How bowling is seen by the general public in Australia as a sport

[pheebs]

Hey guys, I'm doing an assignment at the moment for my journalism class where I have to write a feature article and I'm tackling the myth that bowling is a dying sport/ not even a sport in Australia. Now I know we all know it really is a sport but what I want to know is what you guys think about the view point that bowling isn't seen as a sport.

So questions:

1. How do you, as bowlers, feel about the view of bowling in Australia as either a dying sport or as a recreational activity?

2. Do you want this viewpoint the change? Do you want people outside the sport to understand bowling as a sport?

3. Or, are you okay with people in general not think of bowling as a sport/ serious sport because you know it really is a sport?

If anyone totally disagrees with me about this viewpoint about the general public not seeing bowling the way we do then please tell me, it would make a great addition to the article.

Thanks heaps for all your help,

Phoebe Calder
NSW

 

[Straight_kut]

I think everyone here wants Bowling to grow in popularity and as a serious sport with the general public.

 

[Ash]

Phoebe, The main thing is that bowling really is both.

In the recreational form (i.e. disco bowling and such) it really isn't much of a sport when it's played that way, and seeing as that is how the majority of Australians see bowling, the general consensus is that bowling isn't a sport.

When we bowl competitively (i.e. tournaments and leagues) it is much more of a sport, and even someone who has never bowled can tell the difference right away.

The main problem with bowling's perception is that the competetive side of bowling very rarely is seen by the public, or at least not a large proportion of the public.

I do agree however, that Bowling is generally not seen as a sport, and I'm not really ok with that, but the fact is that most people have never seen bowling when it's being played as a sport, they have only seen it in recreation.

As for bowling dying as a sport, sadly, yes that is true, although there are inroad being made to rejuvinate the sport by rebuilding the tournament scene from a grass roots level.

Recreational bowling seems to be getting more popular every day. With the introduction of glow and disco bowling (as well as bowling bars like kingpin and strike bowling bars), more and more people are coming to alleys for a social game.

What is meant to happen from there (in theory), is the people coming in for social games, should get bitten by the bug and enjoy it so much they'd like to do it regularly, and then join a league, get better, and then become more competetive, unfortunately, this isn't happening anywhere near as much as we need it to for the sport to grow.

 

[steve jones]

Phoebe..it seems Ash has captured the essence of it very well - as a short summary of where bowling is at in Australia today I'd say he has nailed it pretty well.

Here's what might be an interesting angle for you and one that underscores what Ash has written.

One country I know well decided some years back that they wanted the sport of bowling to be the focus and not the recreation side of the game. This determination was made by the sports governing body of the day - who, it might be suggested, had a self serving bent to this concept given that their funding from their own Government came largely based on the sporting element of the game..less sports activity [events, training squads, overseas teams etc, etc] = less funding.

They saw Cosmic/Disco Bowling coming and decided to legislate against it before bowling centres started installing it...all they could see was the eating away of the sport and their funding. With the help of Government they instigated a law that required a minimum LUX reading [LUX is - in electricity, the unit of intensity of illumination] to be permitted inside all bowling centres - their unit measurement was 200 LUX - that's about as bright as a regular bowling centres is with all white light operating.

The result - no disco/cosmic bowling - the outcome - well at it's peak this country had close to 20,000 lane beds - it now has about 10,000. The sport itself just could not, and can not, sustain the game or the business of the bowling industry on it's own.

It is exactly as Ash says - a mixture working together - recreation and the sport. One feeding the other.

As far as I know the legislation in that country is still in place - the business loss is now flat - so too is growth opportunity.

Steve

 

[nev25]

I worked in the live music industry for around 15 years.
The problem there was that professional unknown musicians where never seen as professionals i.e making a living out of there craft.

Most where seen in the general public as musos just making a noise and where usually paid that way.
Hence there are very few band/artistes playing in live venues anymore

I see bowling in the same light
The general public sees bowlers and bowling as a past time not a sport

In My opinion the sport is dieing And we need to get more people involved.

