BOWLING
LEAGUES (Could
Be Different In The Future)
Make sure your investment of time and money is well organized, choose
your league carefully.
You can also find additional
information - regarding numerous aspects
of league competition.
January
2006 (Additional comments - - 2007, 2008, 2009)
The bowling industry has evolved over many years. Different viewpoints
today could have a huge impact on future bowling leagues.
The way they operate may change. At recent bowling meetings, many
proprietors have voiced concerns regarding the loss of league
bowlers. Leagues have contracts to reserve the lanes for their
use, for their selected time slot over a period of weeks.
This fact is a major contribution for financial stability for bowling
centers. Other bowlers use “open bowling time slots” when
available.
Bowlers are divided into groups based on their type of competition
(Pyramid Design):
Handicap
Largest group
(widest range of averages)
Wide foundation
Classified
Middle group
(controlled average range)
Narrower mid-section
Scratch
Top group,
(intense competition)
Much smaller top
In this way, everyone can find the type of competition that suits them
best, when properly set up. If the system is muddled
(starting bowlers with no handicap),
the
best results are not
going to be achieved.
Bowlers Journal, July-2001, published
an extensive
history. The Multi-Unit Bowling Information Group (MUBIG)
had
compiled interesting statistics for the period 1974-2000. Annual
league lineage had been analyzed. It peaked, in the 1976-1977
season, and was now
decreasing, approaching open play lineage which had remained relatively
constant for 25 years. By 2000. leagues showed a 46% loss from
that base. The
MUBIG trend was noteworthy, as members report total paid league games,
sanctioned or not. The 1999-2000 season was an important point,
for the first time, casual open lineage exceeded leagues.
Many factors contribute to the changes, including social, demographic
and economic reasons.
Surveys could show that factors more specific to bowling activity could
include:
Maturity of the
customer group, many bowlers have done so for the majority of their
adult lives,
Difficulty retaining new bowlers in league products
past their initial season,
Possibility of increased attrition rates in the next
few years.
Noted also was when when generations of bowlers for different eras
began:
GEN
1 1920’s Bowling-based recreation
centers were established,
GEN 2 1950’s
Commercial pin setters replaced pin boys, people moved to suburbs,
Eras begin when new basic characteristics are established.
The GEN 2 era (called the Golden Age) had characteristics:
Proprietors
preferred league bowling over casual play,
Proprietors depended on the sanctioning
organizations to manage competitive activity,
Bowling season was established as 32-35 weeks for a
full season,
Cash prize funds were established.
The GEN 2 bowlers were loyal to the sport, their associations and the
center where they bowled.
People say there are more smiles on faces of casual bowlers. Some
league bowlers seem to be suffering from what might be described as
Chronic League Bowling Fatigue Syndrome (CLBFS), a serious ailment for
the proprietor. Combating CLBFS is necessary to minimize the
rate of decline. Doing, so will extend the tenure of the GEN 2
bowlers and provide valuable lessons about how to structure GEN 3
leagues.
Possible ways to “put more fun back into the league bowling
environment:”
Background music,
More announced scores,
New in-league events,
Restructure formats (divide the season
into thirds or quarters, implement play-offs),
Generation 3 league characteristics will require experimentation,
will take time, possibly including:
Defined as group
of people coming together over period of time for purpose of
competition,
Center will operate the league,
League officers will not be needed,
Computer-based league record service,
Season length
significantly shorter (meaningful
competition, without the onset of boredom),
Prize-fund dependence will be greatly reduced,
Creation of meaningful awards,
Skill-based condition will achieve the worthy goal
set by Sport Bowling advocates,
Skill-improvement programs.
Maximize casual play for people who have a number of recreational
alternatives. A visit to a bowling center must
provide an enjoyment return for their
investment.
“The Challenges Ahead:”
Management of the
decline in GEN 2 league bowlers,
Maximizing casual bowling activity,
Developing the framework for GEN 3 leagues.
This summarizes some points found in the Bowlers Journal,
July-2001, (9-page) article.
Also included was additional commentary, pro and con, by six other
notable bowling industry participants.
