There is a threat to the bowling landscape in Los Angeles

[Jaescrub]

We thought this might be coming to Tulsa as the house we bowl at is an old AMF center. They have made a ton of changes, new flooring, new lighting, food and drink, but if you show up before league or after you can open bowl your hearts out, if you show up depending on the league size or if more then one league is bowling that night you almost can't get lanes, the changes have made more people come in to open bowl at the same time keeping leagues going. The problem here before Bowlmor was that leagues have lost bowler or fell off completely, the only thing that sucks about the changes so far is one prices have gone up, and two we lost some long time running local tournaments

[1VegasBowler]

First this should have been this is a threat to bowling everywhere.
This is one of the best topics one this or any web site that I visit.
Every bowler should start looking around and finding a place or two to bowl that is like Bowlmor.
Centers should be between 20 to 42 Lanes. Maybe have a sports bar.
They could have cosmic bowling on Friday and Saturday night after 11 P.M.
Make league bowling their main business. Cater to the league bowlers.
Make sure the lanes are oiled and the approaches are cleaned before each league.
WHEN THE LEAGUES DIE SO DOES EVERY OTHER PART OF BOWLING WE ARE ALL USED TO.

Outside of Las Vegas, I couldn't agree more because we are fortunate to have all of the above here. Our smallest facility has 18 lanes. BUT, all this does is make us fortunate in comparison, because they're all within a casino and the casino is the one who budgets the bowling centers. And you can tell who cares and who doesn't.

League bowlers can bowl at discounts, and seniors (50 & over) can gets days at different facilities where they only pay $1/game. Midnight bowling around here is only $1/game Mon-Fri.

Cosmic bowling happens just abut everywhere, with various starting times as early as 6pm on weekends.

I'm not saying that this is what everybody else should be doing, but maybe it's a good starting point for some if they don't already do it.

Just as LA has/had many choices, so do we. It just depends on where you live and how much you want to travel. And like everybody else, I certainly have places here I like and don't like and they're all for various reasons.

But for those who have limited choices, your suggestions should be explored.

[Amyers]

The real issues here are the demise of the 9-5 job and the connected lifestyle that many lead that cause people to feel that a minute taken from family or work obligations is a sin against humanity. I'm lucky I still have a 9-5 job but my wife works midnights at a Toyota plant and likely will until we are seniors. It severely limits her ability to bowl in leagues usually limiting her to 1 or 2 per season and at least her job is somewhat consistent. Many of my friends aren't so lucky they work positions that are on call or with rotating shifts to the point that trying to commit anywhere or anytime on a regular basis is not just unlikely but simply impossible.

Bowling was a blue collar worker sport as those positions continue to disappear the alleys have to look for new patrons. You can move downscale by trying to keep prices low but this effects the profitability of the centers and causes deferred maintenance to the centers and higher repair bills when something does die. You can move upscale make boutique centers with higher pricing, drinks, and other amenities but these items don't appeal to the league/tournament bowler and most of them won't pay $6-$7 a game or more.

It takes a very committed owner and manager to try and figure out how to have both. Truth is there are too many centers with too many lane beds to service the remaining bowlers and the industry will shrink farther. Until an equilibrium is reached and prices can go up and the centers can still retain bowlers centers will continue to close. Unfortunately it may not be the centers with the best product that survive but those with the biggest pockets and least encumbered finances that remain.

[LOUVIT]

You are very right about all off that. But the fact that the land in many locations is worth far more than what they make a year has been a problem for much longer than this recent group of actions. I left to come to Ca. And it was shortly after that that the bowling alley that was on Long Island which held PBA events closed and I believe it sold for $20 mil. Though the business only made around $150,000 a year.

What house in LI closed? I used to bowl in Babylon

[LOUVIT]

I just came from my house http://oakfieldlanes.com/ on Monday and Thursday they have $1 a game certain hours of the day like 9am -1pm. Friday morning is bogo. It was pretty well packed today. I don't know how they make money with all these specials. Click on it and just look at the specials

[fordman1]

[QUOTE=Amyers;144668]The real issues here are the demise of the 9-5 job and the connected lifestyle that many lead that cause people to feel that a minute taken from family or work obligations is a sin against humanity. I'm lucky I still have a 9-5 job but my wife works midnights at a Toyota plant and likely will until we are seniors. It severely limits her ability to bowl in leagues usually limiting her to 1 or 2 per season and at least her job is somewhat consistent. Many of my friends aren't so lucky they work positions that are on call or with rotating shifts to the point that trying to commit anywhere or anytime on a regular basis is not just unlikely but simply impossible.

