This industry includes establishments known to the public as bowling centers or bowling alleys. Such establishments frequently sell meals and refreshments.
713950 (Bowling Centers)
Approximately 53.3 million Americans visited a bowling alley at least once in 1997, making tenpin bowling the most popular indoor participation sport in the United States, based on participation of once or more per year. There were also 8 million "frequent bowlers," or those who bowled more than 25 times per year.
Bowling boomed following the invention of the automatic pin setter in the early 1950s. By the mid 1960s, approximately 12,000 bowling centers were built in mostly blue-collar, urban areas of the United States. Due to demographic and lifestyle changes, however, the bowling market collapsed during the 1970s. As of 1998, there were only 6,542 certified bowling centers in the United States, the lowest total since 1954. In response, the bowling industry tried to redefine its image, with the hopes of attracting the affluent middle class and their children. New centers have been built in better market locations with state-of-the art facilities. Operators renovated their existing centers to include computerized scoring, upscale dining, entertainment, and even child care.
Many forms of bowling existed, but tenpins became the most widely played version in the United States and throughout most of the world. According to rules specified by the American Bowling Congress (ABC), tenpin bowling is played indoors with 15-inch pins arranged in a triangle at the end of a wooden or synthetic lane. The game consists of ten frames with two rolls of the ball per frame. The goal is to knock down all ten pins with the first ball, which earns a strike. If pins are left standing after the first roll, the fallen pins are removed and a second delivery attempted. Knocking over all the remaining pins earns a spare. A perfect game totals a score of 300 and consists of 12 strikes in a row (two additional rolls are granted on the final frame).
The traditional strength of the bowling center industry was its highly organized, competitive league structure. Men's and women's leagues consisted of teams with up to five players each. The total number of teams per league depended upon the number of lanes per bowling center. Three bowling associations determined the rules of league play. They also handled the prize money collected from bowlers' entry fees.
Most bowling alleys relied upon the steady revenue of league bowling instead of walk-in traffic. Approximately two-thirds of revenues came from bowling fees, so it was critical for centers to attract large numbers of customers to their lanes. Demographic and lifestyle changes triggered a decline in bowling leagues. In response, some operators instituted flexible leagues, while others shortened their seasons to 20 weeks, or offered league play every other week.
The modern game of bowling probably originated in ancient Germany as a religious ceremony. As early as the third or fourth century, most Germans had kegels, or clubs, that they used for both sport and self-defense. Some Germans would take their kegels to church in an attempt to rid themselves of sin. They would place the kegels at the end of a long lane, similar to the modern bowling alley, and roll a stone toward them. If the kegels were knocked over, the owners were absolved of sin.
Dutch settlers brought ninepin bowling to the United States in the seventeenth century. The game quickly grew in popularity but was soon taken over by gambling interests. So strong was gambling's hold on bowling, some states outlawed the game altogether. In fact, some sources claimed that the tenth pin was added to the game in the early eighteenth century to circumvent the prohibition of bowling, which applied only to the ninepin game.
The popularity of tenpin bowling spread as German immigrants moved to Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Detroit. However, the lack of uniform rules and equipment stunted the development of the sport. In 1875, intending to establish standardized rules and regulations, nine bowling clubs in New York City and Brooklyn organized the National Bowling Association.
Despite this initial attempt, disagreement over game rules persisted. In 1895, a second group, the American Bowling Congress (ABC), was organized in New York City. ABC succeeded in establishing standard regulations and became the governing body for men's bowling, sponsoring its first national tournament in 1901.
ABC's counterpart, the Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC), was founded in 1916 and began its annual national championship in 1917. Although they remained separate organizations, these two groups shared equipment testing and research facilities. In an attempt to attract a younger audience, the Young American Bowling Alliance (YABA) was established in 1982. This group worked with bowlers from childhood through college age. All three organizations combined to serve about 4.5 million members.
