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Author Topic: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?  (Read 11324 times)

Bowl_Freak

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What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« on: December 18, 2015, 01:18:42 PM »
No hype or teasers on any new stuff? I personally would like to see an Unreal Pearl or Hybrid. Or maybe something completely new. The Pure's already are complete and the Encore is a great piece by itself. If it was going along the lines of a retro ball to go along with the NightHawk SE, id like a Radar SE.

 

billdozer

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #16 on: December 28, 2015, 11:40:29 AM »
900 isnt pushing amf300 cuz clearly they don't sell.  Storm might be influencing a rebranding of sorts, maybe amf300 is next.

Gotta make $ to stay in business.
In the bag [Infinite Physix, Volatility Torque, Night Road, Phaze III, Burner Solid, Hustle AU]
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spmcgivern

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #17 on: December 28, 2015, 12:08:15 PM »
>> We drilled a ton of Encores for the US Open

How is that possible when AMF is not approved for the national tour, only the regional tour.
The U.S. Open isn't a PBA event.  Only requirement is the ball has to be on the USBC approved list.

But if my memory serves me right, if one were to make it to the televised portion, you then fall under PBA telecast rules which then requires PBA registration.

Impending Doom

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #18 on: December 28, 2015, 03:01:32 PM »
I don't mean to sound snippy, but for the last 8 years, 900 Global has been AMF300. In the current lineup, Xcite is a Hook, which is a modified Code weight block. Pure is a Train with a stronger cover. Pure Adrenaline is a Freight Train with a weaker cover. So you're already throwing a 900 Global ball rebranded as AMF300. I understand your frustration, but the fact is that no other big company (EBI, Brunswick, Storm (proper) or Motiv would treat it with any more of the respect you feel it deserves.

You know how to get them to make more equipment? Keep buying. I've already put pen to paper to see how I can get both Pures and I wreck with the Night Hawk. I'm also about to put holes in a Mamba Hybrid and Incinerate. Use the brand and show shops why they should stick it. If shops won't carry it, the brand will suffer. It's economics.

billdozer

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #19 on: December 28, 2015, 05:48:55 PM »
Tell em doom
In the bag [Infinite Physix, Volatility Torque, Night Road, Phaze III, Burner Solid, Hustle AU]
*Now Testing* IQ Ruby, Renevant, another IQ Tour solid
Coming soon...???

AMF300bowler

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #20 on: December 29, 2015, 10:57:38 AM »
I'm sure I'll get a lot of flack for this, but in my opinion 900 Global is doing it backwards anyway. They should be putting they're money into promoting a brand with a long rich history in bowling, AMF, and use their in-house brand, 900 Global, as the development brand. AMF has a history of innovation: 1st urethane (Angle) and 1st flaring ball (Ultra Angle). AMF is a thousand times more known to the bowling and non-bowling (general) public then 900 Global. If they want to expand their bowling ball sales to bring average bowlers and non-bowlers into the fold, the AMF brand would be their top brand. If nothing else it should be 50/50 in order to take adventage of and expand the AMF brand. It can ONLY increase 900 Global's profits to do so.

I can guarantee to you somebody at home said, "Who is 900 Global" during the PBA telecasts this year. They would not have said anything like that if the bowlers were using the same balls with AMF as the brand. You market the same ball to the average Joe Bowler who knows nothing about bowling balls (we know lots of these people), one labeled 900 Global and one labeled AMF, and I'll bet my life the AMF ball sells first 75% of the time.

This is Marketing 101 folks. Brand awareness and history. It's the same reason Ford renamed the Ford 500 the Ford Taurus back in 2007.
Balls: Motiv Forza GT, Motiv Primal Rage Remix, Motiv Ascent Pearl and Motiv (On The Ball) spare ball.. All made in the USA.

Bowlaholic

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #21 on: December 29, 2015, 12:34:16 PM »
I have supported both 900 and AMF over the last number of years.  I also wondered why more emphasis was placed on the 900 Global name which I find very few of the middle age and older league bowlers even know or heard of vs. the AMF name which is an industry icon.
I guess 900 Global felt it made more sense to market to the younger up and coming bowlers with the 900 brand who will be the future of bowling.
Even so, there are still a ton of middle age & older league  bowlers out there who would more than likely purchase AMF bowling balls based on brand identification, if there was more advertising/marketing for the brand. Many don't believe AMF even exists anymore.

spmcgivern

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #22 on: December 29, 2015, 02:26:14 PM »
I am willing to bet sales numbers indicate otherwise.

