How can they boost numbers for Championships/Masters

[Jase]

I hope maybe next year some sort of sponsorship can be found to increase prize money.
Only 1st place in the restricted was guaranteed money and 1st and 2nd in the open masters was guaranteed money.
I think to make the finals through 2 cuts is not easy and places 3-6 should receive some cash reward.
To even qualify for the masters you have to do singles ,doubles and teams and pay to qualify for masters.Thats $85 + $65 entry = $150
I love to bowl and bowl in everything going but numbers are slipping and some how we need to find more incentive to increase the numbers in these events.
The format is good and yes a second chance for Brando would have been good to see.
Thanks Paul

Didn’t want to hi-jack the other threads with this so I decided to start a new one.

Yeah agreed Paul..

I also believe to boost numbers, perhaps lift the fact that you need an ALL EVENTS to actually qualify for masters.

I agree that maybe you pay for a couple of doubles or singles entry’s but you shouldn't have to complete and all events entry to qualify just for masters.

I some how think that could boost master’s numbers. I mean with the money that you get back from say winning Singles, Doubles, Teams and then making the final 3 in Masters to not get paid anything or next to nothing doesn’t warrant bowling them at all.. In my honest opinion being the all events winners means nothing to anyone anymore. Maters for that matter, is nearly adopting the same attitude which is also disappointing.

I think the committee should look at changing that side of it; A Sponsor would go along way to helping things also. I mean a lot of the bowlers have to travel and from a distance, to have to bowl over a few days, travel backwards and forwards, the price of fuel alone these days is nearly as much as an entry fee.

The way it is at the moment you look at how many entries are only because they have too.. Not because they want to bowl.. Most of the time they don't bowl Masters because they don't have too..

Even some of the Zone winners didn't bother to show this year.

A change is needed i think.

 

[kelvin harvey]

With what you were saying Jase as to lift the ALL EVENTS, we tried that a couple years ago at Sunset in Toowoomba, it seemed to work a bit, but cause of lack of numbers up here we had to cut championships all together.

Bowlers don't usually like to pay out big money to get little in return, the sponsorship idea sounds good, as to who to get i don't know.

Also a lower game count can reduce the cost a bit.

Another idea is, maybe all associations in Qld bowling could come together for state champs and masters, i believe that would also make a bigger impact on numbers.

If i think of any more ideas i'll let u know.

Cory Knowles

 

[The Spanner]

Hi guys ...

There are a couple of ideas we are floating at the moment to try to increase numbers into the Championships and the Masters events.

One is to have a dedicated volunteer representative at each centre to make people more aware of the championships, collate entries and generally encourage people to have a go. A couple of people have already put their hands up for this and it might get a few more numbers in. This would involve talking to "Mr 140 Average" and letting him know there is a division just for him.

Another possibility we will be exploring is to have some of the bowling centres supply their own champions to the masters events, if they run a championship themselves. At least the centres could make some money by running a championship, with the possibility a percentage of that money collected might go to prizefunds for masters at the state champs. Maybe in the centre championships, part of the prize could be entry into events at the State Champs ... ie ... If your 5 man team wins your own centre championship, they win entry into the 5 man teams at the State Champs.

Unfortunately, we only had 20 guys and 11 ladies in the masters events yesterday. If we had the intended 30, we would have been able to pay down to sixth (our original intention). Yep ... wouldn't we love a sponsor ...

All ideas are more than welcome. The current Adult Committee are, by our own admission, inexperienced, but we are willing to get in there and have a go at trying to get things better. It wont happen overnight though ..

Thanks for taking the time to post.

 

[Cam S]

just a couple of ideas

Why not open it up for the Juniors if they are perpared to fork out the cash to bowl good luck to them, even if it means dropping the age limit to 16.

Also with the pricing structure to encourage people to bowl in all events offer the third event at a discounted price or scrap the fee for all events.

The other thing i noticed is there werent alot of the senior bowlers there on the weekend either theres some awesome bowlers in their ranks is there a way we can incourage them to bowl in the State champs as well as the ATBSO State Champs.

 

[Easy Tiger]

I could be wrong but it seemed like there were less people bowling championships than there are on any given Wednesday night in Super League at Caboolture.

The key in terms of the Open Masters is getting the 180+ bowlers to show up. The problem is.. 90% or more aren't interested. It comes back to the "elite" thing in a way.. I'm not saying that only the very top bowlers bowl it, but those that think they don't have a chance, won't bowl.

Figure out how to fix that, and you'll fix tournament bowling everywhere across this country.

