Definitely a question that bowling centers across the country are thinking about as they start to prepare for the summer league season. The national trend is a continued decrease in league bowlers but some centers are looking fight the trend and keep league bowling alive and well in their center(s).
The Buffaloe Lanes Family Bowling Centers in North Carolina are a group of centers continuing to keep their roots firmly planted in league bowling. For more than 35 years, they have embraced their league bowlers and created a family type relationship with several generations of their bowlers. Even during the decade of “Rock & Bowl” and the open bowling trend of the industry, Buffaloe Lanes Centers didn’t kick their league bowlers to the curb with hopes of taking advantage of a “fade” in the bowling industry. This loving embrace of leagues and holding true to their foundation on which their business was built has kept them in the game even when times were tough in the economy.
The foundation of the Buffaloe Lanes Centers is truly bowling…Bowling as a sport, bowling as a form of entertainment, bowling as an affordable fellowship time with family and friends! Why are they so focused on bowling? Buffaloe Lanes Centers have always been family friendly facilities without alcohol! It might take some people a few moments to wrap their heads around this concept because they can’t have a beer while bowling but in the end this has set Buffaloe Lanes apart.
The future of bowling is and will always be with introducing new people to the sport whether young or old, but in order to really build a future, it is imperative to fill the lanes with kids and keep them involved as they progress from open bowlers; to frequent bowlers; to casual frequent bowlers and then on to league bowlers.
Thanks to the BPAA (Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America), USBC (United States Bowling Congress) and Strike Ten Entertainment, who have been working together to help centers attract and develop new bowlers with programs like the 8 for 8, 10 for 10, 12 for 12 and Bowling 2.0. These programs are able to be rolled out in just about any center with limited resources and by following the program guidelines.
So bowling does have a future but only for those that want to be apart of it and develop the future of bowling as a sport, even though bowling is one of the highest participatory sports in the world, most bowling centers can not maintain the level of expectations with only the once or twice a year bowlers. Bowling’s roots are deep in competition, whether serious or friendly and organized competition in the form of league bowling will be the backbone of the bowling industry for years to come.
Buffaloe Lanes Bowling Blog 