Impending Doom

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #23 on: December 29, 2015, 02:44:47 PM »
Money talks, gentlemen.

Bowlaholic

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #24 on: December 29, 2015, 03:07:59 PM »
Sales numbers are down, weak, non-existent, whatever because there is basically no advertising or marketing, for the AMF brand of bowling balls. 
A few years ago Motiv was a niche brand with not a whole lot of interest compared to the other brands.  Then Motiv started to advertise, put it's product in pro shops (that's how I bought my first Motiv ball), signed some very good players, sprung for PBA product registration and low and behold Motiv is now considered a company who's balls can compete with anyone's.
The formula exists, the AMF iconic brand can be resurrected but, the powers to be have to want to do it. Apparently, they don't. 
I will continue to buy AMF balls.  In my opinion, the AMF Solar Flare (2013/14) was  an awesome pearl ball for medium conditions (one of the best I ever owned), to bad so few apparently either knew about it or purchased one. And from what I read here on BR, a number of people love the AMF brand of balls. Try one, you may like it.

spmcgivern

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #25 on: December 30, 2015, 09:33:14 AM »
Motiv follows an entirely different marketing philosophy compared to 900G/AMF.  And it isn't a guarantee the same philosophy would work for 900G/AMF.  A lot of what dictates success in bowling ball sales is luck.  You can have the right professional presence (Storm/RG).  You can have a breakthrough appearance (Ebonite/Mission).  You can have a longstanding successful line (Hammer Widow).  Or you can get kinda lucky with a successful up-and-comer (Russel-Motiv). 

It isn't a guarantee today's successful companies will be successful in 10 years.  Perhaps AMF will become successful.  But for right now, AMF is not as successful, which is probably the reason 900G isn't pumping a lot of money into it. 

iamone78

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #26 on: December 30, 2015, 11:50:20 AM »
I like reading what everyone has to say. I believe everyone has some valid points on this subject. I'm no top level executive or marketing guru, but doesn't demand drive ball production? Obviously the bigger companies are constantly able to produce numerous balls during the year, but demand and sales are a huge part of that. Likewise due to their demand and sales, they can afford a release that isn't well received among the bowling community.

Although the majority of bowlers aren't throwing AMF doesn't mean there aren't great releases here. Bowlers are getting some great products as a majority of balls produced are re-releases from the 900 Global line of years past. The current line up from fills the holes in the 900 Global line as has been since 900 Global has poured AMF. I hope to see something from them in the near future because I absolutely love the Pure, Unreal and Encore.
H. S.
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AMF300bowler

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #27 on: January 05, 2016, 12:33:23 PM »
>> The current line up from (AMF) fills the holes in the 900 Global line

And therein lies the problem. If that is all AMF is going to be to 900 Global, then my days of using exclusively AMF will be over after this year and I won't reward 900 Global for doing so by switching to 900 Global balls. With AMF's history it should be better than this and should be fully PBA registered. They should bring back the "AMF Staff of Champions."

Columbia Industries, when they poured AMF, did not treat the brand this way and up until this past year, I never felt that way from 900 Global.

In reality, 900 Global is likely killing off the AMF brand whether it intends to or not.
Balls: Motiv Forza GT, Motiv Primal Rage Remix, Motiv Ascent Pearl and Motiv (On The Ball) spare ball.. All made in the USA.

Impending Doom

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Re: What new balls will AMF introduce the new year?
« Reply #28 on: January 05, 2016, 12:39:57 PM »
I really fail to see the issue, other than the name. If you like the ball reaction from them, why does it matter if they're fully PBA registered? Is that stopping you from bowling national events? 900 Global has given as much room to the AMF brand as should be expected from a smaller company. They're not a Storm/Roto pairing, nor are they an EBI or a Brunswick. They share core designs between the lines, and coverstock technologies.

Would you prefer they just off the name, and you never saw another AMF brand again, as opposed to the treatment you feel they're getting?