Author Topic: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now? (Read 3081 times)

Speedburner89 · « **on:** September 20, 2009, 08:40:28 AM »

A brunswick zone just closed recently in our area, and all centers seem to be struggling as open play and leagues continue to shrink. Though it may be hard to be optimistic in this economic climate, does anyone see a light at the end of this tunnel?
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getting me to slow down is like getting debbie not to do dallas......

TDC57 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 21, 2009, 07:55:16 PM »

icefiction,
how the fick old are you. You're statement is total bull. Could you please tell me when bowling was "tuff"? I've been bowling for nearly 40 years and bowling was never "tuff". The era of lacquer lanes had lanes that actually had a groove wear into the lanes and you could play that area to the pocket for good scores. The ABC went stupid years later and caused the start of all the problems they have today by trying a short oil lane condition that could be oiled any way you want as long as it only went to 24 feet. That wasn't a very "tuff" condition. Then urethane balls came. Bowling was even less "tuff". Now with the advent of super bowling balls and cores and soft conditons put out by bowling centers in hopes of trying to stay open in the face of people no longer bowling in numbers like they were at it's peak in the 60s and 70s, it's not "tuff". When was bowling this "tuff" game that you speak about? In 40 years of bowling I have never thought it was that "tuff" unless the lanes were dressed purposely were trying to make it that way!

Edited on 9/21/2009 7:56 PM

Fishbowl815 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 22, 2009, 07:21:26 AM »

I have to agree that it's not tuff anymore...it's BS when 3/4 of the house averages over 220...it use to mean something to be able to avgerage 220-230 now it's the norm and everyone can do it with these super balls and lane conditions that you can kick the ball down the lane and strike....bowling will continue to decline because of greed from the bowling alleys to the ball manufactures.

TDC57 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 22, 2009, 02:26:23 PM »

fishbowl,

You're just not very smart. Where is it so easy that anyone can average over 220 just by throwing the ball somehere on the lane, I want to bowl there. You're an idiot for thinking soft scores are just about bowling center owner's greed. That statement is as wrong as it could possibly be. Bowling is not dying because of high scores or idiots like you would have quit long ago. It's dying because unlike 30-40 years ago people's lives are far more busy and they don't have the time to commit to the 30 or more weeks of a bowling season. Drunk driving laws are a big factor also. The main reason proprietors put out softer shots is to compete for the bowlers who like to have a good time. Most centers will put out tougher shots if they are asked to do so but most of the time snot-nosed jerks like you would only complain if it was tougher. This whole era is not about scoring or greed. It's about survival. A lot of nitwits on here complained when big scores were shot in Las Vegas this year. Does the USBC put out easy shots? Just how tough does a snot-nose like you want it? Would you be happy if it was tough to average 180? Maybe averages that max out about 165 would make you happy. Let us know you jerk-off, we're all waiting to hear you set the bar in which all the snobs will feel comfortable bowling by themselves in the small amount of bowling centers that will remain open.

Fishbowl815 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 22, 2009, 02:40:01 PM »

Wow your a very angry person posting all that stuff on a bowling forum....I gave my opinion on something and I will leave it at that...I'd rather not get into anything with someone as small minded as yourself who jerks off while playing the tough guy roll on a forum....LMAO get a life dude

jbruno6 · « **Reply #20 on:** September 22, 2009, 02:42:13 PM »

Let's convert the jai alai arenas into pari mutuel bowling centers during jai-alai's off season. 8 bowlers per game with odds. Exactas, trifects, pick 3's etc. If you can bet on it, people like it. We love football because we bet on it, not because people love linemen in tight pants
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A half ten is not a great shot. No, you shouldn't have carried it.

bcw1969 · « **Reply #21 on:** September 22, 2009, 02:44:12 PM »

My teusday night mixed league has been shrinking over the past few years...back in the 04-05 season we had 30 something teams, this year we have 18. My home center isn't even full(56 lanes) for the early leagues 6-6:30 p.m. Things are not like the uesed to be...I bowled in this house on tuesday night for a mixed league back in 1990-1991, 2nd shift 9p.m. and we had a full house then, and there was even a 3rd shift, not a full house by any means but a 3rd shift that bowled after us that night, what a difference.

Since league bowlers would be a more reliable steady stream of income for any center, they could always put out an incentive to get more league bowlers by waiving the lineage for the 1st month to all league bowlers, that would boost numbers I believe.

Brad

baltimora · « **Reply #22 on:** September 22, 2009, 02:50:19 PM »

ditto but i want the plastic toy car instead. i always love the plastic toy car especially if it is a vw bug.

quote:
In 10 years I think the bowling lanes will be right next to the crane machine with the stuffed animals. You put in $10, throw 10 balls, and get a ticket for every strike you roll to turn in at the counter for prizes. A "Hambone" will get you enough tickets for a keychain whistle.

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9~

Internet Tough Guy

Cyberspace Sheep Lover

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dicnic · « **Reply #23 on:** September 22, 2009, 03:59:21 PM »

I doubt that many bowlers have quit altogether or reduced the number of leagues they bowl in because the shot is too easy. As another poster mentioned, our lives are not only more complicated these days, there is so much more to keep us occupied.

