I KNOW!! It ticks me off because I feel like maybe I'm some kind of addict or recluse or something. I bowl at least 9 games of practice every week, sometimes as many as 24. Usually 12-15. Yet I rarely see any other league bowlers practicing. Nobody on my team practices, I know that. One guy took a lesson...but thats about it.Originally Posted by Shaneshu87
I think I'll wait for summer season to get closer to the end and see what my team wants to do. I may look into a league at the AMF Center instead if they offer some type of free games or reduced practice time. Up until recently, it'd cost me $2/game to practice...either on Mondays or before league play. Now it's $3/game. Normally, I wouldn't care. But for someone like me that practices 12-15 games a week...thats an extra $12-$15/week, $50-$60/month. Well, thats 2/3 the difference between playing in one league next season or 2 leagues next season. So would the center rather have me join TWO of their leagues and give me a card that allows me to practice 12 games on Mondays for free? Or would they risk losing me to another center and doing ZERO leagues at their center?
Hampe and Austin make good points that it's still way cheaper than other countries...I get that. But they have to look at it in terms of one center versus another center. If there are 4 centers around Geneva...and you bowl at center A...and it charges $1-$2 more per game to practice....I'd think as long as the other 3 centers weren't too far away...you'd consider switching centers. In other countries they get away with jacking up the prices because centers are limited. Here, there are probably 45 centers within a 1-1.5 hour drive in decent traffic. The problem is just that...there isn't any "decent traffic". A league, on a weekday, rush hour traffic....I have 2 options near where I work...one on the way home, and one nearer to where I live. And if I choose the ones near where I work, thats a 45 minute to 1-hour drive on days I don't work.
I'd love to do a league at Arlington (where MWhite bowls). I bowl well on those lanes. But it would take me 3 hours to get to those lanes on a weekday evening. It's an hour on the weekends...but 3 hours in the evening. I'd love to bowl Fountain Bowl...I bowl well there as well. But thats a 1-hour drive from home or work...and in rush hour...could be 2.5-3.5 hours. And I don't like weekend leagues because then you pretty much can't make any weekend plans or you miss bowling that week.
I guess you have to weigh whether the increased price is worth the proximity, amenities, and atmosphere. I don't think I'd trade off my home center just because they raised their rate a couple of $$... I like the people, the location, and the services too much.
True. That is a concern. I just worry that the only way these centers "get the point" tends to be through their pocket book. If people stay, they assume thats a vote of support.
Write a note to the owner. To me, that'd be better than trying to sniff out a better center further away...
I'm going to. I'd prefer to stay...for multiple reasons. So I'll give them a chance to maybe offering something.
Some center in my area would walk across broken glass for me. Some places I've been going in to bowl on a weekly basis for months and they still don't even know my name. Try to negotiate if it works great if not go somewhere else. Of course I don't have your traffic issues to deal with
I am a proud member of Bowlingboards.com bowling forums and ball contest winner
Current arsenal
900 Global Badger Claw - Radical Ridiculous Pearl - Spare Ball Ebonite T Zone
New to the forum, so hello!
My center has unlimited bowling for $20 over 3 hours after 7pm.. I get in plenty of games, it got me thinking why even bother bowling a league where u pay the same for only 3 games! Hoping this deal continues.
Aslan, I know how frustrating it is, when your center just takes and takes, and gives nothing back to their most loyal and regular customers..On a plus note, looks like u are getting a ton of games in..
Meant to say, as well, at one of the AMF houses I used to bowl at before it shut down, they used to have a all-you-can-bowl special for $10, too. And on Saturdays they used to have a 2-hr free bowling from 10am-noon. Took advantage of all that at the time some 2 years ago. Sucks it shut down around that time after ;/
My bowling balls include:
Brunswick Brute Strength, Brunswick Mastermind Genius, DV8 Endless Nightmare, DV8 Diva, DV8 Diva Pearl, DV8 Marauder Mutiny, & Brunswick White Viz-A-Ball spare ball
Hello! Welcome to the forum. My center treated me like a king from the first time I walked through the doors. I got four free games, free shoe rentals, offers of free coaching from the pro, and some other perks.
There are three centers in town that are independently owned by the same guy, and two others that are also independently owned. As long as I'm here, I don't have anything to worry about.
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