Author Topic: Will League bowling suvive? (Read 6718 times)

Boos · « **on:** February 02, 2010, 01:52:24 AM »

As a online pro shop owner I can see that league bowling is declining. I asked on another thread about how I can find out just how many. Business has been below average for the past 2 years with the recession and to be honest I think people are giving up. Heck, I am down to 1 league. I used to bowl 3 or 4. I have opened another Business out of bowling and am enjoying it. I will keep the Bowling shop but just for a hobby. You just cannot make money in bowling.

TWOHAND834 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2010, 10:11:08 AM »

It is the the fault of CEOs and Managers. There are alot of centers out there that were built when price per game was $1.50 and money leagues were $12-15/night and they made plenty of money because the center was always filled up. These same centers are now charging $5.00/game to practice and money leagues are now $25.00 per night. Where you could bowl 3 decent leagues 10 years ago for $15 a night are now bowling once a week because we cant afford $75.00/week to bowl 3 leagues at todays prices. Centers have jacked up the prices for lineage to a point where the bowler cant keep up. I am bowling a $15/night fun league where lineage is $11.00 and if you win all 3 thirds and the roll off, you still lose money. 10 years ago, it would get you $2,000 per man. Bowling has gotten ridiculous from a money standpoint from Managers/CEOs being greedy and bowlers are starting to disappear. Now, they have drawn their attention to the likes of corporate/birthday parties and open play. Leagues bowlers will not go where they aren't wanted.
--------------------
Steven Vance
Pro Shop Operator
Striking Results Pro Shop
Red Carpet Lanes
Duluth (NE Atlanta), Georgia

If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!

rvmark · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2010, 10:11:42 AM »

Boos,

In answer to your question in some areas it may decline and go away, in other areas I would say that it will continue forward and could even grow. It depends very heavily upon the center and the area.

Mark

storm making it rain · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2010, 10:14:05 AM »

quote:
It is the the fault of CEOs and Managers. There are alot of centers out there that were built when price per game was $1.50 and money leagues were $12-15/night and they made plenty of money because the center was always filled up. These same centers are now charging $5.00/game to practice and money leagues are now $25.00 per night. Where you could bowl 3 decent leagues 10 years ago for $15 a night are now bowling once a week because we cant afford $75.00/week to bowl 3 leagues at todays prices. Centers have jacked up the prices for lineage to a point where the bowler cant keep up. I am bowling a $15/night fun league where lineage is $11.00 and if you win all 3 thirds and the roll off, you still lose money. 10 years ago, it would get you $2,000 per man. Bowling has gotten ridiculous from a money standpoint from Managers/CEOs being greedy and bowlers are starting to disappear. Now, they have drawn their attention to the likes of corporate/birthday parties and open play. Leagues bowlers will not go where they aren't wanted.
--------------------
Steven Vance
Pro Shop Operator
Striking Results Pro Shop
Red Carpet Lanes
Duluth (NE Atlanta), Georgia

If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!

coming from a pro shop operator this is a surprising reply.

i have to give you a big -1

Boos · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2010, 10:17:28 AM »

quote:
Quote

coming from a pro shop operator this is a surprising reply.

i have to give you a big -1

WHY are you giving him a - 1?

TWOHAND834 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2010, 10:22:28 AM »

quote:
quote:
It is the the fault of CEOs and Managers. There are alot of centers out there that were built when price per game was $1.50 and money leagues were $12-15/night and they made plenty of money because the center was always filled up. These same centers are now charging $5.00/game to practice and money leagues are now $25.00 per night. Where you could bowl 3 decent leagues 10 years ago for $15 a night are now bowling once a week because we cant afford $75.00/week to bowl 3 leagues at todays prices. Centers have jacked up the prices for lineage to a point where the bowler cant keep up. I am bowling a $15/night fun league where lineage is $11.00 and if you win all 3 thirds and the roll off, you still lose money. 10 years ago, it would get you $2,000 per man. Bowling has gotten ridiculous from a money standpoint from Managers/CEOs being greedy and bowlers are starting to disappear. Now, they have drawn their attention to the likes of corporate/birthday parties and open play. Leagues bowlers will not go where they aren't wanted.
--------------------
Steven Vance
Pro Shop Operator
Striking Results Pro Shop
Red Carpet Lanes
Duluth (NE Atlanta), Georgia

If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!

coming from a pro shop operator this is a surprising reply.

i have to give you a big -1

Yeah. Why is that? I dont work for the center. I need to change my signature anyway because that center CLOSED DUE TO NO BUSINESS. The pro shop gig is just to help a friend of mine if he needs a night off for whatever reason. It is not my full time job.
--------------------
Steven Vance
Pro Shop Operator
Striking Results Pro Shop
Red Carpet Lanes
Duluth (NE Atlanta), Georgia

If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!

storm making it rain · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2010, 10:49:58 AM »

its very simple "cost of doing business"

10 years ago you could buy a high end bowling ball for $160.00, now they are $225 (depending on your market) are the proshop making more money now than then? can pro shop operators still buy drill bits, plug material, etc at the same price and charge the same price??

the same could be said about nearly every product on the market, from houses to food to electricity...the list could go on and on.

so how is it every time bowling goes up it's the greedy owners? do their bills no go up? do the food, liquor, machine parts, lane oil, electricity, gas...the list could go on and on. do none of these things ever go up???

everyone has their right to their opinion, and it could be different for corporate ownership. but coming from a private center and diving into all the numbers your response was way off base.

league bowling just like open play bowling goes thru cycles. it used to be that league bowling was 80% of your revenue, now its closer to 50% (once again depending on your market)

if people has access to financaial statements from bowling centers, i think their opinion would change rather quickly.

just my 1 1/2 cents

Boos · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2010, 10:55:41 AM »

Quote

its very simple "cost of doing business"

the same could be said about nearly every product on the market, from houses to food to electricity...the list could go on and on.

