Why I am glad bowling isn't more popular

[dgz924s]

I agree with The Sheibs for the most part with the exception of "financial backing" as a reason for poor interest in bowling. Absolutely correct in regards to the PBA tour as the backing is extremely small and very limited but in regards to bowling for the general public,financial backing from sponsors has never played a role to any large degree. Yes houses do have local sponsors that help out but the amount of money is not enough to carry much weight and really does nothing in terms of promotion. And which leads me to the main point...marketing.

Marketing and advertising for local houses is basically non existent largely due to the high cost to adverrtise. Not to say there are no houses who do not advertise, it is just that the vast majority cannot afford it and those who do are usually in large demographic markets. If you were to see/hear a bowling advertisement at the rate we see/hear on TV and radio ads we would be sick of seeing "all those bowling alley ads"! But that is the whole point to advertisement, drill it in, make you remember and when the need arises you visit the business running the ad.

My opinion is the USBC does very little in supporting the marketing and promotion of the sport and what little is done is only during a PBA TV event. The other area in which they promote is in bowling publications and various businesses related to bowling but never do you see an ad run on TV while watching the evening news or sports events. Run an ad just as McDonalds does and you will reach millions of people and all it takes is the mention of bowling and you would see more people going bowling. The mere mentioning of the sport is now in the viewers mind which is a tool designed specifically to encourage a sale, called "impulse marketing". Same reason you see magazines and candy etc; at the checkout. The candy is right in your face so you are compelled to purchase. This can work for bowling as well, every ad is a another tool to suggest to the viewer " hey just saw an ad for bowling, sounds like fun let's do that today/nite"!

Truth is the reasons for a lack of participation in bowling are too numerous to lay the blame on. Some it is economics, others it is time, and there are just some who feel they are not athletically inclined to bowl, which is a myth but not to the those who never bowled. The youth are so consumed by technology and all it offers bowling just isn't cool because it does not include the need for a smartphone....lol

[billf]

I totally agree! Why advertise to those who already use the product/service? Some I understand to keep it in their minds but not the entire budget.
I once worked for a national/worldwide chain. During the CEO's visit he said how females made up something like 70% of our decision making customers and we were looking to exploit that demographic. I asked, "Then why the hell are we advertising during Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN instead of daytime talk shows?" He said I was wrong while seriously talking down to me. When he visited my store the next day I produced a VHS tape recording of the game in question with 17 of our commercials during the broadcast. I mentioned something about the CEO either had to be clueless or the advertising director a liar for him to declare as fact that they did not, at all, never advertised on ESPN. The CEO said I was a smart ***. I said no, I just do the research before I ask a question. He left without another word and never visited me again. I was promoted to regional manager three months later and left the company shortly after that.

[billf]

Oh, on the topic of inflation. I'm not sure how many of you paid rent or a mortgage in the 80's but I pay a whole lot more now than I did then. Also, bowling alley's around here are open a lot less hours during the summer do to the lack of people coming in. It would help if we had a sanctioned summer league but we don't. My home alley is closed on Sundays during the summer and they are talking about not opening Saturdays until 6pm.
My interest in physics derived from my love of math. So trying to separate mathematics from physics is too hard for me to grasp seeing as physics is all mathematical equations.

[J Anderson]

Economics is a science but not like physics or chemistry. It is more like mathematics. It uses a lot of formulas and calculations to try to explain things in our economy. The economy CAN be managed but the problem isn't the millions of variables. The problem is the desire for more. More money, more success, more recognition, etc. Also our, the US, economy is affect by the world economy. The problem is that by having our economy connected to the world economy. We have problems in other countries affecting the economy in the US. Look at Greece and the EU. They both have problems and if you watch the stock market, every time there is a story in the news about trouble in the EU or even Greece, you will see the stock market in the US drop. This is because the economy has become so entwined with other countries economy that when a countries economy is doing poorly, other countries are affected by it. Also economics is more like mathematics since if you change one number/variable you will get a different outcome/answer. Also I disagree with your statement that even the most logical people make decisions based on emotion rather than logic. Most "logical" people who make decisions, base their decision on facts and not emotions. It seems like your trying to disprove economics entirely by saying it is pointless since even logical people base decisions on emotion. What facts do you have to back such a statement? Examples?

Also if bowling wasn't as popular as it currently is, we would be seeing prices a lot higher since the bowling alleys would be making a lot less money. The reason that league members receive a discount is because leagues account for a majority of the bowling alleys income. Followed by the increased number of people on Friday and Saturday nights. Followed by increased number of people during the summer months. If bowling was less popular, the price would have to be higher in order to meet operational costs, and wages for employees. Not to mention maintenance cost. Minus the money that is paid out of they have any type of tournament or event in which there are cash prizes.

I tend not to think of mathematics as a science. I think of it more as the language of science, a way to communicate scientific principles. Either that or a set of tools we can use in the different sciences.

I doubt if I know anyone who can honestly say that every decision that they have made as an adult is the result of pure reason. I don't doubt that there are people who discipline them selves to make logical decisions in the big matters. I do know that almost every article I've read about selling, or business seminar that I've attended that has touched on selling focused on emotions and relationships.

[TheSheibs]

Nice mention about advertising and marketing. I think it would help if bowling had its own channel just like golf does. It would be 24/7 365 days a year and always out there for the "channel surfers" and those who can't sleep. It would be perfect for all the bowling alleys to advertise on. The only down side to this idea is cost, which was mentioned. I agree with your post about advertising. Especially about the USBC really dropping the ball on this one. The people there don't know anything about advertising and reaching a larger audience. Your right about it being a waste to advertise to those who are always bowling. The time and money spent on advertising needs to be used to reach the general public. Seems like people on here could do a better job than those currently at the USBC.