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Author Topic: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership  (Read 10167 times)

NY Mike

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Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« on: May 29, 2020, 11:56:49 AM »
Residing in NYC area, Summer leagues are a no go, unsure if our fall leagues will start up in September, hearing about an abbreviated season starting in January.  Fortunately bowling center owners have taken this time to maintain and update the center. 

Bowling membership in leagues have been on the decline over the past years, how many fear that people will get accustomed to staying home and don't need bowling in their lives?  My wife's mixed league has gone to 10-12 teams of 4, not sure she will be able to maintain.  Any opinions about membership in surrounding areas.

 

Bowler19525

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2020, 02:56:45 PM »
Here in PA it will be tough.  When we reopen, bowling centers will be permitted to operate at 50% capacity only.  Add the "every other lane" only rule and it will tough to maintain normal league sizes.  I am going back, for sure, but the nights where there were 48 5-man teams packing the house are over.

I welcome a transition to 3 and 4-man teams.  Makes for a much nicer bowling night, actually.

bradl

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2020, 06:32:46 PM »
Here in PA it will be tough.  When we reopen, bowling centers will be permitted to operate at 50% capacity only.  Add the "every other lane" only rule and it will tough to maintain normal league sizes.  I am going back, for sure, but the nights where there were 48 5-man teams packing the house are over.

I welcome a transition to 3 and 4-man teams.  Makes for a much nicer bowling night, actually.

It's going to be tough across the board. While I can see 3-person teams, I could see the league format being either extended to 4 games, or kept at 3 (which would get done faster), that could give the league enough time to split the league into 2 shifts (granted, no time for lane redressing), so that one half bowls on the fresh, the other bowls on the burn. Obviously those shifts could be decided randomly, so you don't know what you'll be bowling on, let alone against who.. Makes for an interesting format..

However, I'm more concerned with how youth leagues are going to go. Since the biggest youth league here could fit everyone on 32 lanes, with some of them already being 3 person teams (at least until you hit 12, then it jumps), I wonder how they'll split that up. Again, this is going to be an interesting fall season.

BL.

MI 2 AZ

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2020, 07:23:43 PM »
Here in PA it will be tough.  When we reopen, bowling centers will be permitted to operate at 50% capacity only.  Add the "every other lane" only rule and it will tough to maintain normal league sizes.  I am going back, for sure, but the nights where there were 48 5-man teams packing the house are over.

I welcome a transition to 3 and 4-man teams.  Makes for a much nicer bowling night, actually.

It's going to be tough across the board. While I can see 3-person teams, I could see the league format being either extended to 4 games, or kept at 3 (which would get done faster), that could give the league enough time to split the league into 2 shifts (granted, no time for lane redressing), so that one half bowls on the fresh, the other bowls on the burn. Obviously those shifts could be decided randomly, so you don't know what you'll be bowling on, let alone against who.. Makes for an interesting format..

However, I'm more concerned with how youth leagues are going to go. Since the biggest youth league here could fit everyone on 32 lanes, with some of them already being 3 person teams (at least until you hit 12, then it jumps), I wonder how they'll split that up. Again, this is going to be an interesting fall season.

BL.


If you are still talking about bowling on every other lane, then the first shift could start on the odd lanes and the second shift could start on the even lanes.  That way each team gets to bowl on fresh oil. 

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bowling_rebel

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2020, 05:18:54 PM »
There is no scientific basis for social distancing. This is bullshit. I recommend mass repudiation. Bowling alleys and countless other businesses can not fucntion is the majority of their space and resources is wasted on bullshit like social distancing. Not to mention giving name and contact information to every location you enter so you can be traced.

Besides making the business model unfeasible, just doing things will become so burdensome, people won't bother.

don't wear a mask
don't social distance
if enough did this, it would go away.

death to tyranny

bradl

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2020, 12:29:35 PM »
There is no scientific basis for social distancing. This is bullshit. I recommend mass repudiation. Bowling alleys and countless other businesses can not fucntion is the majority of their space and resources is wasted on bullshit like social distancing. Not to mention giving name and contact information to every location you enter so you can be traced.

Besides making the business model unfeasible, just doing things will become so burdensome, people won't bother.

don't wear a mask
don't social distance
if enough did this, it would go away.

death to tyranny

Time to put your crap to bed: dead, and buried.

