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Author Topic: Do we really need the PBA?  (Read 2621 times)

srlunatic

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Do we really need the PBA?
« on: April 14, 2008, 07:49:44 AM »
Is the PBA something we need to advance the cause of bowling?  There is no professional bowling here in Europe yet bowling is definitely growing and the European Bowling Tour has done quite well here without being a professional organization.

So my question is....do we really need the PBA?

*this question may or may not reflect my views on the subject*
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stormfanken

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Re: Do we really need the PBA?
« Reply #31 on: April 18, 2008, 03:04:57 PM »
I can tell you that the building I believe has been gutted. I work at a bowling alley on the East Side and we bought their lanes, scorers and other items that we will be installing this summer. I also know that another bowling alley on this side of the river bought alot of the lane seating that they had. You are right about the place being called Cat City at one time also. I also know another problem that Fat Cats had was that they actually got the PBA to come there and then lost the tournament because they refused to take down some of the items inside the bowling alley so that the PBA could set up inside the place for the tournament. I know St. Clair ended up with that tournament and the finals I believe were bowled at Bel-Air Bowl. I really think that place could have made it if they had some leagues and some better management.
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I am from the St. Louis area also. Are you referring to the place in O'Fallon IL that I believe was named Fat Cats ?? That is a shame that place didnt make it. It was a beautiful center. The same with the place called Lucky Strike lanes that was in the St. Louis Mills shopping Center. (Not the old Lucky Strike in Hazelwood that was open for years.) Wasnt that only open about a year?


Yeah, I was talking about Fat Cats, and I think at some point Cat City, though I may be making that up.  The problem with Fat Cats I think had a lot to do with the owner.  When you don't have a pair enough to fire a guy in person and have to do it over the phone (a friend of mine who's been in the buisness 20+ years and owned a fairly successful center for the majority of that time) you're probably going to have other issues.  I think the owner came from a tech background and was good and successful at that and decided to try to open a bowling center.  I think he even designed the scoring system himself.  I'm not sure, but I think the building may still be there with all the equipment and lanes, but the land is so valuable and the building/equipment probably needs so much work, it would be espically hard to get it in order at a decent price.
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Krakken

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Re: Do we really need the PBA?
« Reply #32 on: April 18, 2008, 03:31:40 PM »
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I work in a bowling alley here in the st louis area and have to say that we would go out of business without the leagues. How have leagues become a bigger pain than they are worth. They are guaranteed weekly income.
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Too many options on how to spend your money these days for bowling to survive much longer.

I have had some of the same centers around here talk about no more leagues, they say bigger pain than they are worth.

Maybe the PBA should do what a lot of companies are doing right now, and look at ways to lower their overhead costs so they can pour more money into the prize funds?


Because league lineage fees are generally much lower than open play, and league bowlers typically do not spend as much on drinks and food as open play bowlers. The revenue is there, just not as much as they would get from half of the open play bowlers.  In the early 1990's I was paying between $15-$20 per league for the fees.  I am still paying that much now almost 20 years later.  Why? because leagues try to keep the costs down, so the centers aren't making nearly as much. They raise the fees, and more bowlers would leave.  Tell me one thing that you paid for in 1990 that is the same price today?

Then there are the guys in the league that always complain about the shot that is laid out, too easy, too hard, block for the lefties, block for the righties.

The house I bowl in doesn't make much at all from the leagues, and with that many folks bowling in the house, they have to have more staff working than they do with open play.
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