Usbc and bpaa to invest $5 million in support of new youth membership program

[Bowling RSS Member]

USBC, BPAA to invest $5 million in support of new youth membership program


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[vdubtx]

Sad that Bowlmor/AMF are cutting youth leagues left and right in our area.

[Eternal Bowler]

As a youth bowler, I'm not really sure how to feel about this investment. On one hand, I think it's a good idea to strive toward getting the younger generation excited about bowling, but on the other, I don't know exactly what aspects of the program towards which the $5 million are going.


I've heard about the Bowlmor/AMF merger and all the things that the Bowlmor CEO is doing. It's quite clear the management at Bowlmor is NOT comprised of even partially competitive bowlers. The CEO thinks that no one takes bowling seriously; this video says it all. It's genuinely disturbing.

[Perrin]

That video is terrifying for anyone that bowls league in an AMF/bowlmor center.

"I mean, I don't think anyone takes bowling seriously. Why would you?"
wow just wow.

[Eternal Bowler]

I shudder to think what would happen if Bowlmor decided to merge with Brunswick as well. Thus far, Brunswick and privately-owned houses are the only ones who seem to be safe from this; AMF has fallen into the trap, unfortunately, and I don't know how they'll ever get out of it.

Pretty much every bowling center I've ever bowled at was privately-owned but the video still disgusts me.

[vdubtx]

Absolutely the reason why my 2nd league team pulled out of the AMF center and moving to a privately owned center in town. Huge drop off in the number of teams that were signing up. Will be in a better center with better bowlers and a center that actually cares for the league bowler.

[Eternal Bowler]

Hey, vtubtx, apparently there's a Twitter hashtag called "#boycottBowlmor."

http://twitter.com/search?q=%23boycottBowlmor I kind of think this says it all. Most of these people posting tweets with this hashtag are youth bowlers, so I think this is kind of relevant to this thread. 'Tis a very tragic thing to happen to competitive youth bowling and competitive bowling in general... ;_;

[Hampe]

Wow.....that guy sounds like a huge douchebag...

[MICHAEL]

Wow.....that guy sounds like a huge douchebag...

I agree, to disagree with his statements! BUT,,, BUT,,, anything to get people BACK into the bowling alleys!!!! It might be that this is what the sport,,, (((YES DID SAY SPORT))), needs to renew interest. You might think of the guy as a douche bag, lol, but ,,, BUT something needs to be done, to appeal to the people out there, before its too late!
I don't agree with most of his statements, lol,,, BUT if it gets people excited about Bowling, then it will be in the long run good for the game!!!

Maybe this is what it takes to get some mom and dad to take their son's and daughter's to the bowling fun establishments.... GET them in the door!!! Then who knows, they may want to take it to another level as time passes!

So I do see some good in these family entertainment, yuppie, bowling lanes!!

I think the guy wants bring in all those people that would NOT bowl, league, or competitively, and give them a TASTE of how much fun bowling really is!!

Then WHO KNOWS,,, but I do think its a GOOD THING, and maybe he's not as big a douchebag as one might think!!! lol

[Perrin]

I agree, to disagree with his statements! BUT,,, BUT,,, anything to get people BACK into the bowling alleys!!!! It might be that this is what the sport,,, (((YES DID SAY SPORT))), needs to renew interest. You might think of the guy as a douche bag, lol, but ,,, BUT something needs to be done, to appeal to the people out there, before its too late!
I don't agree with most of his statements, lol,,, BUT if it gets people excited about Bowling, then it will be in the long run good for the game!!!

Maybe this is what it takes to get some mom and dad to take their son's and daughter's to the bowling fun establishments.... GET them in the door!!! Then who knows, they may want to take it to another level as time passes!

So I do see some good in these family entertainment, yuppie, bowling lanes!!

I think the guy wants bring in all those people that would NOT bowl, league, or competitively, and give them a TASTE of how much fun bowling really is!!

Then WHO KNOWS,,, but I do think its a GOOD THING, and maybe he's not as big a douchebag as one might think!!! lol

The problem is now that Bowlmor is in charge of the AMF houses is that his business model sacrifices league bowling for Open/theme/cosmic bowling.

Some houses are being forced to massively reduce hours and unless it's during a league they have the house in 'cosmic' bowl mode(hearsay that I have read).
Other houses are moving/cutting leagues because they no longer fit into the business hours the company finds as profitable. example one house here has been informed they are not allowed to be open untill noon during the week and 11 on weekends. so they had to drop all their morning leagues and moved youth league later in the day.

Introducing people to bowling? great.

Doing so at the cost of the league where they could then start bowling competitively as a sport instead of as a just social fun activity..... not worth it.

This direction will turn bowling into billiards.