Bowling in Australia

[rafikk]

This sport has never really taken off in this country.
I was really disappointed to find that TBA has reduced the number of tournaments and has put the death bullet in the longest running tournament, the SPC.

To me it seems that more and more bowling is being pitched as a place to have kiddies birthdays. This is ok as the centres will make money from this. But how about trying a little more on getting active participation in league and tournaments ?

We want this sport to grow, not linger around or die slowley. I am very concerned.

 

[Tiger]

Never really taken off in Australia? :-/
I take it you weren't around bowling in the 70's and 80's?
It was huge.

I agree with the rest of what you said though, and I think the sport's absolutely stuffed.
AMF are one extremely big reason why the sport's gone so far backwards in this country.
In my home city alone we had almost 1,600 registered ADULT players across leagues less than 20 years ago, now it would be lucky to be 200.
Yet, AMF keep on jacking up the prices year after year after year and then twiddle their thumbs in amazement at why the numbers keep on dropping!
Even the social bowlers that they've been ripping off with outrageous prices for many years have gotten jack of it, and over the last six months they've even been dropping off quite sharply.
It doesn't take long for word to get around.
Bar takings = falling. Word got around about how much AMF was charging and now they struggle in that regard.
This past summer it's not been unusual to see the centre dead by 6pm on most nights - sad.
Poor management overall, ridiculous decision making and wanton greed.

You're quite right to be concerned about the overall future of the sport.

 

[rafikk]

Yes I started bowling in the late 70s. I bowled with greats like Steve McKay and Chris Batson. Yes it was bigger back then than now.
But instead of growing, we are going backwards.
How about letting some corporates take over some of the tournaments ? Let Telstra/Optus/BHP/etc take over and promote a major tournament like SPC. I am sure if they take over, they have 1million times the advertising strength of AMF / TBA.
Anyway back to the league.

 

[jimcross]

As most ppl know, I started bowling, near enough to when bowling started in Aust. Yes, in a way, I agree with the general thrust of this blog. I have certainly criticised bowling proprietors generally for allowing, indeed helping, bowling to be a 'fun' thing and an entertainment, rather than a sport.

You must remember that when you are talking about the Telstras and BHP s of this world, you are simply talking about sponsors. Everyone in this business of bowling has always worked hard to get sponsors. Sponsors want value for money. In sport generally, that means spectators. Tenpin bowling, as a sport, has always had one huge obstacle to overcome. It is, in the main a participant sport. That may be good for the health of the Nation, but it's not good for the financial health of sponsors. They need many multiples of people sitting back in soft chairs, with a beer and a BigMac, for every participant.
When that can be delivered, then bowling as a sport will prosper.

 

[rafikk]

Funny you say that about viewers. I have foxtel and I can watch standard sport channels which show poker as a sport (what a joke).
However, the same foxtel channel blocked me from watching the bowling world cup and asked me to upgrade my subscription.
The average foxtel subscriber will not upgrade to watch bowling, however if it was shown without extra charge (like poker) then we may have a chance.
Since when do we classify gambling as a sport !!!

 

[jimcross]

Have a look at George's post on the Main Forum," Is this the Japanese version,........?" Produce spectacles like that, and flog them around the networks, and you'd get sponsors.

With the right sponsors, the sky's the limit. Anything else is Dreamtime.

 

[rafikk]

What if we could have the results of major tournaments shown and read on say National Nine news section ? or in the sport section of any TV news, especially at the best time 6-7pm. Say give the results with a little footage. Would that start to create an interest in this sport ? Surely. Its a foot in the door and a good chance of getting sponsership.
We must try something other than gas bagging. We have identified the problem, lets try something a little different than what we have in the past. If needed I would happily donate some of my time to pursuing it !! Howz that ?