Author Topic: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss (Read 9920 times)

BrunsMike · « **on:** January 16, 2007, 12:10:25 PM »

Im not sure if anyone else has seen this but here it goes. I just got this in an email update from bowlersparadise.

A Case For Change.
By Brian Voss

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I recently started a thread in the PBA.com forum about the need for change in the sport of bowling. The topic generated quite a bit of interest from other forum members, so I thought it might be a good idea to write my first column for this series about the topic of changing the sport.

In my PBA.com thread, I focused primarily on changes that I believe could help revitalize the competitive aspect of the sport (versus the recreational side), but for this column I'd like to widen the scope of that a bit. Before going into my argument, I'd like to ask that you consider my perspective as a player who has dedicated 25 years of his life to pursuing excellence on the bowling lanes and trying to help promote the sport not only here in the United States, but throughout the world. I would, of course, love for things to change for the better in the sport because it ultimately benefits me, but more importantly, given where I am in the context of my competitive career, more so for future generations of people interested in pursuing bowling as a competitive outlet or as a business career.

First off, let me start by saying that it is abundantly obvious that nearly every indicator of healthiness in the industry is on a trend of decline in the U.S. League bowling membership is down over 70% from its heyday back in the late 1970's. The number of certified bowling centers has decreased over 25% during the same period. Profit margins for bowling equipment manufacturers are decreasing and the equipment market is stagnant. Tournament participation is down at the local level and PBA prize funds are about the same as they were back in the 1980's, without even adjusting for inflation. But at least the men have a Tour. The ladies' Tour has been defunct for a few years now.

Yet to blame any one group of people or any specific industry organization for all of these problems, which has been the approach I've seen in public and private forums for as long as I can remember, is a really myopic view of how I feel we need to change. We've also heard all of the pleas for the industry to "work together" and become a unified force that can conquer these problems as one. That would be nice, but I don't feel that all of the different groups in the industry with all of their divergent goals and objectives are necessarily the end all be all answer either (besides also being an overly idealistic notion).

Instead, it's really the responsibility of everyone in the industry to redefine what we want to see the industry become and then make those changes a reality. Right now, I'm not sure I've heard any particular individual or group lay out what that vision might be for the future for the rest of us to follow. To me, the most obvious goal for all of us is to stop the declines and get the trends moving in a positive direction. Every person, group and company in the industry needs to look at the particular trends most relevant to themselves and figure out a logical plan for how to turn them around. Once they have success, it will inspire everyone around them, including their competitors and groups in other areas of the sport, to change for the better.

That's really the main reason I'm with Elite Bowling now. I see it is an opportunity for me to help change things for the better in the industry. Everything I have in my life I owe to the sport of bowling, and at this point in my career it is time for me to do everything I can to ensure that the next generation of bowlers has it better than I did. Hopefully, before I'm through, I can be one of those individuals who will help inspire others to make this sport great once again.

Brian Voss

If you would like to keep up with Brian and his quest to make our game great once again log onto www.elitebowling.com for the latest updates.
--------------------
Mike Zadler
Using the best brand in the nation, BRUNSWICK!!!
Below, my stats from previous seasons:
http://members.bowl.com/FindAMember/memberView.aspx?ms=12886&mp=552&s=2005-2006
Winter season averages at Sunset Lanes in Waukegan IL.
Wed. Nite Ave: 198
Thur. Nite Ave: 218
http://www.BrunsNick.com

novawagonmaster · « **Reply #16 on:** January 17, 2007, 08:54:42 AM »

Yes, ball tech is way up. However, scoring can easily be kept in check with lane conditions. It's the walls that create the area. A more reasonable house shot can put more emphasis on accuracy. I'm not saying a THS needs to be be sport compliant. But when you have NO oil outside the 7 board, you are not only kidding the guys who are scoring, you are also teaching the newer guys bad habits. We have a handful of 220 avg THS bowlers in our sport (now PBA experience) league. Highest avg is 180. It would not be difficult to split the difference with a pattern that would yield a 200 average for these guys. With today's lane oiling machines, we can very easily adjust the scoring pace. It's the cry-babies who have to shoot 700 every night who will never let this happen.
--------------------
Jon (in Ohio)
CHROME WON'T GET YOU HOME!
F.O.S. Proud Saw user...see profile.

qstick777 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 17, 2007, 10:04:11 AM »

quote:
Oh, sure, they SAY they care, that's why we all have the THS that allows anyone with a fairly decent ball to average 200+ now! But those scores are NOT real! So bowlers get bored with the game and move on to something else!

