A key reason, not often mentioned, for bowling's downward spiral

AlwaysWrite

Addicted Member
[EDITOR'S NOTE: There are many reasons for bowling's decline, but one reason seldom considered may be a real factor in the eventual demise of bowling's status as we've known it.]

Today's youth generally don't have attention spans that extend as long as 15 minutes, and that may seriously impact sports such as bowling and baseball -- perhaps to the eventual point of virtual extinction.

Children in America play video games and concentrate on their cellphones now, and they're not nearly as inclined to go bowling or to a baseball game as youth in days gone by.

They have no attention spans. Bowling is simply no longer in the vernacular of kids, whose voices dictate where parents take them for entertainment, and therefore in part, where a family will tend to spend its disposable income.

In the modern era, anything that the bowling industry may try to appeal to kids is likely destined for failure. The time it takes for a league bowling session or a baseball game lasts two or more hours, and such time spans don't cater to holding the attention of youngsters.

A half-century ago, both bowling and baseball were among the primary sources of entertainment for American youth, but such times are long past. Both sports may eventually need to consider their respective mortalities, when the current generation of bowling and baseball fans -- those of senior citizen age and up, primarily -- dies off, and when that happens, sports such as bowling and baseball will have trouble surviving.

There simply won't be enough kids who grow up with passion for those sports to take the place of the old-timers. Those sports, and others, have done little to take kids away from their cellphones and video games.

Think about it. Not long ago, one of the most-historic events in sports history -- Game 7 of the World Series, won by the Chicago Cubs -- took place, and the game lasted well past midnight on a school night. How many kids actually saw the finish of that game, or any part of it, for that matter?

What will baseball and bowling look like in a few decades? Will there even be baseball or bowling at a future point in time? Sadly, the time will come when both will be gone, for all intents and purposes. And if you don't believe it, how do such things as youth bowling leagues and sandlot baseball participation compare to just a few decades ago?
 

JLS

Member
I can't speak for the rest of the country...but here in Chicago kids were indeed watching...and packing Dick's sporting goods after the win...

Now as for bowling...High school bowling here is booming...But kids today have too many things going on...

Lacrosse, kick boxing, MMA, Soccer...they just don't have the time for all sports...And bowling centers do a terrible job with youth bowlers...very poor instruction ....at least in our area...They just cut them loose....

Now as for the over all decline in LEAGUE BOWLING....I blame the owners...ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS CUTTING EXPENSES...IF YOU DON'T HAVE BALL SPEED AND REVS...YOUR DEAD ON ARRIVAL...

BOWLERS 40 TO 60 AND OVER...CAN'T COMPETE WITH THE 25 YEAR OLD CROWD...AROUND HERE
MOST OF THE LANES ARE LIGHT OIL...WITH TIGHT BACK ENDS AND DIRTY PIN DECKS....

OLDER BOWLERS DO NOT HAVE THE BALL SPEED TO CLEAR THE HEADS OR THE REVS TO HANDLE TIGHT BACK ENDS...AVERAGES ARE DOWN 10 TO 15 PINS OR MORE....

BUT THE OWNERS DON'T CARE....BECAUSE THE YOUNG CROWD DRINKS PLENTY OF BEER...

SO EVERY YEAR... MORE AND MORE OLDER BOWLERS DROP OUT OF LEAGUES...AND TAKE UP GOLF... CAUSE GOLF COURSE OWNERS ARE SMART AND CATER TO SENIORS....

HAIL TRUMP...
 

9andaWiggle

Addicted Member
Not to mention... I have two "houses", 72 lanes total, within 5 miles of my front door... as far as I know, no leagues. Maybe a 3 man pizza/beer league or two, but nothing sanctioned. "Entertainment Centers" they're called now. Bowling Alleys are on the endangered list.
 

Greg T.

The Jizz Slinger
Here in Esky we used to have two 24 lane centers nearly full at league season. Now, one has been closed for over 12 years and other never has a full house. Plus, 7 miles away there was a 12 lane house that is now closed.
 

AlwaysWrite

Addicted Member
Here in Esky we used to have two 24 lane centers nearly full at league season. Now, one has been closed for over 12 years and other never has a full house. Plus, 7 miles away there was a 12 lane house that is now closed.
Dear Greg T:

Since bowling was in its heyday, the following area centers have closed: Cortez Lanes (24 lanes), Galaxy Palmetto (40), Galaxy East (40), Rip Van Winkle Lanes (24), South Gate Lanes (16), DeSoto Lanes (16), Myakka Lanes (12) and Buccaneer Bowl (24).

What remains is Sarasota Lanes (36), AMF Bradenton (64), AMF Gulf Gate (40), AMF Venice (40) and Englewood Bowl (10). So as you can see, bowling was once thriving in this area, but now, even the existing centers have no second shifts whatsoever, and almost every night, there are a fair number of open lanes.
 
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