Until then..

 

[luke]

let all ages bowl simple enough. i would have gladly handed over my money on the weekend so i could bowl. but no instead im not 18 so they turn away a good paying bowler. make the age limit 16 and surely you will get more bowlers. thats one simple fix

luke green

 

[Cam S]

Just an idea that may increase numbers to not only the masters but other tournaments.

Im i correct in understanding that the national team is picked from points gained at Nationally ranked and double ranked tournaments.

What about selecting 9 or 10 tournaments through out the year as State ranking tournaments and have double points for the masters and select the State Team based on the top 7 ranked bowlers.

 

[Easy Tiger]

The Australian Team isn't picked on that alone currently, and certainly not now with the introduction of the national traning camps (see thread on pinch testing in Main forum).

However I do think your idea has merit. The bowlers that support tournament bowling should have some kind of reward, this is one way of helping that. I like it.

And Luke, while I know you would be happy to because not only do you want to bowl, you want to support bowling as a sport, many don't and this is the problem.

 

[GeorgeF]

I'm not sure if points is the answer, good old hard fashioned work and publicity is the best way. Dropping the age is a plus, incorporating the Seniors State Champs with the adults is a great idea also.

I'm not sure what the answer is, I know when I was little and someone mentioned State Championships I thought it was something you had to qualify for and was for the best of the best. I honestly believe people just dont know about it and dont realise that its for all grades.

I am willing to help promote next years event, well done to this years team, the Masters format was certainly exciting.

 

[Taya04]

let all ages bowl simple enough. i would have gladly handed over my money on the weekend so i could bowl. but no instead im not 18 so they turn away a good paying bowler. make the age limit 16 and surely you will get more bowlers. thats one simple fix
luke green

Very much agreed Luke. Why let us bowl in the Championships but not the Masters? Perhaps making the age limit 16 will as you said get more bowlers but even still make it if you are turning 18 that year..so its at least fair. I mean if your letting bowlers bowl things like Association Challange that are still only 16 why make it so different for something like this? Especially when they are so closley linked together.

Taya

 

[The Spanner]

If we drop the age, and a 16 or 17 yr old wins, who do we send to the Australian Masters, if they dont change their entry conditions? And no ... you cant just send the person who ran second ...

 

[bm2]

I don't agree with dropping the age limit either, but who says we can't incorporate the Junior and Open championships? That way perhaps things like entry fees can be lowered....I know, for example, for the Caboolture Assn champs, entry fee per event was only $13 - a total of $44 for an allevents entry, which is half of what we pay at the State and Nationals. Prize money was then awarded 100% back to the bowlers, with no associated "tournament costs" being deducted first. Finding a centre who CAN and WILL give competitive game rates seems to be the first step, rather than perhaps asking centres to tender?

As for opening the event up to the Seniors, well it isn't closed to them.....those that want to bowl in them do, others choose simply to stay with the ATBSO format. Their numbers at State championships are no better than those of TBAQ.

I remember when we first arrived in Qld, bowlers were able to qualify for masters in their OWN centres during league......don't know if it is worthwhile trying to bring that back, or perhaps just make masters a stand alone tournament, like the State team rolloff (part 2) was this year.

jmho

Broni

 

[Jase]

Very much agreed Luke. Why let us bowl in the Championships but not the Masters? Perhaps making the age limit 16 will as you said get more bowlers but even still make it if you are turning 18 that year..so its at least fair. I mean if your letting bowlers bowl things like Association Challange that are still only 16 why make it so different for something like this? Especially when they are so closley linked together.
Taya

Taya,

Just to clarify a few things, Association Challenge is run as a separate tournament, you only have to be 16 or over to bowl that event.. There is no link between Association challenge and State Masters.. As for you being let bowl the Championships i am guessing it was an oversight to the Tournament Committee, as i am sure they trusted that everyone was playing but the rules.. It's up to the individual to read the rules not the Tournament Committee to check every single thing... I have a feeling it was bought to the committees attention buy a competitor not a case of taking your money then disqualifying you..

As for not being able to send second place Peter why is that? Is that something that could be changed? Is there actually a rule in place? I mean Tasmania is sending the guy who ran second as the person who won it is the defending champion.. I mean might fix also the low numbers as like i stated there was a few zone winners who didn’t bother to show up/bowl maybe this is also a way to increase the participation levels.

I couldn't get time off to fit in a Team entry but offered to Bowl a Singles entry and fully pay for an all events entry to try and Qualify for Masters but that too was also denied. Otherwise i new of one more entry that you could of had for Masters at least.