There is a big gap between the Juniors and the bowlers with an average over 180 and these are not catered for.

If you go down to the local alley and just ask someone bowling there why they don't bowl in a league
Or ask a league bowler why they don't bowl in tournaments
You will most likely get the answer I'M not good enough


So we need to make them good enough though education (Coaching etc)

So after the TBA increasing fees and in return promising more coaches and courses this year

Its almost half way thought the year and whats been done???

There in my opinion is the problem

 

[The Insider]

I agree with the above points but bowling is an expensive sport compared to some and this may be why league bowlers avoid bowling in tournaments. Years ago, league bowlers were encouraged to bowl in as many tournaments as possible, to gain experience, and build confidence. Now, with the current economic situation, some league bowlers have to make the choice - league, or bowl tournaments - they can't afford both.

On another tangent, bowling is promoted as a social 'muckabout' activity and TV stereotypes hardly assist our sport to be taken seriously by the public...

 

[nev25]

I agree with the above points but bowling is an expensive sport compared to some ...

I tend to disagree
But dont know
Compaired to golf its cheap and look how popular Golf is

 

[piequat]

Recreational bowling seems to be getting more popular every day. With the introduction of glow and disco bowling (as well as bowling bars like kingpin and strike bowling bars), more and more people are coming to alleys for a social game.

What is meant to happen from there (in theory), is the people coming in for social games, should get bitten by the bug and enjoy it so much they'd like to do it regularly, and then join a league, get better, and then become more competetive, unfortunately, this isn't happening anywhere near as much as we need it to for the sport to grow.

I may get shot down for this but I also believe the attitude of regular league bowlers is a major problem in accepting new bowlers and growing the sport.

Case in point: The league I bowl in recently had an addition of two new teams full of young, social bowlers who had a penchant for a beer. Someone did the right thing and recommended to them that they come down and bowl in a league, so they did. Instead of trying to accomodate/encourage them, other bowlers looked at them in disgust and whinged amongst each other that they weren't giving way, too noisy, the list goes on. After 3 weeks the 2 teams stopped coming because:

a) league seemed very serious to them (and this league only has an average of 140)
b) they figured they might as well just bowl socially like they usually do because it's not like they were getting any help/coaching/interaction from other bowlers.

And it's not just this league that I see this happening in. So to me, it's no wonder why we don't get many new bowlers, and why interest in the sport doesn't increase.

 

[jason_doust]

Hear, hear!

New players are all to often scared off/cheesed off by longstanding league bowlers. A little well-placed encouragement and education costs nothing and can do wonders. We all started somewhere. (I remember my mother encouraging me because I averaged over 100 for my first league season.)

back on topic - Bowling is fairly unique among sports in that it is almost entirely industry-driven. Therefore, like golf, bowling depends on social and competition play for centres to thrive and this blurs the perception of bowling in the eye of the public. People I work with are amazed when they see just how much is involved in bowling.

Remember that the guy on the street, regardless of education and intelligence probably doesn't know that holes are drilled in bowling balls! And mainly because they've never needed to think about that.

So I answer 2. I want bowling to be perceived as a sport as well as a fun pastime. After all, it's both. Like many other sports.

Cheers,
Jason

 

[$$Pricey$$]

I tend to disagree
But dont know
Compaired to golf its cheap and look how popular Golf is

im sorry but no way!!

i play golf and tennis competitively in pennant, tournaments, etc. and i have to say bowling is far more expensive than both of them.

with tennis you buy your racquets for about $300 each (same price as a bowling ball) and then do not have to pay for practice, competition or anything apart from maybe $200 club membership. tournaments top at $50 for the 'elite' australian junior rankings events.

with golf the equipment is slightly more expensive in comparison to bowling, but after you have bought the equipment you dont have to pay much else apart from club membership fees ($200-$5000 depending on the club) which entitle you to free practice any day of the week and entry into their competitions held on most busy days. tournaments average around $40 and include a decent restaurant quality lunch after the competition.

bowling charges you $300ish a ball, $20-$30 bucks each practise or league and decent tournaments and rolloffs are $200+ (no wonder the numbers of some tournys are struggling).

out of the three sports tennis, golf and bowling. i do bowling the least, but spend the most money on bowling.
if i didnt love the game so much i would have quit long ago and bought many of the things i have sacrificed for new equipment and tournys.

