TIME

By Mike Monroe

As I was doing research for a client, I came across an article co-published in the Los Angeles Times and the Tampa Bay Tribune 25 years ago. In it, several industry experts discussed the changes affecting business at the time. I found these quotes about the bowling industry very interesting and relatable to what we still see happening in 2023.

“The industry’s growth potential has attracted attention from Wall Street. The merchant bank Goldman, Sachs & Co. bought a two-thirds stake in AMF for $ 1.3 billion last year. They see the business as a high return-on-investment business and a high cash-flow business with significant growth possibilities.” generous to spend money and bring in parties or other private events. Some centers have even removed weekend leagues for the opportunity to have more lane availability for this sector of our business. Over the years, many creative operators have adapted new ways of doing business to accommodate the shifts in consumer behavior.

“Bowling is one of those recreational activities that a burgeoning middle class will go to. The fancy marketing has allowed the industry to just offset the loss of league bowlers by drawing in more occasional bowlers.”

“Today, we’re noticing that casual players are participating more frequently. Organized league players are attracted to offers that require lesser commitments. I think this is good news for the industry. It’s creating a better balance of customers. We need to be exceptional dual marketers to keep both revenue streams alive,” said Bruce Davis, president of BBBI.

“Lifestyles changed and it became harder and harder for people to commit to being in one place for 35 weeks in a row,” said Sandy Hansell of Sandy Hansell and Associates, a longtime consultant and broker for the bowling industry.

“The number of people participating in leagues began to shrink, and the industry began to widen its thrust to attract more bowlers.”

League bowling remains a significant topic for centers today. Many of us have seen an increase in league bowling since the pandemic. The increase may not be from traditional, USBC-sanctioned leagues, but instead from people looking for a more casual and flexible league opportunity on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

Open play and organized events have become a major revenue stream for most centers. Open-play bowlers are

Looking back 25 years ago, AMF was buying bowling centers and growing rapidly, much like current-day Bowlero. The point is not that strategies and results are the same, but that we have a major player that is expanding, as well as other groups that are adding centers. Multiple units are more and more part of the plan.

As our industry adapts to new consumer behavior, history repeats itself. The best news is that bowling remains strong, and the industry is moving in a positive direction.•

With 40 years of experience in the bowling industry, Mike Monroe is currently the managing associate for The Hansell Group and owner of First Frame Bowling Management.

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