Similarly, I would like to add personal observations regarding how
effective is the bowling industry? Luckily, when I started
bowling, I was fortunate to enter a league whose officers operated
according to
the rules. The next year, I was elected to the secretary
position. At that time all of the league records were done
manually. This was a valuable experience because you really come
to understand the complexities of league competition. (I did
not acquire a personal computer until several years later.) As I
got more involved in the sport, I progressed to scratch leagues and
bowled in many centers across the area, as well as tournaments out of
state. At this point, I noticed something very strange.
Some centers had league recap sheets to record scores that contained
handicap tables on the back that included instructions about how to use
tables. Two different
versions were common (BOWLING LEAGUE RECORD sheet):
1.) Determine “Pin
Diff” Between Your Team And Opponent And Use Appropriate Table.
2.) Figures In Shaded Columns Represent Difference
Between Team Averages.
Later, we moved to a home in a different area. I wanted to join a
league at mid-season, in order to meet more people locally. The
league had used “team and opponent” handicap. After I explained
the problems, they adopted the regular method for the second
half. At the end of the season, members agreed it was better for
everyone. Later, I learned “team and opponent handicap
basis” was used in many leagues.
If the industry is planning programs to retain GEN 2 and GEN 3 bowlers, correcting a major source for
league handicap confusion should be
priority #1. Poorly-worded handicap instructions on
league recap sheets promoted a
system where:
• Half of the league teams get zero handicap,
• The other teams are granted a dubious
number, based on average difference between two teams,
• Handicap tables list 100/150
values for chosen percentages (USBC tables have 200),
• Scores generated don't show
how well any of the teams have bowled (only which won
points).
League high scores should serve to
keep all league teams involved in the
competition,
for the whole season, every game, every week,
especially important as the season progresses; championship
competition may involve just a few teams.
The best
key for success has not been utilized, no wonder bowlers have been
lost.
The recap sheets can originate from many different suppliers. I
was amazed to find recaps, that contained the BPAA name and logo, used
the “PinDiff” Between Your Team And Opponent instructions
version. Concerned that the league materials could be making an
inappropriate handicap method seem to be valid for league competition,
I sent a letter to the BPAA national office. The 1987 reply
received indicated that the problem was being fixed. I had
equal
concern
for both bowlers and proprietors who would be impacted by the use of a
dubious procedure. If bowlers were not able to post a good score
in their league, they would have no inclination to enter tournaments
which could be scheduled to fill lane-time available, and thereby
increase any center’s profitability.
Despite several additional letters to BPAA national leadership, the
recap sheet problem continued. Another perplexing item appeared
in 1989, when a manual was available for every bowling center in the
country. Rule #4 identified league type: Handicap
to be (filled in), did not note that two parts (percentage and basis)
were necessary. A “Dream League” video tape, available from
another source at the same time, did set up the handicap rule correctly
with two parts. National leaders seem to say the right words,
but fail to deliver good results. Example:
Could-Haves of the
80’s - - Best Efforts? - - Failures Linked Directly to Effort
Offer Ideas to Save Just One
Bowler or Team !!!!
I did, but again nothing was done to help correct leagues’
misunderstanding about handicap procedures.
March–1992, I was associated
with an article, published in
Bowler’s Journal, regarding the recap sheets’ handicap
instructions problems. Two
years later, items showed the bowling
industry has a serious communication problem. The main
benefit of
trade group membership is sharing important information. Despite
a spotlight in a national magazine, the problem was reportedly not
discussed. The BPAA no longer displays name &
logo on recap sheets, as done previously.
Some centers have addressed possible problems by setting-up their own
flyers, to encourage new bowlers and help them understand how leagues
work:
• Explanation
of how the handicap system works.
• Have some real fun!
• Learn more about league bowling.
• Meet some really nice people along the way.
• House leagues are started by the center at
various times of the year.