Almost everyone is on the Internet hours a day, there are many, many sports activities for young people, starting with "play dates" for youngsters up through numerous sports for teens. When I was a high schooler (many, many years ago) you could play basketball or football during the school year. Baseball in the summer, if you organized a team yourself and joined a league at the "Y".
Nobody played soccer, field hockey, rugby, tennis, volleyball, organized swimming etc. etc. Nowadays, we have thousands of sports being shown on TV, back during the bowling heydays, there were only three channels on TV and most of those were fuzzy, if you could get them at all.

With all of these activities available it is no wonder that bowling participation is down. Most other sports have bigger prizes (golf, for example), more sponsors and a broader following.

Not too difficult to figure it out.
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Never take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

JOE FALCO · « **Reply #24 on:** September 22, 2009, 04:16:50 PM »

dicnic .. all that you say is true! Back in those days you could ask your parents for a few bucks and go bowl all day! IF (big if here) a kid wanted to go bowling today (with rented shoes and one game) he'd be gone for an hour and it would cost $10 .. That's where I think the problem is!
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Hit them light and watch them fight
J O E - F A L C O

RIP Thong Princess

Stan · « **Reply #25 on:** September 22, 2009, 04:19:42 PM »

In ten years, Ebonite will be making the only bowling ball on the market. They would have bought Storm, Lane #1, Brunswick and all the others. They will also control USBC, which might be changed to EUSBC, "Ebonite United States Bowling Congress". Obviously, only Ebonite brand equipment will be legal for league/tournament competition. Many of the bowlers who used the other brands after the buyout will quit, complaining that the older equipment was much better then the junk now being made my Ebonite. Also, some of the other bowlers will quit because the league averages will now be over 260. They will complain that when they averaged 230, they had to work for their scores, now it is too easy. They will bring back memories of having a Storm Virtual Gravity and the difficulty of having to hit an area of ONLY 12 boards. Now thats when bowling was really tough.

For the most part, if bowling is still around, the equipment and the scores might change, but the same arguements will still exist.

TDC57 · « **Reply #26 on:** September 23, 2009, 12:19:12 AM »

dicnic,

You could not be more right in your post. Those are some of the points I have always said were the reason for the downturn. One thing that must be remembered is that in bowling's heyday, many people bowled 2,3 and maybe more leagues each year. The ABC counted each league being bowled by that bowler as a different bowler. When people's lives changed through the years and they cut back to one league in many cases, the ABC counted that as a lost bowler for every league he no longer bowled in. Guys like fishbowl and icestorm know absolutely nothing about this subject and harkening to back to the days when bowling was tough is ridiculous. Nobody can say when this era actually was and what average the majority of bowlers need to have to show bowling is tough. It's bad when clowns like these either talk out their azz or are the new age bowling snob.

JOE FALCO · « **Reply #27 on:** September 23, 2009, 07:13:36 AM »

I agree with most of the comments written here .. but when I say bowling is FALLING OFF .. I'm not referring to statistics developed by anyone or even trying to equate today with the 50's/60's or 70's .. I'm talking about here in my own area comparing last year to this. I walk in the Center(s) I bowl at and look at the schedules posted on the wall. There are leagues with less then 10 teams and some have only 3 man teams with BLINDS .. This was not the case LAST YEAR!

I'm bowling 3 different leagues this winter. Three different Centers. In my Senior league there is an increase in participation. Perhaps that indicates the bowling population is aging .. MAYBE .. but that doesn't help the FUTURE!

I'm still of the opinion that GREED is (and will be) killing bowling! That has been my opinion for the last 10 years and it continues to be my thoughts!
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Hit them light and watch them fight
J O E - F A L C O

RIP Thong Princess

Artimust · « **Reply #28 on:** September 23, 2009, 04:45:19 PM »

I agree that greed is killing bowling. One of the bowling centers that been here in my childhood neighborhood has been a very popular place for probably over 40 years. When the lease nenewal time came around a few years ago, the landowner tripled the lease. Why? Because Walgreens wanted to lease/buy the property. So the owner jacked up the price, made a killing on Walgreens, and shutdown and demolished the bowling center. I have yet to step foot in the new Walgreens store.

BrianCRX90 · « **Reply #29 on:** September 23, 2009, 09:03:30 PM »

I'm still amazed how this topic started saying a Brunswick center closed. Brunswick to me while I don't agree with every thing they have done is still a fine organization.

Brandon Riley · « **Reply #30 on:** September 24, 2009, 04:26:34 PM »

if the pba and collegiate bowling can draw, then it may not do so badly...
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Brandon Riley

Author Topic: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now? (Read 3081 times)

Speedburner89

Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

TDC57

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

Fishbowl815

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

TDC57

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

Fishbowl815

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

jbruno6

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

bcw1969

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

baltimora

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

dicnic

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

Never take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

JOE FALCO

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

Stan

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

TDC57

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

JOE FALCO

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

Artimust

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

BrianCRX90

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?

Brandon Riley

Re: Where do you see bowling 10 years from now?