What can be done to make the sport of Bowling more popular?

[comfortably numb]

In this very bad economy, what ideas do you have to make bowling a more popular sport...whether it might be changes in rules, prices, advertising, education, coaching, equipment, etc?

[J Anderson]

I think that having a number of short season, say 12 weeks, introductory leagues might help.

[The Mayor]

Totally agree, J. 36 or so weeks is way too long of a commitment.

[Mayonaids]

I think that having a number of short season, say 12 weeks, introductory leagues might help.

That's exactly what got me into it. I was out with some friends and random employee at a local bowling alley asked if I wanted to join a 12 week $10/wk league

[Trex]

Coupons for Twice per week free bowling for kids 15 and under - Good for up to 8 children, and adults can bowl with the kids for a one time fee of $30 limited to two adults through out the summer.

Coupons are for two free games per person per day, twice per week.

( choose your two slowest days for the coupons to be used on )

For an extra $10 per person per week they can bowl in a Have A Ball league where each bowler gets there very own brand new plastic ball of there choice at the end of the league.

[comfortably numb]

Take away all the technical terms, drilling terms, science, geometry and engineering. Make it a fun sport, something other the math/science homework.

[Trex]

Take away all the technical terms, drilling terms, science, geometry and engineering. Make it a fun sport, something other the math/science homework.

That would be like removing the engine and the wheels from Nascar race cars, and then saying to the driver...You must now propel the car with your feet like Fred Flintstone and still run 180mph!! If you cannot comply then you are not cut out to be a race car driver!! ....LOL

It's not complicated at all!! There are people who try to make it complicated so others won't try to take the time to learn it, because they know if everyone learned it, then the advantage that they have who know it, won't have an advantage anymore.

I had a guy tell me once, ...."you really got to know what you are doing to rebuild one of them electronic distributors"!!
....As he wanted to charge me an unrealistic price for labor, I simply bought the parts, removed the distributor after getting number 1 cylinder up to top dead center. Then took out the old parts & installed the new parts, then re-installed the distributor...And the car was fixed and ran like new for only my time to read directions and for the parts!! LOL

Only Ridonculous and his Crony's make it complicated!! LOL

[comfortably numb]

Trex, what you said makes a lot of sense. If someone won't take the time to learn about the sport, if they don't care to educate themselves to make themselves better, they should take up a simpler sport, where they don't have to think.

[Trex]

yeah but don't stop bowling, just learn more :)

or just have fun :)

all we have is time, until it runs out...lol

[CMoore]

I second that! Very nice post Trex!

[Trex]

Thanks :)

[DanielMareina]

The sport of bowling needs to fully shed the image of the overweight, smoking, drunk bowler. I still to this day get people in my center that comment on how clean and not smoky it is. Which is ridiculous, because you haven't been able to smoke indoors for quite a while, and on the lanes in a very long time.
People like Chris Paul and their celebrity bowling competition do great things for bowling. People need to get a positive image of what bowling is, how fun it is, and the things it does for their kids to participate (teamwork, coordination, excercise, etc.). I think that bowlopolis was a good start, but we need to get kids to think it is fun, and have the community support it.
I think the changes that should happen, at least in my area, would be tournaments between bowling centers. I think that would bring bowlers together, and make the whole center feel like a team. Also, I think juniors should get their scores and accomplishments put in the newspaper. Many sports get coverage on the news, and by forms of media. Bowling doesn't get much at all. Most newspapers need fluff to fill every page, and if you ask the right person, they will put in scores for you. I also think that juniors need to be rewarded with better prizes. When I was a kid, I got trophies, patches, plaques.... All of these made me want to bowl more, and do better. Junior bowlers will grow up and fill adult leagues, and eventually senior leagues if we get them hooked at an early age.

[The Mayor]

Nice post Daniel! I think you hit much of the problem right on the head.

[DanielMareina]

The sad part is, like our current economy, the people in charge knew that there was a problem, and they let it get so bad that it will be hard to fix. The USBC has finally (last year) began to make some wholesale changes in how they do their job. I think they have made great steps, but there is so much left to do. When I was a kid, our junior league filled our center. We had bumper bowling kids on 4 lanes, and older kids on the other 12. Now my junior league had 13 kids total. I have began a junior league that kids could bowl, unsanctioned, to earn grand prix scholarship money every time they come in. The show up whenever, bowl however much they want, and even get a reduced price per game. I do this in the hope to help get more kids interested in bowling again. I have steadily built up a following and happily had over 25 kids participating last year on top of our 13 person junior league. This doesn't help the USBC because it isn't sanctioned, but in the long run it should help the sport. Everyone that cares for bowling, needs to do their part in advertising the sport, and telling their friends how fun it is. If you are a good bowler, become a coach. Or just offer small tips to kids that come in to a center you are bowling at. Hopefully the center's coach won't get upset, but the main reason why people don't continue to bowl is because they don't get better. I offer free lessons to my league bowlers, teach classes for the city's parks and rec department, teach afterschool programs how to bowl with portable equipment for free, and loan carpet lanes and plastic pins to the local elementary schools to use in their P.E. programs. This sport can be rebuilt. It is going to take a lot of effort, but we can do it.

[Trex]

Daniel said>>>>but the main reason why people don't continue to bowl is because they don't get better.