As the captain on a ship has to solve problems himself. I
designed a set of flyers
that centers could use. The first one,
an explanation for centers
contained a graphic of a lighthouse above a
rocky shore, to get their attention. It also noted that
new
bowlers don’t know anything about how differently leagues can be
organized. They trust their personal experience will be as good as all
others. The second flyer was an explanation of how the handicap
system should be setup, to help everyone have the opportunity to
have
their achievements receive recognition and keep all the league teams
involved throughout the whole season. This would be a cost
effective way to get the correct handicap information to every league
in the center. All
proprietors who have already done so, should
be commended. They have done a good job of putting their
customers on
course to stay off the rocks of muddled competition. The third
flyer contained a handicap table for various percentages.
In July
1994, a certified receipt letter containing the complete set was
sent
to the BPAA-President-Elect. The letter also noted articles
previously published in the original “Proprietor Magazine” about
business aspect principles that could also be applied to the recap
sheets issue. (January 1990, Conference Room - Membership
Services, page 58, a committee had suggested that
outside contributors for articles in the magazine, could add a wider
perspective on the industry, including potentially controversial
articles.) The industry was about to launch a new marketing
program. If the recaps issue was not addressed, new bowlers would
continue to be lost.
In 2003, a local center that
had been closed was going to be
reopened. At that time, I did a survey of materials currently
available. “Team and Opponent” and team average difference recap
sheets can still be found in
BPAA centers. (Versions for computer systems and also league
secretaries that do the league statistics. The handicap instruction
problems have not been addressed by Industry agents.)
League standings available on the Internet, prove that inappropriate
handicap procedures are still a big problem. This has been
sapping efforts to retain bowlers, so I decided to send certified
receipt letters to the main entities: (in 2003) AMF,
BPAA, Brunswick,
Multi-Unit Bowling Information
Group (MUBIG), MooreWallace, and (in 2006) RR Donnelley,
requesting them to help clarify the
handicap instructions issue on their league
materials:
1.) Determine “Pin
Diff” Between Your Team And Opponent And Use Appropriate Table.
2.) Figures In Shaded Columns Represent Difference
Between Team Averages.
Correct
terminology: Difference Between
Average and the League’s Handicap Basis.
In this way, they
could: “Help Make Bowling Better”
COMPARE HANDICAP Methods
Basis
(Regular or Team and Opponent Average Difference):
(a.) Team numbers
correspond to team-average-ranking,
(b.) Team schedule has
these teams bowling each other (as will
happen 1-week during each round),
(c.) Every team bowls
a game 100 pins-over-their-average.
(d.) "Regular
handicap" uses basis=800 and percentage=90%,
Regular Handicap = (800 - TeamAvg) X .9 (and drop all fractions)
Example: (800 - 704) = 96, (96 X .9 = 86.4) drop
fractions, so use 86 for game.
Team & Opponent or Team Average Difference Handicap (higher
average team gets
zero for handicap)
Example: (753 - 704) = 49, (49 X .9 = 44.1) drop
fractions, so use 44 for game.
Team
Avg
100
POA
Game
*
Game
Hdcp
Hdcp'd
Total Score
*
Game
Hdcp
Hdcp'd
Total Score
***
Re-calculate
T&O
POA Needed for
"League High 853"
if used T&O and these Percentages
Reg
90%
T&O
90%
90%
80%
100%
1
753
853
42
895
0
853
100
100
100
2
704
804
86
890
44
848
105
110
100
3
700
800
90
890
0
800
153
153
153
4
681
781
107
888
17
798
155
157
153
5
670
770
117
887
0
770
183
183
183
6
654
754
131
885
14
768
185
187
183
7
639
739
144
883
0
739
214
214
214
8
625
725
157
882
12
737
216
217
214
9
600
700
180
880
0
700
253
253
253
10
594
694
185
879
5
699
254
255
253
The team and opponent average
difference handicap method
defeats
the purpose of
handicapping. Every team is in jeopardy. their
true achievements are
misrepresented and will not be recognizable. If 100% "Regular Handicap"
had been used - - - Every team would have showed
a score of 900.)