 

[Glenno]

Hear, hear!

New players are all to often scared off/cheesed off by longstanding league bowlers. A little well-placed encouragement and education costs nothing and can do wonders. We all started somewhere. (I remember my mother encouraging me because I averaged over 100 for my first league season.)

I hope Bowlers are not scared of me,im just a friendly average left handed bowler hehe

 

[rambo1]

Hear, hear!

im just a friendly average left handed bowler hehe

hi glenn,
all left handers are average just ask any right hander, but we are more friendly
peter z

 

[Fitzy]

I agree with many if the comments in this thread thought I'd add ...

Many has there been the time, that I say to people outside of the sport, that bowling is my SPORT of choice. The reply is generally along the lines of, though not outright; a sport has to be challenging/have skill.

The words used, are usually along the lines of "That's not a sport! Even I can throw a big ball that distance and knock down all the pins!"

Another, is the misconception that, as alcohol can be purchased during social, some believe that alcohol is par for the game, and if you drink during play it can't be seen as a 'real' sport! Trying to explain is like butting your head against a wall sometimes!

Also, you must have come across the "taking four steps, throwing a ball and sitting down? ... how can that be a sport?" "I went down and played TWO games the other day and didn't even work up a sweat!"

What I am trying to get at is that, misconceptions in the non-bowling populace is also a major reason bowling is not seen as a sport by many.

My $0.05

 

[$$Pricey$$]

Another, is the misconception that, as alcohol can be purchased during social, some believe that alcohol is par for the game, and if you drink during play it can't be seen as a 'real' sport! Trying to explain is like butting your head against a wall sometimes!

you can drink during any sport!

just some sports is less advisable to be drinking than others.
drunk tennis is quite fun although you will wake up with more scrapes, grazes and bruises than you ever have from a night out on the piss before!!

 

[mongoliantreesloth]

I reckon it's just where you're at with the game.

You go and play Tennis with a buddy - maybe keep a proper score, maybe not. Perhaps you go play football with a few friends - just for a kick around etc. For most people this is the way it is.

Maybe though, from those beginnings, someone decides to keep a closer eye on the score. Maybe take it to the next level and actually join a tennis or footy club. At this point you have someone who sees a sport instead of a game. Until then it's simply a game. Same with bowling.

The keys would be education and publicity.

Trouble is that Bowling is up there alongside Darts in the visually appealing league table. Joint last place alongside Fishing.

 

[kitkat23]

The sport of bowling will never be seen as more than a social thing if owners/managers and the industry "supporters" only market it at the social side.

We have all read the post from AMF as to why they have stopped sponsorship of this site. We have a NSO that appears to be trying to get things up and running, but at the current moment have nothing back. (I refer to their website under coaching, where the courses have been pulled for review for a year, site says due for completion march 2009, its now may)
There are also "non bowlers" who are running bowling alleys across the country, cashing in on bowlings revival in the "fun past time" market.
And in these centres, come the league bowlers, who take it seriously, but have their own fun in their leagues. u mix social & serious bowlers together and somethings gotta give, either the social bowlers leave the league and go back to social bowling or the league bowlers go and dont come back. How many centres out there now that are less than 5 years old, have people who are in charge or staff that work that have no idea bout bowling as a sport and only see it as a social thing? how many parents come into centres now and let their kids run around the place and let the staff "babysit" their own children while they have a coffee & catch up on the latest goss with their friends.

when i started bowling 13 years ago it was something that my brother and i did with our father. and it was something fun for us back then, we didnt take it seriously, until the owner and the association in the centre started rewarding us with badges & patches for what we had achieved. once the praise started coming in we both turned serious and actually stared practicing, working to our next goal.