I agree but $225 for a Ball? I am a online Pro Shop and struggle sometimes getting Business. I talk to other shops and they say they are struggling. Will it get better?

storm making it rain · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2010, 11:00:17 AM »

I agree but $225 for a Ball? I am a online Pro Shop and struggle sometimes getting Business. I talk to other shops and they say they are struggling. Will it get better?
[/quote]

Boos,

i too am in the pro shop business, but i guess i am fortunate because my sales have seen an increase year to year over the last 4 years. keep in mind that i have a small shop with little inventory and little overhead.

The Stroke · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2010, 11:02:08 AM »

quote:
You just cannot make money in bowling.

It's because of internet shops like yours that pro shops aren't making that much money.
--------------------
Toodles

TWOHAND834 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 02, 2010, 11:05:52 AM »

quote:
its very simple "cost of doing business"

10 years ago you could buy a high end bowling ball for $160.00, now they are $225 (depending on your market) are the proshop making more money now than then? can pro shop operators still buy drill bits, plug material, etc at the same price and charge the same price??

the same could be said about nearly every product on the market, from houses to food to electricity...the list could go on and on.

so how is it every time bowling goes up it's the greedy owners? do their bills no go up? do the food, liquor, machine parts, lane oil, electricity, gas...the list could go on and on. do none of these things ever go up???

everyone has their right to their opinion, and it could be different for corporate ownership. but coming from a private center and diving into all the numbers your response was way off base.

league bowling just like open play bowling goes thru cycles. it used to be that league bowling was 80% of your revenue, now its closer to 50% (once again depending on your market)

if people has access to financaial statements from bowling centers, i think their opinion would change rather quickly.

just my 1 1/2 cents

I agree with you there. Yes bills go up. BUT did you happen to think that the CEOs/Managers drive up the cost to help ensure money in their own pocket? If a CEO makes $5,000,000/year and they all of a sudden "only" make $3,000,000, they still have the mentality that they are struggling and need to make a change. It happens everywhere. The CEO of my company, her business two years ago made $120,000,000. Last year, we only made $100,000,000. Guess who did not get Christmas bonuses? But the question made in this thread was "Will league bowling survive?"
--------------------

If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!

Boos · « **Reply #11 on:** February 02, 2010, 11:06:22 AM »

Quote

Quote

It's because of internet shops like yours that pro shops aren't making that much money.

NO it is because of certain Online shops that all of us do not make a lot of money. Online Included.

storm making it rain · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2010, 11:11:49 AM »

quote:
I agree with you there. Yes bills go up. BUT did you happen to think that the CEOs/Managers drive up the cost to help ensure money in their own pocket? If a CEO makes $5,000,000/year and they all of a sudden "only" make $3,000,000, they still have the mentality that they are struggling and need to make a change. It happens everywhere. The CEO of my company, her business two years ago made $120,000,000. Last year, we only made $100,000,000. Guess who did not get Christmas bonuses? But the question made in this thread was "Will league bowling survive?"

steve,

like i said i can only talk from a privately owned centers point of view, your point could very well be true in bigger corporate centers.

we believe in league bowling, talk league bowling, and love league bowling at our center. i too hope that league bowling goes on the up swing in our cycle!!

icefiction · « **Reply #13 on:** February 02, 2010, 11:16:54 AM »

i think that serious league bowlers that look for competition and not high scores are losing interest, at least i know i am. I think more sport leagues and specialty pattern leagues will pick up in areas with good bowlers. Working in the business for the past ten years or so I have seen a steady decrease in bowlers will power to grow their skills and more of a shift towards having technology take that place. I think that soon there will be a big split between leagues with certified patterns that will help dictate scoring pace versus an open house shot where anyone can average 230+.

on a side note, having seen the financial books for several centers i have been involved with, i have seen simple greed drive up prices and i have seen the economy do so, however the best books i have seen proved that in bowling a lower price to your customer always beats out higher costs over the long run.
--------------------

jls · « **Reply #14 on:** February 02, 2010, 11:53:09 AM »

quote:
Quote
its very simple "cost of doing business"

the same could be said about nearly every product on the market, from houses to food to electricity...the list could go on and on.

I agree but $225 for a Ball? I am a online Pro Shop and struggle sometimes getting Business. I talk to other shops and they say they are struggling. Will it get better?

Bowl / boos
I thought you said you got out of the business about a year or so ago....

Now this may come as a shock to some of you... But just about the whole economy is hurting.... Not just bowling....

The golf shop business is way down....

Rounds per year are way down...

It's not the bowling or golf are loosing the interest of people...

It's simply, people can't afford to do them as much...
--------------------
jls "Obama, you wanna see my truck"

Author Topic: Will League bowling suvive? (Read 6718 times)

Boos

Will League bowling suvive?

TWOHAND834

Re: Will League bowling suvive?

rvmark

Re: Will League bowling suvive?

storm making it rain

Re: Will League bowling suvive?

Boos

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TWOHAND834

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storm making it rain

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Boos

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storm making it rain

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The Stroke

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TWOHAND834

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Boos

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storm making it rain

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icefiction

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jls

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