The invention of the automatic pin setter in the early 1950s revolutionized bowling and acted as a catalyst for the growth of alleys and league play. Between 1955 and 1963, the number of bowling alleys in the United States grew from 6,600 to 11,000, while the number of organized league bowlers jumped from less than 3 million to 7 million.
During the same time period, the Professional Bowlers Association of America (PBA) was established. Similar to professional golf, the PBA quickly developed a star system complete with professional tournaments. With the advent of television, PBA members became household names and earned millions in prize money.
Following its boom in the 1950s and 1960s, bowling centers were overbuilt in the 1970s. During the same time period, bowling's primary clientele — blue-collar workers — moved from the inner city to the suburbs. While demographics and lifestyles changed, the industry failed to adapt.
Since the late 1970s, the bowling industry has participated in a collective reconstruction and repositioning campaign. Many operators shut down their inner-city facilities while renovating suburban locations. Companies invested in computerized lane operations and added other recreational activities and eating establishments, turning bowling alleys into entertainment centers. One consequence of this regeneration was the demise of small, family-owned bowling alleys, especially those located within inner cities.
Despite a 25 percent drop in league bowling from 1980 to 1987, bowling remained one of the largest indoor participation sports in the United States in the early 1990s. However, the growth of the industry continued to be slow. In 1998, the total membership in the American Bowling Congress, Women's International Bowling Congress, and Young American Bowling Alliance decreased 5.7 percent, the twenty-second consecutive year it had decreased. There has also been a 28 percent decline in "frequency" of play since 1987.
Demographic data indicated that bowlers gradually increased in income level and were predominantly male. Between 1987 and 1995, the number of male bowlers grew 13 percent to represent about 53 percent of the total, while the number of female bowlers increased only 8 percent. In addition, the number of bowlers with an annual household income above $50,000 increased 52 percent over the same time period, while those with incomes under $25,000 fell 15 percent.
Despite downward trends through the mid 1990s, some industry analysts said the bowling industry was poised for a comeback. In 1998, bowling manufacturers sales' were up 3 to 5 percent on average. To take advantage of this trend, bowling center operators continued to diversify their image by renovating their alleys into entertainment centers and marketing to upscale adults as well as their children. Operators began to attract younger customers by including video games in their centers and promoting programs such as "rock and roll bowling" and Brunswick Corp.'s Cosmic Bowling, which integrated music, laser lights, and fog machines. As of 1998, teenagers accounted for only 15.9 percent of current bowlers, but those in the bowling industry looked for an increase in this figure over the next decade, as the teenage population itself was expected to grow 15 percent. For small children, bowling operators began offering "bumper bowling," in which the gutters were filled with plastic tubes to keep balls on the lane. In 1996, American Recreation Centers (ARC) introduced the "Family Entertainment Center" (FEC) concept with Fun Fest, a 49,000-square-foot facility in Addison, Texas. Many bowling proprietors viewed this kind of facility as the prototype for the future of the industry.
As of 1997, AMF Bowling Centers, Inc. was the largest owner and operator of bowling centers in the world. It has been a leader in the bowling industry consolidation, acquiring Bowling Corp. of America in 1996 and American Recreation Centers, Inc. in 1997. As of 1998, AMF Bowling Worldwide owned and operated 490 bowling centers, with more than 100 in the United States. It also was buying more of them, at a rate of 13 a month. After aggressively researching new prototype designs for its centers, AMF conducted a $1.6-million renovation job at its East Meadow Bowl on Long Island. The establishment included an AMF automated scoring system, an updated color scheme, and a 20-foot outdoor sign. Another AMF project was a $10-million recreational complex in Franklin, New Jersey. This property included a bowling center, movie house with ten screens, video arcade, billiard parlor, and restaurant. AMF Bowling Worldwide conducted approximately 60 percent of its business in 70 international markets.