I see 13 year olds come in with schools and they use it as a chance to get out of school work, something that has minimal supervision from their teachers, where they can muck around, but very few have taken it seriously. The 8 years olds are even more well behaved then the older kids who are ment to be young adults!!!

case 1. old league bowlers come back to a league, centre hasnt been in the city for 20 + years. group of new bowlers come in the the league. all goes well till the new bowlers get a call to report to a fire before league. they go and do their job, but dont tell the centre whats happening. other team bowls like they are playing a blind. all is well till the other team come in 3 days later and are allowed to post bowl with no notice to opposition or league. end result, team that showed up on the league night, quit the sport that night, walked out on the league because management to them that it only ment lineage for them they didnt care.

case 2. a serious league bowler was serious about his bowling whilst on the approach. (nothing too major) off the approach he had a laugh with his team, and his opposition on the night. Few new bowlers felt intimidated by his approach to bowling and made complaints to management. end result. league bowler got banned for 1 month from bowling in any type of league, tournament & social bowling in the centre because management felt that his actions were putting off the new bowlers and impacting their bottom line.
(funny enough, the people who complained are still in leagues bowling with this person, have realised that this is his style and have moved on. even gives them tips about their game when they ask him what they are doing wrong)

in my centre there are 2 junior boys who have taken to bowling and class it as a sport. then there are 3 maybe 4 young adults (18-25 years) that are into it as a sport. after that everyone else is over 50 and knew the sport back in its heyday when it was all about leagues and getting better.

so in my view unless every singe centre is on the same wave length and put as much effort into retaining and nurturing not only juniors, but the young adult crowd and tries not only to retain them but convince others that it is a serious sport that can have much reward for them, bowling will die a sad and lonely death from its glory days. to me that day is coming, but i'm trying to prolong it by working hard at my sport, be a role model for the younger kids out here, that yea you can have fun whilst bowling, but you can still take it seriously and become good at it.

 

[AdrianS]

When such a stupid ban is made, you come back in an take them on!!!!! Boss and idiot complainers!!! By the sound of what happened boss better have learned a lesson

 

[kitkat23]

no she didnt, still worked there for a year or so afterwards, but the bowler did get his revenge, when he won a local tournament, manager came up all supportive n raving bout how well he bowled in such a great centre, in his speech he only credited his win to his own ability to bowl on shoddy lanes. but she got what was coming to her eventually

 

[Fitzy]

you can drink during any sport!

[Disclaimer]
I understand your post in in jest, though, a lot of people take the alcohol scenario as a truth. So this is NOT a go at you, just to get it off the chest.
[/Disclaimer]

Sure alcohol can be consumed during any sport, socially. The best games of Baseball I have had involved sculling a drink of choice for each hit or base in offense or error in defense (the further the game went the more the errors were made! ) .

Though, that is not the 'sport' side of things. I am not going to make an MLB team, nor yourself win an major, if that is the approach towards the sport.

Besides, depending on the league, I will be one of the first to have a beer (or two - more if I have someone else to drive me home!), so I do not have a problem with it, though, I understand that if I ever decide to enter a major, I won't be drinking during the event. Social/Sport.

Unfortunately there are more non-bowling people in Aus that see bowling as social only due to their limited experience to the sporting aspects of bowling.

Just curious, I wonder how many schooners, the likes of the Kerkow's or Selby's (only names I know) of the bowls world, knock back after an open?? But ask many and they will agree bowls is a sport!!!

 

[pheebs]

Im sorry, don't mean to sound pedantic or anything but bowls refers to lawn bowls, something many people have believed that is what I do when I first tell them I am a tenpin bowler, if your refering to tenpin bowling it's bowling for short, bowls is an entirely different sport.
Oh and thanks everyone for your opinions, keep them coming.
Thanks