Bowling was a blue collar worker sport as those positions continue to disappear the alleys have to look for new patrons. You can move downscale by trying to keep prices low but this effects the profitability of the centers and causes deferred maintenance to the centers and higher repair bills when something does die. You can move upscale make boutique centers with higher pricing, drinks, and other amenities but these items don't appeal to the league/tournament bowler and most of them won't pay $6-$7 a game or more.

It takes a very committed owner and manager to try and figure out how to have both. Truth is there are too many centers with too many lane beds to service the remaining bowlers and the industry will shrink farther. Until an equilibrium is reached and prices can go up and the centers can still retain bowlers centers will continue to close. Unfortunately it may not be the centers with the best product that survive but those with the biggest pockets and least encumbered finances that remain.

Automation (robots) and outsourcing to Mexico and Asia killed millions of factory jobs and many were bowlers.

[LOUVIT]

[QUOTE=fordman1;144685]

The real issues here are the demise of the 9-5 job and the connected lifestyle that many lead that cause people to feel that a minute taken from family or work obligations is a sin against humanity. I'm lucky I still have a 9-5 job but my wife works midnights at a Toyota plant and likely will until we are seniors. It severely limits her ability to bowl in leagues usually limiting her to 1 or 2 per season and at least her job is somewhat consistent. Many of my friends aren't so lucky they work positions that are on call or with rotating shifts to the point that trying to commit anywhere or anytime on a regular basis is not just unlikely but simply impossible.

Bowling was a blue collar worker sport as those positions continue to disappear the alleys have to look for new patrons. You can move downscale by trying to keep prices low but this effects the profitability of the centers and causes deferred maintenance to the centers and higher repair bills when something does die. You can move upscale make boutique centers with higher pricing, drinks, and other amenities but these items don't appeal to the league/tournament bowler and most of them won't pay $6-$7 a game or more.

It takes a very committed owner and manager to try and figure out how to have both. Truth is there are too many centers with too many lane beds to service the remaining bowlers and the industry will shrink farther. Until an equilibrium is reached and prices can go up and the centers can still retain bowlers centers will continue to close. Unfortunately it may not be the centers with the best product that survive but those with the biggest pockets and least encumbered finances that remain.

Automation (robots) and outsourcing to Mexico and Asia killed millions of factory jobs and many were bowlers.

I am not disagreeing but our jobs really have nothing to do with an empty house on a weeknight where open bowlers won't be there but a league will be there.

[Tampabaybob]

Lou...I think what Fordman is trying to say, is because of the differences in the economy the last few years, there are more people working shift work and not really able to bowl in an evening league. I've had that happen to me and it cost me 2 years of bowling, but you have to do whatever it takes to make a living. Bosses don't want to hear, "I need Thursday night off to bowl." They'll just replace you.

If you're interested, and want an inside insight as to what's going on, check out this website/blog from a former PBA member. Micke Machuga tells it like it is, and in fact writes a warning on the top of the blog for people that can't handle the truth. It's a good read and it echoes a USBC board member I had a conversation with two years ago. check it out: http://www.machugabowling.com/blog/

Asian is correct in what Bowlmor is trying to do. They could care less about leagues, league bowlers, and the Sport as a whole. They have one interest and one only ....... $$$$$ ! It is something that may never turn around, because now they have the monopoly on almost all of the houses in America. The only ones that'll survive are the family owned centers, and I'm sure many of them are struggling.

[ep1977]

What house in LI closed? I used to bowl in Babylon

AMF Bay Shore closed and Melville is now a Bowlmor

[Amyers]

[QUOTE=LOUVIT;144687]

I am not disagreeing but our jobs really have nothing to do with an empty house on a weeknight where open bowlers won't be there but a league will be there.

I understand what your getting at and I agree that league bowling should be a more consistent revenue stream. Unfortunately when was the last full house you seen on a weeknight league. Around here it just doesn't happen. Even on a Friday league (usually biggest night) your lucky if the house is 75% full. Even with that 25% of those guys are so cheap they try to sneak their own beer and cokes into the alley.

It pisses me off. I actually enter tournaments that I know I can't win to try and support my houses and competitive bowling so it still exists on some level for my kids and people are so cheap they try to save a buck on a soda.

The economy here is terrible and only going to get worse but. Can't really blame a house for trying to survive even if I don't like the method but I do agree that it's flawed from the get go.