I agree with trying to boost numbers but once again allowing juniors to bowl in Adult events is once again taking something else away from the 23-44 age group.. It’s a tuff age group to be in as a bowler… Just my thoughts

Once again well done to the new Adult Committee on there efforts this year.

 

[Taya04]

Yes it is a seperate thing Jase but I'm not understanding is, I won the Brisbane Area Masters and was given free Enrty into the Sate Masters and was told I was eligable to bowl and represent my masters title when infact I was not because I am not 18 yet so why let bowlers who are not 18 yet bowl in the Brisbane Area but not Sate? Especially when if some who is not 18 yet wins masters. Why not just make the age limit 18 in the same year? Save all the drama's. Why make it so different? I bowled in Singles, Doubles and Teams to be able to bowl masters and the people I bowled with were then told the day before they were not eligable to bowl masters because they had bowled their squads with me. To me thats not fair. Not just to me but to the other Adult bowlers who could and were able to bowl. And even it the Comittee did miss this rule, it's still no excuse. Why let someone bowl then tell them the night before they wasted their money. Bit of a blue I think.

Taya

 

[The Spanner]

As for not being able to send second place Peter why is that? Is that something that could be changed? Is there actually a rule in place?
.

Jase ... It was my understanding that there is a rule in place for this, that you cant just send the guy who ran second ...

I may be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Gutter rat]

I don't understand why more over 45 year olds didnt bowl in the championships .At 45 i think i must have been just about the oldest there.
I know that with George and Brando in the line the top 2 spots were just about certain but with the cut throat final 6 anthing could happen.
And there are some awesome bowlers with many more than my 3 years of bowling experience in the over 45's.
So next year guys give the younsters a run for their money.

 

[bitchy lil brunette]

Yes it is a seperate thing Jase but I'm not understanding is, I won the Brisbane Area Masters and was given free Enrty into the Sate Masters and was told I was eligable to bowl and represent my masters title when infact I was not because I am not 18 yet so why let bowlers who are not 18 yet bowl in the Brisbane Area but not Sate? Especially when if some who is not 18 yet wins masters. Why not just make the age limit 18 in the same year? Save all the drama's. Why make it so different? I bowled in Singles, Doubles and Teams to be able to bowl masters and the people I bowled with were then told the day before they were not eligable to bowl masters because they had bowled their squads with me. To me thats not fair. Not just to me but to the other Adult bowlers who could and were able to bowl. And even it the Comittee did miss this rule, it's still no excuse. Why let someone bowl then tell them the night before they wasted their money. Bit of a blue I think.
Taya

I actually wanted to bowl a squad, and I asked someone about it and they said I couldn't because I wasn't 18 yet.

 

[Jase]

Taya,

Rule 2 on the State entry form states:

Eligibility...Open to all 2006 registered players of Tenpin Bowling Australia LTD who are in good standing and are 18 years and over.

This entry form has been on the net since the 31st of May 2006

So why let bowlers who are not yet 18 bowl in the Brisbane Area but not state?

I suggest you take your beef up with the Brisbane Area as they are the ones who obviously overlooked that ruling buy telling you that you could bowl in the state masters after Qualifying.
Once again a clear indication why we should have set age limits in all Junior, Youth Adult and over 45's/ ATBSO in corresponding tournaments.

It's stated as an Adult State Championships and 18 and over is the limit.

You can’t enter a Pub 2 weeks before your 18 B'day legally and honestly, so why should the year you turn 18 be ok to bowl.

I don’t believe that the State Committee is at fault

Once again just my thoughts!

 

[Andrew S.]

Broni you have a very good point about running the Junior Champs at the same time.
Problem is the National body would have to change the date of either the Junior Nationals or the Adult Nationals in order to accommodate this idea.
And maybe they should consider just that, because it's not just our State that's having difficulties with numbers, its happening all over.

One thing is for sure, band-aid patches wont do the job we need some revolutionary changes to increase State entries.

George also has a point - it does need hard work to promote the event. For this we need the Centres on side. This isn't always easy, (this year one of the returned tender forms quoted $8000 per day of the Championships.)
So if you can contribute any ideas to increase these numbers you will be doing the game a huge service, please keep these suggestions flowing.

 

[bm2]

I don't understand why more over 45 year olds didnt bowl in the championships .At 45 i think i must have been just about the oldest there.
.

Paul -

I am sure that Jagga, Gary Bernardin and Chris Webster, not to mention several of the WDV ladies, are all flattered that you think they are younger than you !