyes.

In the 1980's when top prizes hit $100k there were far fewer cable channels and 8 to 9 million sanctioned bowlers. The viewer demographics were much better. There wasn't 15 hours a day of NCAA Football and basketball. Not to mention the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and now soccer.

Plus the normal joe on the street would say why pay to see something I can see for free every night at some bowling center. The scores maybe better in leagues than what they show the pros bowling. And they don't understand lane conditions, it looks exactly the same to them.

...Plus the normal joe on the street would say why pay to see something I can see for free every night at some bowling center. The scores maybe better in leagues than what they show the pros bowling. And they don't understand lane conditions, it looks exactly the same to them.

This.  It isn't only normal Joes that don't understand the different lane conditions.  Established, long standing league bowlers also don't understand.  Several bowlers have made comments such as "I watched bowling last weekend.  Boy, those pros were way off their games.  I would have bowled better than that!".  I will respond with a comment about the different, harder pattern/conditions they bowl on and people just look at me with a blank stare.  Some will even say "A lane is a lane, oil is oil.  It's all the same.  They just bowled bad and it was boring."

As hard as the PBA has tried to communicate and educate about the adverse lane conditions, they have done a really poor job.  Most people simply don't get it or choose to ignore it.  I wish the PBA broadcasts would have more behind-the-scenes features such as what Brand and Kyle do on their channel.  Show the grind, show how the bowlers prepare, show how they think, show how much they do to just try to make the show.  Most viewers simply do not understand what these pros go through during each tournament.

I've thought about this one and yes, league bowlers COULD bail out the PBA. Honestly, it's only a dollar a week, or a dollar per league per week, or a dollar per game per league per week. All of which I can easily afford.

However, I choose not to do so. Yea, I guess I'm a cheap bastard. I have zero desire to subsidize the PBA. If they can't make it using the same model that seems to work for pretty much everything else, then too bad.

avabob, you couldn't be more wrong with your last post.

The typical league bowler has no idea of lane conditions. 

avabob, you couldn't be more wrong with your last post.

The typical league bowler has no idea of lane conditions.

I agree.  The average league bowler has no idea that on the Wolf the 3.5 board is going thru the nose and the 1.5 board is flat ten or worse.  They also have no idea what its like on the Dragon pattern to hit the 8 board and flush a strike then hit the 6 board 2 feet too early and slide in the gutter. You have to experience it yourself.

Just like the average Joe has no idea what its like to try to hit a 80+ mph knuckle ball.

I dont disagree with a thing you said Pinbuster.  I just have had this long standing feeling that the PBA founders really blew opportunitues to get deep pocket advertisers in the early years.  Don Carter was as big a name as Arnold Palmer in the 60s.  The PBA could have had a dozen Firestone level advertisers. 

avabob - I do believe Eddie Elias enriched himself more than he grew the tour and that PBA could have grown more at that time than it did. The PBA tour popularity was due more to the grow of bowling in general than anything the PBA did to promote itself.

The Touring Pro Bowlers group and the law suit in the mid 1980's probably was the first signs of cracks in the PBA and how they were not serving members.

The PBA had the Arnold Palmer of the time in Dick Weber. A fabulous bowler and great personality.

I really don't think the PBA could have reversed the factors that have led to decline of sanctioned league bowling. But they might have slowed it and given better avenues for the serious bowlers to compete.

Maybe they should have developed a product like the high roller tournaments under their umbrella.

Getting kids interested is a lot easier said than done. Bowling just isn't cool.   

Agree the average league bowler doesnt have a clue.  Nor does the  average hacker tuning in to golf.  They have about as much idea of hitting a high fade, or a low stinger as league bowlers do about playing the gutter or 4th arrow.

Also, I dont disagree that the drop in league participation was inevitable.   Such a level of organized participation was impossible to maintain.