I know, because I'm getting bored with the game! I took the entire summer off, I bowl only once a week in league, and I'm averaging 220+! And I'm the first to say I'm not THAT good of a bowler! Make it tougher, make me work for it, and I'd appreciate it a LOT more, and I'd be back practicing, and joining more leagues!

I want everybody to remember this, because I'm tired of people coming on here and crying that they showed up to leagues on a position round and the center changed the shot on them, or that they can't get a consistent shot from their league!

I've only been bowling since 2003 and am finally starting to average in the 170's. I do not find it "easy," but I love the game and I love the challenge.

As far as the balls "killing" the game - don't agree. Check my profile. I've tried plenty of balls. Not a single one will find the pocket unless I execute the proper shot for the given condition. There is no "magic" ball that will strike every time.

Maybe I don't ball in easy houses? I don't know. I believe we've had 2 300's this year during my league, and maybe 5 for the entire center - they are packed every night of the week with leagues.

To those people that don't enjoy the game anymore, or think it's too easy - why do you continue to bowl? Find something else to do. Is it an ego thing? Do you like being better than the rest of the bowlers? There is a reason that there are not more "Sports" leagues around - a good portion of "league bowlers" aka "recreational" bowlers don't like the 20+ pin decrease in their averages.

There are plenty of bowlers that struggle with today's conditions. Not everybody can "grip it and rip it." Not everybody can spray the lane with their 18+ mph shots and 350+ revs and still make the pocket. I'd say that half of these "hot shots" would stop bowling if faced with tougher conditions - it would kill their ego.

--------------------
Best post ever:http://www.ballreviews.com/Forum/Replies.asp?TopicID=74110&ForumID=16&CategoryID=5

Search Ballreviews entire database here: http://www.bowling-info.com/Search.html

nospareball · « **Reply #18 on:** January 17, 2007, 10:27:16 AM »

quote:
How about this as a first step?

Seems like the bowling alleys and ball manufacturers are caught in a never ending battle where the ball manufacturers create 1 hook monster after another. The houses combat that by putting down more oil. Then the ball manufacturers go back to the drawing board and create another ball that will outhook the last ball they made. The bowlers look to the ball manufacturers so that they can buy the latest "hook in a box" to combat the oil without having to really "learn" how to bowl in the oil. Perhaps one solution might be for the houses band together and to put down "less oil" all the time. This might force the ball manufacturers to give up creating the big hook monsters because there is no need for them. Bowlers would need balls that hook less and would go back to the simplier pancake cores and less hooking balls such as rubber/plastic and maybe urethanes. Instead of the grip it and rip it style, the bowlers would be more likely to learn control the hook instead of just cranking it to the max.

Whaddya think?

I don't know about you, but I haven't seen any increase in oil over the past 10 years at my house. I'm sure the oil has changed, but I doubt the centers are being proactive to changes in technology.

I know there would be a few guys that would go back to urethanes if less oil was put out, but for the most part less oil=more hook. And the guys who were playing down and in are now hooking the lane with their top of the line balls and loving it.

You really can't please everyone, bowlers are too diverse. Put out a hard condition, and you alienate the recreational league bowler. Put out an easy condition and the competitive league bowler gets angry that the fluffers carry everything.

Like I've said before, bowling is just in a state of natural decline. We could try to prop it up by making all of these crazy changes, or just accept the fact that it's just not as popular as it once was. The only way to save it is organically, high school and college programs. Get the kids bowling, and USBC membership will increase over time. Change the time slot of PBA broadcasts on TV, perhaps a Saturday afternoon slot, or even primetime during the week. Hell, make a reality tv show! It worked for the UFC

MAJM · « **Reply #19 on:** January 17, 2007, 10:46:50 AM »

Instead of 10 to 1 oil during leagues, lets go to 5 to 1 as the max.
--------------------