Brunswick Recreation Centers owned and operated more than 125 "fun centers" in the United States, Canada, and Europe, featuring bowling, billiards, and restaurants. Brunswick introduced Glow-in-the-Dark Cosmic Bowling in the mid 1990s, which increased open play revenues in more than 20 of its locations. In 1996, Brunswick began offering Cosmic Bowling to other proprietors. Brunswick Corp. is a major manufacturer of bowling equipment, from balls and bags to computerized scoring systems and pin setters. Brunswick Corp. also manufactures fitness equipment, camping and fishing equipment, boats, marine engines, and bicycles.
Alexandria, Virginia-based Bowl America operates more than 20 bowling centers (15 in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area, 3 in Richmond, Virginia, and 4 in Jacksonville and Orlando, Florida). Unlike other operators that also manufactured bowling equipment, Bowl America's principal source of revenue was bowling fees and the sale of food and beverages consumed on premise. The company's most noteworthy property was its Gaithersburg, Maryland, center that opened in early 1994. Dubbed "America's most modern center," the 45,000-square-foot property featured 48 computer-controlled lanes and dining capacity for 170. Bowl America has attempted to attract younger bowlers through promotions such as "Extreme Bowling" (bowling accompanied by stereo sound and a laser show).
The modern game of tenpin bowling became popular in Great Britain during World War II, when lanes were installed on U.S. military bases. Since then, the business of bowling in Great Britain followed its American counterpart, peaking in the 1960s and decreasing continuously ever since. However, British companies such as First Leisure Corporation were so successful in shedding the poor image of bowling that American operators toured facilities in Great Britain looking for pointers. Bowling also became popular in Asian countries, including Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) expanded its international presence as it held the first Korea Cup in Seoul in 1996. The PBA anticipates that this event will grow to the popularity level of the Oronamin C Japan Cup, which has had a successful annual run since the mid 1980s. The PBA also plans to expand and exploit growing markets in Europe, Mexico, and Taiwan.
In 1997, U.S. bowling exports increased by 27 percent, with sales to China accounting for almost one-third of the total sales. This generated a great deal of optimism about the possibilities of the growing Chinese market. However, the Asian financial crisis, combined with market saturation and the low average income of the Chinese population, has resulted in a halt in expansion in this area. In addition, U.S. bowling exports decreased more than 50 percent in 1998. Manufacturers will likely need to be patient in order for the international markets to grow.
Although technological innovations affected all aspects of bowling, some of the most dramatic changes occurred in the makeup and design of bowling balls and alleys. In addition, computerized operations brought in the use of automatic scoring and video coaching.
Modern bowling balls made from synthetic materials were completely different than their predecessors, which were made from hard rubber. In 1981, AMF took the lead by producing the first computer-designed bowling ball made from urethane. Using a computer-aided design, AMF found that urethane balls with different finishes could alter a player's performance. Likewise, bowling lanes were increasingly made from synthetic materials. These new lanes required less oil than wooden lanes and never needed resurfacing.
Computerized scoring systems were introduced in the early 1980s, making manual scoring obsolete. Most systems not only tallied the score of a game, but also kept track of handicaps and the scores of league players. Along with AMF, Brunswick Corp. was a leader in the research and development of computer systems for bowling alleys. In 1989, Brunswick introduced BowlerVision, a computer video that enabled players to set up practice shots.
Another notable attraction was the world's first bowling stadium, located in Reno, Nevada. The $47.5-million National Bowling Stadium had 80 lanes, a pro shop, gift shops, exhibit space, meeting rooms, restaurants, a giant-screen movie theater, valet parking, general seating for about 1,000 spectators, and video monitors displaying instant replays. The American Bowling Congress used the stadium in 1995 to celebrate its one-hundredth anniversary and to house its annual championship tournament — an event with nearly 100,000 participants.
American Recreation Centers. American Recreation Centers Inc. 1996 Annual Report. Rancho Cordova, CA: 1996.
Kina & White Advertising. The Complete Bowling Index. Irvine, Calif., 1997. Available from http://www.apc.net/kinawhite/bowling .
Young, David. "Brunswick Pins Down a Strategy." Chicago Tribune, 28 May 1996.
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