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Thread: How to get more league bowlers and open bowlers In

  1. #1

    Default How to get more league bowlers and open bowlers In

    Hi everyone. The center I work for has gotten a new owner 2 years ago. With the way everything is going with people not spending much and the change of owners we have seen a drop in league bowlers and open bowlers. I am looking for ideas how to bring in new bowlers, first time bowlers, and also to try and fill up more of our leagues up with the way the economy is today. Also we have ran some tournaments in our house but our league base in our center is not a scratch house as well as a sport shot house. We bring those things in and it seems like no one wants to bowl in the tournaments. What has worked in your house for tournaments. Thanks for your help.

  2. #2
    Ringer TheSheibs's Avatar
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    Wish I could help but I don't know much about it. The only thing I can suggest is to get USBC certified, do certified leagues, and tournaments. Also might try giving a really good discount for league bowlers. The place I bowl league offers $1 per games for league members till 5pm.

  3. #3

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    We do that already. Our league bowlers get $1.25 a game and discount in the pro shop. We are a USBC cert center as well.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mjvideo View Post
    We do that already. Our league bowlers get $1.25 a game and discount in the pro shop. We are a USBC cert center as well.
    Okay, so then the question is who knows about what great value your center gives for the customers hard earned entertainment dollar? Looks like just the league bowlers and the staff. You need to brainstorm ideas for how to get people in to see how much fun it is to bowl in your center. Maybe an event to raise money for a local charity. The center could provide the lanes at cost, the charity does the publicity. Center gets some new bowlers and positive press, the charity gets much needed funds, everyone (except the tournament director) has fun. A win, win, win situation.

    I think that the average league bowler is a bit afraid to enter tournaments. They figure that they're not good enough if their average is low or if they're a really good bowler that they'll get beat by somebody with a high handicap.
    John

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    Ringer AZBowla's Avatar
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    Three words: Kids Bowl Free. Free shoes, free games, even throw in a free kid's soda. Max 2 free kids (12 and under) per paid adult, so you don't get a babysitter bringing in 15 kids or something. As a dad of two little ones who love to go bowling with Daddy, I would absolutely love a place like that and would go there whenever I could.

    Another idea would be to offer a package deal, such as half off bowling for groups of 5 or more per lane. Say your rate is normally $3.00 per game, well an empty lane is earning you $0 per game right now, whereas the half off deal would earn you $7.50 per game with a group of 5. Most people will bowl at least 3 games so that's 22.50 for that group of 5 to bowl. They'd probably take a couple hours to do that so they're going to get thirsty and possibly hungry so there you go, you've sold them some beer or soda and maybe some food too.

    Speaking of food, here's something I'd love - a lunch special. Come in anytime from 11am to 2pm and get 1 hour of bowling plus shoe rental and lunch for $10 per person or something along those lines. Any games played after the first hour are added on at the normal rate. I'd do that at least once a week if not more if someone offered it here in Phoenix (hint, hint).

    I get free bowling in your center for giving you these goldmine ideas, by the way.

  6. #6

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    THis was the first summer that we did the kids bowl free. I got them into it since the other center I worked for that burnt down to the ground did it and I knew what it would do. That got the people in the door. We started calling the kids bowl free people from the data base but we are getting alot of people that do not want to talk to us because they just want something free. That was what we were thinking would help. As we speak im trying to get a car show going for November to change things up to get people in that do not come in to the bowling center, We are going to run $1 game, $1 shoes, $1 hotdog, and $1 md soda. We are going to push our short season leagues during that time and the after school program. Also during that time we are going to bring Jet Bowling in to introduce bowlers to the new equipment plus bring in our sponsors to promote there stuff. I hope to bring in a fire truck and police car with some of there staff because I want to start pushing community related things and hope that pays off.

  7. #7
    Bowling God billf's Avatar
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    Do you have a coach on staff or one available to give new bowlers some free lessons? I give free lessons to new bowlers, 3 for adult and 5 for kids. I also coach the Youth league Saturday mornings and the bumper club right after. In return the center owner gives me free open bowling and free soda on Saturdays. This was included on the latest flyers for the local schools to hand out. I was curious how many kids wanted to try bowling but were too embarrassed due to not really knowing how.
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  8. #8

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    This is the million dollar question all over the industry. How do we get more people in the door, be it open or league bowling. AMF centers do all you can bowl, Sunday night through Thursday night, 9pm to close, for $12 a person. In works pretty well. So well in fact, that my local center, which is not an AMF, does the same thing.

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    Ringer TheSheibs's Avatar
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    See if the local schools would be willing to do an event or even bring a class to bowl. When I was in high school, the gym classes spent two days a week for a month at the local bowling alley. The teachers made us keep track of scores on paper. Kind of a way to teach scoring for those who have never bowled before.

  10. #10

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    I am really new to bowling, but things that would attract me to a bowling center would be an event like a demo day. I was navigating through a bowling center in my area and they had a demo day for bowling balls. I would also say that if the bowling center has an easy to navigate website, that could draw more customers. A decent food selection can also bring new customers in. Some of my coworkers go bowling at a center that not your traditional looking bowling center, but the food and drink menu definitely draws a crowd.

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