Boston Celtics
New England Patriots
Boston Red Sox
Boston Bruins

MAJM · « **Reply #20 on:** January 17, 2007, 11:00:09 AM »

quote:
Change the time slot of PBA broadcasts on TV, perhaps a Saturday afternoon slot, or even primetime during the week. Hell, make a reality tv show! It worked for the UFC

The PBA is in bed with ESPN as far as when the shows will be on TV. The PBA is up against the NFL on Sunday because this is really the only slot ESPN will give them. It's a cheap slot and doesn't provide much competition with the NFL viewership. ESPN pissed of the NFL with the football series they had and look at the options the NFL gave ESPN, take away the football series or we take away football. The Saturday afternoon slot is PRIME TV for the weekend. Do you think that ANY network is going to give up college football, or college basketball, or golf which all get high ratings for bowling?
--------------------

Boston Celtics
New England Patriots
Boston Red Sox
Boston Bruins

EboKnight · « **Reply #21 on:** January 17, 2007, 11:16:42 AM »

quote:
When you said a bowling ball should cost no more than $100 I stopped reading right there and that pretty much ruins all validity of your post. That's the real problem with the industry. There's no money in it. This guy thinks no ball should cost over $100. Tell this to the hundreds of people in R&D, sales, and manufacturing for every respective company, then tell that to your pro shop guy who is fitting and drilling you, that they should be able to make a respectable living for themselves with no ball costing over $100.

Very nice.
--------------------
Experience, Shot Making, Wise Decisions......The best arsenal.

I would agree with DP3 on this one. msgstartrak gave a great thread. but the reality is that 100.00 dollars for a ball is nothing now a day. some Pro Shops charge 100 bucks for a White Dot drilled with inserts and thats plastic.

Vary good wirte up tho!
--------------------
Good Luck & Good Bowling

Email me at: PreciseMatt@hotmail.com
website: www.PrecisionProShop.com

Jimmy Keeth in da House!!!
5/5/67 - 11/30/05

DerHornen · « **Reply #22 on:** January 17, 2007, 12:08:03 PM »

I have a hard time understanding why Mr. Voss thinks that being with Elite gives him more of an opportunity to change things for the better than any other company. What exactly is Elite doing or allowing him to do that's improving the game?

The only thing I see Elite doing is putting out run-of-the-mill equipment for a super-premium price.
--------------------
Quote of the Year: LaDainian Tomlinson
"Football players want to be basketball players, and baseball players want to play golf. And golfers want to be rock stars and rock stars want to sit in the Monday night ESPN booth and obliterate all commentary regarding the action on the field."

Rantings · « **Reply #23 on:** January 17, 2007, 12:14:57 PM »

Maybe someone else has said this already but:

We are a more affluent society than back in the bowling boom. More choices than we use to have and bowling went to the back burner. Health concerns over secondhand smoke also came up and while many cities and/or states are dealing with this issue it happened too late for bowling and its reputation suffered with the yuppies. Just look at ESPN's view of bowling. Probably much more things could be added.
I would suggest that the game and its changes in ball equipment or the bowling industry as a whole had little to do with the decline. The proprietors that are doing good tend, I say tend, are the ones who put back into the sport with new equipment and lanes and that does help.
--------------------
Bowling is for sissies..ask Bones...

jls · « **Reply #24 on:** January 17, 2007, 12:23:47 PM »

elite balls are a private label, and sold online at very high prices.
i don't think b. voss will get to much support from pro shops while representing them. kinda like when fuzzy worked for k mart.

from what i know about them, they are made by brunswick.
but unlike brunswick or columbia or storm, etc. you generally can only buy then at one online dealer " private label"
does not make them bad!!!!!!, just a private label.
--------------------
jls31316

triggerman · « **Reply #25 on:** January 17, 2007, 12:40:13 PM »

quote:
There's just too many things people can do with their free time in this day and age compared to 1970 to bring back the numbers bowling has seen in the past. Good luck fixing something that isn't really broken.

Focus needs to be on stealing the market share of recreation. Competitive bowlers are bred from recreation. They don't just appear.. He seems to want to separate the two groups and focus on fixing competitive bowling.