The liberty secured by the Constitution of the United States to every person within its jurisdiction does not import an absolute right in each person to be, at all times and in all circumstances, wholly freed from restraint. There are manifold restraints to which every person is necessarily subject for the common good. On any other basis, organized society could not exist with safety to its members. Society based on the rule that each one is a law unto himself would soon be confronted with disorder and anarchy. Real liberty for all could not exist under the operation of a principle which recognizes the right of each individual person to use his own, whether in respect of his person or his property, regardless of the injury that may be done to others. This court has more than once recognized it as a fundamental principle that

"persons and property are subjected to all kinds of restraints and burdens, in order to secure the general comfort, health, and prosperity of the State, of the perfect right of the legislature to do which no question ever was, or upon acknowledged general principles ever can be, made so far as natural persons are concerned."


- Justice John Marshall Harlan, United States Supreme Court

The case was Jacobson v. Massachusetts (1905). 7-2 Majority decision. SCOTUS ruled you wrong. Get over it.

BL.

northface28

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2020, 01:52:34 PM »
There is no scientific basis for social distancing. This is bullshit. I recommend mass repudiation. Bowling alleys and countless other businesses can not fucntion is the majority of their space and resources is wasted on bullshit like social distancing. Not to mention giving name and contact information to every location you enter so you can be traced.

Besides making the business model unfeasible, just doing things will become so burdensome, people won't bother.

don't wear a mask
don't social distance
if enough did this, it would go away.

death to tyranny

Do you have a mental retardation?
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Pinbuster

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2020, 06:07:08 AM »
Our bowling centers opened in the last week and we had a league meeting last night for final payout of my 3 person team league.

I've been in this league for over 30 years and it has always been fairly stable in the number of teams with maybe a couple teams dropped and added each year.

Last night 7 of the 12 teams either said they were not coming back to bowling or were unsure of coming back.

The impression I got from management was that 1/3 to 1/2 of league teams are expressing doubt of returning in the fall.

My feelings is leagues will be significantly smaller in the fall with smaller leagues folding. Senior leagues are in particular trouble.

I'm not sure if a couple of the bowling centers will be able to survive.

Bowler19525

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2020, 07:40:43 AM »
Our bowling centers opened in the last week and we had a league meeting last night for final payout of my 3 person team league.

I've been in this league for over 30 years and it has always been fairly stable in the number of teams with maybe a couple teams dropped and added each year.

Last night 7 of the 12 teams either said they were not coming back to bowling or were unsure of coming back.

The impression I got from management was that 1/3 to 1/2 of league teams are expressing doubt of returning in the fall.

My feelings is leagues will be significantly smaller in the fall with smaller leagues folding. Senior leagues are in particular trouble.

I'm not sure if a couple of the bowling centers will be able to survive.

There have been an increasing number of articles in the news about bowling centers and how they will survive moving forward.  Most of the proprietors are expressing concern that if they are restricted to 50% capacity [which is becoming the norm in many states], they simply will not survive and they don't know if they can even consider reopening at all under those restrictions.

Others have discussed concern with leagues, and the possibilities of either severely limiting the number of available league bowling spots, or trying to accommodate all league bowlers by transitioning to split shift leagues (1/2 the league bowls at 6; the other 1/2 at 8:30...or even split the leagues up where 1/2 bowls one day and the other 1/2 bowls another day.)

Many people I know have said that if masks are required in our state while bowling, they are simply not returning as they flat out refuse to wear a mask while bowling.

I know that the center I bowl at 100% plans to reopen as soon as the state allows.  They are also already planning to hold some sort of summer leagues as well as hold winter leagues starting in September.  I plan to return regardless of whatever changes are in place.  It will be strange initially I am sure, but I really do miss it and want to get back to the lanes.

northface28

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2020, 07:58:29 AM »
Our bowling centers opened in the last week and we had a league meeting last night for final payout of my 3 person team league.

I've been in this league for over 30 years and it has always been fairly stable in the number of teams with maybe a couple teams dropped and added each year.

Last night 7 of the 12 teams either said they were not coming back to bowling or were unsure of coming back.

The impression I got from management was that 1/3 to 1/2 of league teams are expressing doubt of returning in the fall.

My feelings is leagues will be significantly smaller in the fall with smaller leagues folding. Senior leagues are in particular trouble.

I'm not sure if a couple of the bowling centers will be able to survive.

I think you’re correct. Leagues will be very different. I know I’m not going back to finish the season or next fall.
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bradl

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2020, 12:18:14 PM »
Many people I know have said that if masks are required in our state while bowling, they are simply not returning as they flat out refuse to wear a mask while bowling.

I know that the center I bowl at 100% plans to reopen as soon as the state allows.  They are also already planning to hold some sort of summer leagues as well as hold winter leagues starting in September.  I plan to return regardless of whatever changes are in place.  It will be strange initially I am sure, but I really do miss it and want to get back to the lanes.

You bring up an interesting point. I haven't thought of how bowling with a mask on would be, as we require a lot of breathing with our form and approach. In short: I need to practice with a mask!