Even if the lowest average team was scheduled to bowl the highest
average team,
Team
Avg
100
POA
Game
*
Game
Hdcp
Hdcp'd
Total Score
*
Game
Hdcp
Hdcp'd
Total Score
***
Reg
90%
T&O
90%
1
753
853
42
895
0
853
10
594
694
185
879
143
837
other higher average teams are more likely to post one of the top-3
scores on the standings sheet.
What prolongs the confusion about
handicap procedures?
1.) New bowlers come into the sport assuming all
leagues are similar,
not inclined
to ask questions, go along with what is available, not
knowing about many options.
They may be shy,
becoming
part of the silent majority, intimidated by others there longer.
2.) Long-time
bowlers never questioned why every team does not have
handicap for every game.
3.) Many
bowlers
assume everything is set up properly. Some people don't
realize the importance of
handicapping
correctly, using benefits, so all bowlers are involved in all aspects
of competition.
4.) It should be obvious, if every team doesn't
receive a handicap, that error is counter-productive.
You may be tempted to say that bowlers really did not pay any attention
to the handicap tables on the recap sheets. One example can prove
otherwise. One center decided to print the recap sheets locally
and removed the handicap tables from the back. (Handicap
instructions previously were the “team and opponent” version) At
the beginning of the new season, the manager was inundated with
requests to restore the handicap tables. Those leagues were led
to believe an inappropriate handicap method was valid because of the
printed material that existed on score tables for years. A flawed
product had a negative impact on the system.
Examining sample center flyers (previously available) at the BPAA’s
“Virtual Idea
Exchange,”
showed bowlers are not given adequate information about how available
leagues are organized:
• Those that show
days and times for all leagues, may only indicate gender/mixed or
handicap/scratch
• Handicap league flyers, often just say “handicap.”
Some just indicate a percentage.
Flyers that specify both a
handicap percentage and basis are rare.
• League
organizational meetings are not often mentioned.
• An extremely small percentage indicate “scratch”
type leagues.
GEN 2 leagues were considered separate entities, self-managed.
GEN 3 leagues provide opportunities.
The National Bowling Council commissioned a study:
In 1978, it showed 55 percent of
leagues were organized by bowling center personnel.
In 1989, a follow-up study showed
that percentage had increased to 64 percent. Center personnel should fully understand all the aspects of
league
competition. They can help educate new
bowlers about proper handicapping procedures and help everyone to have
their real accomplishments receive recognition, so that bowlers really
become involved in league competition and stay in the sport. The
handicap key should be utilized, as properly designed, for everyone
using that format.
The previous sanctioning
groups USBC, and previously ABC, WIBC, YABA, have historically
taken better care of bowlers welfare. USBC also has
excellent educational material for leagues that have been
certified since the 2005-2006 season, when the USBC became the
governing body. Considering all of the previous
history, 1987 to today, I have deep concerns for proprietors
and bowlers who have not received all of the information and
consideration they
deserved to receive from the BPAA.
The history relating to this problem is disclosed to help: if problems
are not noted, they can’t be fixed. Many proprietors are
concerned about the loss of league bowlers. How many got
discouraged and left the sport because they were not truly involved in
all aspects of league competition? The time has arrived to
get the bowling pyramid set on a better foundation.
Years ago, ABC and WIBC issued a small blue pamphlet “The Facts About
League
Handicaps.” They had conducted a four-year study, using data from
numerous leagues that were sanctioned at the time, men's, women's and
mixed leagues, regarding the
impact of handicap percentage on teams’ abilities to win points for
league championships. That information helped to improve the
competition for league points.
Team
high scores
should be the aspect of league competition to keep ALL TEAMS involved
throughout the whole
season;
need
additional clarification to:"Help
Make Bowling
Better!”
People interested in serving as national directors:
Must act in the best interest of the
entire bowling industry,
Make recommendations as
may, tend to promote the welfare and usefullness of the industry.