--------------------

Cobalt Bomb Solid
Cobalt Bomb Pearl
Tsunami H2O
F.O.S.

you are all missing the simple answer to this simple problem. (see above) in order to compete with a shrinking market, one must be agressive and go after that market, owners/managers sitting on their behinds waiting for people to come bowl leagues will always always always fail. I bowl in several houses in the northern indiana area, they are all busy, 5 nights a week, with leagues, why? cause the ownership trys to fill those leagues, they talk to people, garner interest. place a lot of effort on youth leagues (the bowlers of tomorrow) by increasing at this level, participation increases at the next level and the next level. snowball effect. Mr. Voss is concerned that the PBA will be gone in a few years, which it will if they dont do sometihng, PBA has some simple fixes too, get back to the way it was, open those entrys up, allow more to try their hand, if you got 300 entries, dang it half should make the first cut, go to match play, round robin style instead of this crap they have, the cream will always rise, the only way to secure the pba is to garner interest, that interest has to come for league bowlers, and league bowlers are going to come out of the recreation/youth programs. Dont care that there is more choices, bowling can be the fun choice if marketed right
--------------------
www.bowlingballexchange.com

Made member of the Lane #1 Mafia

leftehh- LG · « **Reply #26 on:** January 17, 2007, 12:44:25 PM »

quote:
There's just too many things people can do with their free time in this day and age compared to 1970 to bring back the numbers bowling has seen in the past. Good luck fixing something that isn't really broken.

Focus needs to be on stealing the market share of recreation. Competitive bowlers are bred from recreation. They don't just appear.. He seems to want to separate the two groups and focus on fixing competitive bowling.

--------------------

Cobalt Bomb Solid
Cobalt Bomb Pearl
Tsunami H2O
F.O.S.

I agree, I don't think bowling is "broken", but it needs to be marketed better. and for all the people who say we need to go back to urethane or plastic with pancakes core..shut up, no we don't, thats not the problem, end of story. I don't know the answer to make bowling more of a sport than recreational, but if we dont then bowling will stay where it is. and if it keeps going on like this, the tour will fall.

Bowling needs to be invested with new ideas and strategies to get average people interested in the game. It needs to be exposed more towards youth so kids can look at it and say "man I wish I could do that someday". I liked what gary did for teen masters by having the finals televised. I think if we could get more exposure towards that way, we might get off to a start somewhere. Just my suggestions though.
--------------------
Bowl to Win!

Edited on 1/17/2007 1:48 PM

se7en · « **Reply #27 on:** January 17, 2007, 02:26:08 PM »

quote:
quote:
There's just too many things people can do with their free time in this day and age compared to 1970 to bring back the numbers bowling has seen in the past. Good luck fixing something that isn't really broken.

Focus needs to be on stealing the market share of recreation. Competitive bowlers are bred from recreation. They don't just appear.. He seems to want to separate the two groups and focus on fixing competitive bowling.

--------------------

Cobalt Bomb Solid
Cobalt Bomb Pearl
Tsunami H2O
F.O.S.

you are all missing the simple answer to this simple problem. (see above) in order to compete with a shrinking market, one must be agressive and go after that market, owners/managers sitting on their behinds waiting for people to come bowl leagues will always always always fail. I bowl in several houses in the northern indiana area, they are all busy, 5 nights a week, with leagues, why? cause the ownership trys to fill those leagues, they talk to people, garner interest. place a lot of effort on youth leagues (the bowlers of tomorrow) by increasing at this level, participation increases at the next level and the next level. snowball effect. Mr. Voss is concerned that the PBA will be gone in a few years, which it will if they dont do sometihng, PBA has some simple fixes too, get back to the way it was, open those entrys up, allow more to try their hand, if you got 300 entries, dang it half should make the first cut, go to match play, round robin style instead of this crap they have, the cream will always rise, the only way to secure the pba is to garner interest, that interest has to come for league bowlers, and league bowlers are going to come out of the recreation/youth programs. Dont care that there is more choices, bowling can be the fun choice if marketed right
--------------------
www.bowlingballexchange.com

Made member of the Lane #1 Mafia

Which would bring me to my second point..

The PBA does need to drop the exempt field and open it to anyone that can get a card.