In our case....Around here it's not that they don't get better.....

What happens is some kid or there parents invest in a four ball arsenal, Heavy oil ball, Medium oil ball, Light oil ball, and a Spare ball. They have learned how to use this equipment and have paid a coach and took the time to learn and get better....Then they start to average 200+ only after two years of bowling.....When all hell breaks loose!!

When they start beating the pants off of the older bowlers who have there 40 year old single ball, who refuse to invest in equipment or a coach!!... but will spend a $100 per week on Tobacco and Beer!! ...These people complain to the manager who finally gives in and gets the lane man to put out an oil pattern that does not allow for proper ball motion and renders any reactive equipment useless!!

So then the old farts throwing there cheap 40 year old plastic ball DUMPING IT ON THE LANE LIKE A STONE, end up getting in the roll off and win all the money because the lane man put out a 45 to 50ft reverse block!!

New bowlers who invest time and money into equipment and coaching get screwed over by the lamers who refuse to get better and or invest in equipment and coaching . These old farts are not gonna get beat by some kid with a new ball!!! NooooWaaay!!

Old Fart says...."Why heck "I've been bowling for 50 years!! I ain't gonna let some kid beat me with one O' them high tech balls that gives them fake scores cause it hooks it's self....cause I know them kids ain't hooking it...cause my ball don't break like that and I been bowling longer than they been alive!!

Old fart says....That manager better do something bout this easy house shot cause I ain't gonna get beat by some kid every time they buy a new ball!!!!

This center will do everything possible to prevent anyone from scoring if they think it is due to a new ball!!!

I am not joking, nor am I exaggerating!! .....If you buy a new ball and start scoring high with it, this center will modify the oil pattern or change it until they find something that renders that ball useless!!!!... I know because I went through $10,000 worth of new balls just to show them I could beat any oil pattern they could come up with using a new ball setup a certain way. They became so angry and pissed off it was extremely funny!!! Needless to say I made a whole bunch of enemies!!!

yes this really happens, No Joke, Not exaggerating, not one tiny bit!!

The problem is that some of these old farts are on the board of directors of the local bowling association, and they will not allow some kid with a new high tech ball beat them....Period!!!!!!!

So now that they have put out this 45 to 50ft reverse block as there easy THS all the time!!!! ...I beat them by simply using a ball that won't hook, ....I point the ball towards the pocket and let it rip at about 18 to 19 mph...Straight to the pocket from the corner of the lane and still average over 200!!

Needless to say....They hate me with a passion!!!! LOL

But for the new kids on the block....I feel sorry for them as they still struggle due to this silly nonsense!! Some of them stick with it, but sadly many quit.

[Trex]

If the USBC can put limits on what can be done with bowling balls by the people who design and manufacture bowling balls.....

Then....USBC needs to also put limits on what can be done with OIL PATTERN DESIGNS!! by the people who design oil patterns and who manufacture the lane oils and lane machines.

If you limit what can be done with bowling balls, then it is stupid to not do the same with the oil patterns!!

Now day's it's not high tech bowling balls that discredit bowling as a sport, it is the stupid oil patterns that are allowed to be used that prohibit proper ball motion.

Any oil pattern that does not allow for the three phases of ball motion which are....
... Skid, hook ,and Roll... should be banned as much as any bowling ball that has ever been banned for not meeting spec's!!!!

If the oil pattern does not allow for these three phases of ball motion, it creates an unfair playing field that favors one bowling style over another!!

All I ever hear is bowling ball technology hurts bowling,... Well On the same note so does Lane OIL Technology!!

If you really want bowling to be seen as real sport, then do what is right on both ends of the spectrum!!

Limiting bowling ball technology without Limiting Lane oil technology, and Oil Pattern Technology..........Would be like allowing someone to stand out in the field during Golf tournaments and shoot the golf ball out of the air with a gun after the golfer hits the ball knocking it off it's path ruining any chance of the golfer from hitting his target.

It would not matter how great a golfer he or she is, if the gunman is allowed to knock there ball off path.... then they have no fair chance of winning!!

Same goes with bowling,.... No matter how talented the bowler is, and or how good his equipment may be, or his ability, or talent to use it....The bowler has no fair chance of winning as long as the lane man is allowed to rig the game like a fixed game at a county fair grounds where the carnival guy rigs a game so that it eliminates all skill, talent and physical ability...it's now a game of chance.

Don't let bowling ever become a game of chance!! If you do, then it is not a sport!!

[J Anderson]

I don't want to switch hands during a game just to have a better angle on a spare. I would like to be able to enter a Tournament bowling lefty, using my 162 lefty average instead of having to use my right-handed 186 average regardless of what hand I'm bowling with!

[Trex]

Learn to adjust ?? Haha...I learned to Bowl, and adjust right handed, I then learned how to Bowl, and adjust left handed. That's about as much adjustment learning that I know how to do!!

Should I now learn how to bowl with my feet?? LOL

It's not an advantage!! It's a dis-advantage to those who make excuses as to why they should not have to learn to adjust as you call it.

Actually...I am learning the Belmonte Shuffle, Learning how to bowl with both hands, and I find that my revs have increased three fold!!! I just need to learn how to become more accurate, which I will in time, and all I have is time. Bowling two handed I can make a 40 year old rubber ball hook as much as most can with a reactive ball!! LOL