I also would go back regardless, because I miss it, but as we know there will be some serious changes, it would help all of us to be prepared for them. I mean, think about it this way: If we think league is going to be weird with these changes, think of the PBA, PWBA, or even Nationals.

BL.

Bowler19525

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2020, 02:06:13 PM »
Many people I know have said that if masks are required in our state while bowling, they are simply not returning as they flat out refuse to wear a mask while bowling.

I know that the center I bowl at 100% plans to reopen as soon as the state allows.  They are also already planning to hold some sort of summer leagues as well as hold winter leagues starting in September.  I plan to return regardless of whatever changes are in place.  It will be strange initially I am sure, but I really do miss it and want to get back to the lanes.

You bring up an interesting point. I haven't thought of how bowling with a mask on would be, as we require a lot of breathing with our form and approach. In short: I need to practice with a mask!

I also would go back regardless, because I miss it, but as we know there will be some serious changes, it would help all of us to be prepared for them. I mean, think about it this way: If we think league is going to be weird with these changes, think of the PBA, PWBA, or even Nationals.

BL.


I am anxious to watch the live PBA event this Saturday on Fox.  Aside from no spectators, it will be interesting to see if any other "mitigation" steps are immediately noticeable or just sort of invisible.

TDC57

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2020, 11:35:47 AM »
Our center is open, but our league hasn't discussed next year. The officers just paid out the money that was in the prize fund. No individual payouts, it was all just divided among the teams. If what many of you have said about your states, centers and you individually is true, I think bowling is pretty much dead in many areas. I wonder though, before businesses were shut down, the virus was out there, maybe for months. How many guys in your leagues fell ill, that you know of and did any die? Most didn't stop bowling until the lockdown came, but we knew there was something out there. What has changed now that makes you less willing to bowl again? Things are getting back to normal for many and we know (if you can trust what we are being told) that this is not going away, as is true of most viruses.

Do you plan to totally change your lives forever? That would mean never do a lot of the things were part of you regular lives, ever again. Is that feasible for you or the businesses affected? I live in an area that is not densely populated, that has about 50,000 people in our county. We have had 14 cases, 3 hospitalized and no deaths. Our factories for the most part never shut down and retail giants like Walmart and Menards have over a thousand people go through every day. I'm not sure what the answer for everyone is, but the only way to make this virus mutate into something less aggressive is through herd immunity. people not going out among others will never let us achieve this. It must be remembered that few healthy people suffered serious complications and only those with age or underlying conditions, should be the ones who take such precautions. Where is the outrage and worry from the people who locked us up, over the mass gathering of protesters around the nation who are spewing spit, and exchanging sweat from close contact in these situations? Yet, we worry about what can happen bowling? If we don't see major outbreaks from the protesters, we should pretty much know the worst is over.

bergman

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2020, 03:38:07 PM »
Our local center is reopening on June 16, but there will be no summer leagues this season. Just open bowling, as well as a weekly singles pattern tournament will be conducted this summer. The center has undergone extensive modifications for increased safety purposes. This includes the installation of plexi-glass shields at the
control counter and enhanced cleaning/sanitizing of all contact surfaces, including the telescores, seats, etc. Bowling will also be limited to 12 lanes (out of a total of 24), with bowlers being assigned to every other lane only. All employees will be required to wear safety masks at ALL times while on duty, with no exceptions--even in the restrooms.

I believe that unless and until either a vaccine and/or effective treatments are found for Covid-19, that we will be forever changed in terms of our habits. This virus has shown no mercy in terms of its severity and its high mortality rate (when compared to, say influenza, etc.). Just recently, a healthy 34 year old died from it after being on a respirator for close to 2 weeks. It is true that the mortality rates are higher for those over age 65 (that's me), and for those with compromised immune systems. However, anybody can become infected and pass it onto those who are practicing
social distancing guidelines.  This stuff is no joke. It's the real McCoy, unfortunately.

Bowler19525

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Re: Corona - Lane Opening/Decline in Membership
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2020, 06:24:08 PM »
All employees will be required to wear safety masks at ALL times while on duty, with no exceptions--even in the restrooms.

The company I work for is ending telecommuting and bringing us back to the office over the next couple of weeks.  We have the same mask rules.  Masks at all times, even in the bathroom.  The only time we can take it off is when we are actually sitting down at our desk.  As soon as we stand up it has to go back on.

This will be status quo for quite some time until a vaccine becomes readily available.

Bowling centers around here should be back open by the end of this month.  Summer leagues are planned ( as long as the state permits leagues...some states are not permitting leagues even after reopening.). I am ready to get back to bowling!