Secondly, and more importantly, they need to push the new PBA experience as hard as possible to get people exposed to those conditions as early as possible. Maybe even mandate it. All sanctioned leagues by the USBC are PBA compliant, all leagues that choose to stick to the THS wont be recognized and the only difference that will exist is recognition of honor scores. Twofold: now honor scores mean something..

I bet you there are a lot of talented people out there who could compete in the PBA, but lack confidence and experience and would end up playing 'catch up' to the pro's who've been doing it for a long time and ultimately get discouraged because they feel they were swimming upstream permanently. Had they been playing those conditions unprofessionally for a while, they would enter competition already in-stride.
--------------------

Cobalt Bomb Solid
Cobalt Bomb Pearl
Tsunami H2O
F.O.S.

EboKnight · « **Reply #28 on:** January 17, 2007, 02:54:34 PM »

quote:
Why are you people so harsh to Brian? He is speaking the truth about the state of our industry. We don't really know what Elite is up to so how can you comment on that?

I feel Brian is stuck between a rock and a hard place. He wants things to change but in order to be competitive he needs to use the cheater balls to do so.

I say give it some time and lets see what happens. I think Elite is making adjustments just like any other start up company. While I don't agree on their $300 price point they did lower the price of the PBA balls.

They lowered the price because nobody wants them...
--------------------
Good Luck & Good Bowling

Email me at: PreciseMatt@hotmail.com
website: www.PrecisionProShop.com

Jimmy Keeth in da House!!!
5/5/67 - 11/30/05

REVerse · « **Reply #29 on:** January 19, 2007, 08:54:39 PM »

quote:

You are all missing the simple answer to this simple problem. In order to compete with a shrinking market, one must be agressive and go after that market, owners/managers sitting on their behinds waiting for people to come bowl leagues will always always always fail. I bowl in several houses in the northern Indiana area, they are all busy, 5 nights a week, with leagues, why? Because the ownership tries to fill those leagues, they talk to people, garner interest. Place a lot of effort on youth leagues (the bowlers of tomorrow) by increasing at this level, participation increases at the next level and the next level. Snowball effect. Mr. Voss is concerned that the PBA will be gone in a few years, which it will if they dont do sometihng, PBA has some simple fixes too, get back to the way it was, open those entries up, allow more to try their hand, if you got 300 entries, dang it half should make the first cut, go to match play, round robin style instead of this crap they have, the cream will always rise, the only way to secure the pba is to garner interest, that interest has to come for league bowlers, and league bowlers are going to come out of the recreation/youth programs. Dont care that there is more choices, bowling can be the fun choice if marketed right.
--------------------
www.bowlingballexchange.com

Made member of the Lane #1 Mafia

Bravo!! Very well spoken!!

There are two centers here in western NC (AMF-40 & Private owned-42 lanes) that are always busy. Many times open bowlers wait on a lane to be vacated before they can bowl. Leagues are not on a decline in this area. A brand new center was just built last year about 20 miles from here.

The PBA may be in trouble. This thread has mentioned a few good repairs/fixes.

IMHO -The PBAs way of doing things is WAY outdated. They need to re-write the whole book in order to survive.

--------------------
Ray
Beer and Brunswick. It doesn't get any better.

nd300 · « **Reply #30 on:** January 19, 2007, 09:28:43 PM »

Many good answers here to what we can do to fix the sport. There are also many good reasons posted here as to why it's going down hill.But there's also a few things that have been missed.
How many WOMEN'S leagues are in your area versus what they were five or ten years ago????I'll bet less.Why????Women are now career oriented instead of staying home.
Kids and teens have MANY more choices for entertainment than they did during bowling's heyday.Playstation,Wii,cell phones,DVD players,desk tops,etc.Hence,fewer future bowlers.
The other things that have been mentioned are right on the head.Ball cost,league cost,open play cost,time commitment,etc,etc are all reasons that people are staying away.

--------------------
Chris
Lane#1--nothing else hits like 'em.

Author Topic: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss (Read 9920 times)

BrunsMike

bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

novawagonmaster

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

qstick777

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

nospareball

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

MAJM

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

MAJM

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

EboKnight

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

DerHornen

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

Rantings

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

jls

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

triggerman

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

leftehh- LG

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

se7en

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

EboKnight

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

REVerse

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss

nd300

Re: bowlersparadise.com message from Brian Voss