Strike Ten Entertainment, in 1998, received an endowment of 2-Million
Dollars, of which all the money originated from the
bowlers: WIBC $1,000,000., ABC
$900,000., BPAA $100,000. to create programs to attract
more bowlers. Local
centers deserve to receive some help with
this issue. As the BPAA now administers the STE’s
budget, some
money should be allocated for an
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. One handout per league (sanctioned or not)
would be a cost-effective measure to insure that leagues will be
pointed in the right direction, to improve competition and retain
bowlers in the sport. Wise proprietors will post a flyer on
the bulletin board and make sure that every league receives a
"handicap explanation" to help them adopt the correct procedure. (Sample
League "handicap explanation")The bowlers are the
foundation of the entire bowling industry, the most important part.
They contribute millions of
dollars every year. Their welfare should be a paramount
consideration.
They deserve a real shot at being INVOLVED in ALL ASPECTS
of the complete league experience.
The Industry wounded itself,
using poorly-designed league recap sheet handicap
tables, for decades.
Problem "Number-1" was the misleading instructions about how handicap
was to be calculated.
Problem "Number-2" was promoting handicap
percentages 66-2/3, 70, 75, 80, 90. Some fostered poor
competition in leagues. (The study
results
published in the early 1970's, showed that league competition for
points was severely degraded by certain percentages. Teams
lower than the league's median team average only became somewhat
competitive starting at 85%.) If space taken by some percentages
was re-allocated, the original 100/150 value tables could be
expanded
to cover 200 values for
80-85-90-95 that would more
realistically represent the
data needed to cover actual league profiles and improve
prospects for
league teams. (The new tables could be spread over
2 recap sheet sections.) Another possibility could have centers
providing handicap tables on regular 8.5x11-inch sheets. Considering
that the handicap format is used by the vast majority of league
bowlers, the best quality materials should be available. League
competition
deteriorated because professional national leaders did not address
problems that were brought to their attention and exhibited no
imagination about how to improve the situation. They need to .....
Fix
the handicap instructions and tables, so that bad systems no longer
appear to be valid.
MUBIG data for the 2005/2006 season tallied the lineage for Casual Open
Play at 58.4% and Leagues at only 41.6%, continuing the decreasing
pattern. The BPAA conducts
surveys to analyze league developments in member centers. It is
strange that in a 25-question list, none are concerned about leagues
that use handicap, which is the most-common format, yet four questions
are devoted to the
subject of Glo-bowling (Is it offered? How often? An
average session has how many participants? Revenue impact for
current year compared with the previous year?). Ignoring
long-standing problems does nothing to improve the future prospects for
the bowling industry. Even if a center is not using the original
style league recap sheet (they may be using computer generated forms
now), they should address the problem of leagues that were instructed
earlier to use the inappropriate handicap method. If they give
every league a "handicap method explanation" sheet, they will have made
a valuable contribution to improve the opportunities for their
customers to be better involved in all aspects of league competition.
Many proprietors have
expressed concern about the loss of league bowlers.
Bowlers
Journal (October 2006,
State of the Industry, page 53) stated:
"More than ever, those
interviewed for
this story, representing all sectors of the industry,
agree that we're
all in this together, and we must work together to
revitalize bowling business.
There is near universal agreement
that
the key to a vibrant bowling
business involves
rebuilding the deteriorating
league
base."
June 12, 2007, a certified receipt letter was
directed to the Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA) -
Board of Directors, requesting their help to address the
misleading
handicap instructions on league materials problem, that has existed
for too
many years. Leaders should promote quality
leagues that will use correct handicap procedures. Many aspire to
attain positions. 29 also acquired responsibilities. The
2008-January issue of Bowlers Journal also contained several items
regarding concerns about the loss of league bowlers. One striking one
noted: "the industry has done enough talking...its time for
action." (Jan 2009,
individual copies of the letter were sent to the Current Board
Members.) If the problem isn't fixed, the industry will continue
to limp along on
its Achilles heel (a serious injury). The next
generation of leagues could be an improvement, with enhanced
league
competition that should help retain bowlers in the sport, but only if
bowling's pyramid structure
(handicapped-classified-scratch
progression) is strengthened.
(MUBIG
data for period 2008Sep-2009Mar shows Open Play vs. Leagues at 60.5 vs.
39.5)