Author Topic: Bringing the sport back to bowling. A borrowed approach. (NASTAR for bowling) (Read 2118 times)

Bjaardker · « **on:** May 08, 2003, 10:54:39 PM »

I was fleshing out an argument for debate in a different thread when I had an idea. Would something similar to Skiing's NASTAR courses be worthwhile in our sport?

Here is the idea behind Nastar,

You have a pro go down a course & set the national "target" time. From there, depending on age & the difficulty of the course you are racing on, you are given a handicap. The idea is then with your handicap to beat that target time. Courses are set up all over the nation & you are all competing against that Pro's time even though you are all in different parts of the country.

Maybe we could setup a pair of lanes at participating houses where they have the same sort of "pay to play" system. The lanes would always have a PBA shot on them & be kept in very good shape. A 3 game set on those lanes would cost a bit more than on normal lanes, but after you are finished, your series is entered into the system & you are kept in the national database just like Nastar. Small prizes would be given out accordingly (pins, badges) & you could even register to compete in larger events.

The thing that really made me think about applying this to our sport was this segment from an article on the history of nastar.

I want you to read this & everytime you see the word skiing, replace it with bowling.

In the October, 1967 edition of SKI, Fry wrote a strongly-worded editorial deploring the "sorry state of affairs" of skiing at that time.

"We have forgotten that skiing is a sport, sport is competition, and that is what the fun and excitement is all about." He went on to say that the forbidding of practice in gatesread: practice on REAL oil patterns "is a policy that surpasses imbecility."

"Somewhere along the line, skiing has lost touch with competition. When it happened, we snuffed out a flame that should light our sport. It is sorely in need of re-ignition."

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

I know it's how I feel about our sport at this very moment. We need to do something before the SPORT of bowling is lost forever.

mumzie · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2003, 02:17:18 PM »

Sign me up.
--------------------
One advantage of bowling over golf
is that you seldom lose the ball.

Bjaardker · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2003, 05:28:42 PM »

No one else? Hmm, thought I could generate some discussion on this one. Maybe everybody is out o town for the weekend.

Back to the subject, I know I would pay a premium to bowl on what I knew would be fresh lanes with a PBA shot on them. I think that houses could make a lot of money on something like this. Heck you could even make the lanes "coin operated". Insert $15 or 3 tokens (selling a bag of tokens at a discount for $50 or something), The user then enters their Nastar bowler's code in the console, or signs up if it's their first time. They bowl 3 games & the scores are sent via internet to the main database. Any changed scores are void without the prior approval code of someone from the desk.

The possibilities really are endless.

louie · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2003, 05:41:26 PM »

You'd hook me but good.
--------------------

Why does everyone laugh when I bowl?

louie

Bujo · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2003, 06:57:38 PM »

Im in, perhaps add an international league feature? Where you bowl a SPECIAL three games a week (any time, just once a week) to be entered for you particular league?
--------------------
"Isn't Bowling supposed to be scored like Golf?"

ambi1 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2003, 09:14:28 PM »

Bujo - you beat me to it. I was gonna say why limit it to one country.

Now that would really be interesting. I think kegel has a similar thought in mind. They seem to have an effort/program to have the same patterns worldwide. Can recall exactly what right now tho.

Regards
--------------------
What do you mean "its illegal to use my bowling ball for duckpins"? Heck, there goes the 900 series

DARK BEER IT IS THEN!

ambi1 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 09, 2003, 09:16:10 PM »

As an afterthought, we could even have a series of patterns that you bowl on. Sort of like track and field events. You can choose what even to participate in.
--------------------
What do you mean "its illegal to use my bowling ball for duckpins"? Heck, there goes the 900 series

DARK BEER IT IS THEN!

Bjaardker · « **Reply #7 on:** May 09, 2003, 10:24:52 PM »

I guess the idea behind it all is to try & get people back into this sport. To HOOK them. The way you hook people is by providing challenge. Ask any video game player how often they pick up a game they've beat. Or whether they like to play easy games. Most will tell you once they've got the easy game figured out, it's gone. I think the same can apply to bowling.

I would just love to have a set of lanes to prove your skill on. You've got some jag yapping his trap about his 210 average, take him to the Nastar lanes & have him put his pride on the line. You both know they are regulated & clean conditions, so the only thing is question is "How good is your game?"

I'd be all over the international aspect, I think logistically it would be too hard to launch it worldwide at first, but you could most certainly after a few years begin pilot programs around the globe.

As far as the different patterns go, I think that you could run a new pattern every 3-6 months, but I wouldn't want to change it anymore than that. I really think the focus should be to get people used to the idea of a consistant, yet difficult shot. One that shows them there can be a challenge in this sport. One where the guy who says "I can throw the same scores as those PBA guys" can eat crow & learn what it's like to truely bowl. Something to get people excited about learning the finer points instead of yanking & cranking. I also think that once you got people hooked on something like this, the bowlers who wanted to participate in the sport would come out of the woodwork & begin to clammor for PBA shots in league. All so they could get weekly practice in for their Nastar rounds.

HamPster · « **Reply #8 on:** May 09, 2003, 11:17:46 PM »

It's also still a big participation sport. It's one of the only ones you can do without a team, obviously. Of course, most straightballers wouldn't notice the oil pattern, but for the more competitive people, it's a good idea.
--------------------
This post is A+ Hamster certified!

Kung Fu Hamster X, Jujitsu Guinea Pig, or Legend of Drunken Ferret? New names still being pondered . . .

kev3inp · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2003, 03:14:51 AM »

I ,for one, would like to try it out to see. I think that the premium price for it would interest center owners. As for mini-golf vs. Sawgrass, at least I can afford the greens fees for mini golf!

Would they put the 17th lane pins on an island and make me shoot over water?
--------------------
the 3 is silent