Part I
My friend, John Sommer, chairman of the Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour and owner of several bowling centers, once told me that his business philosophy was very simple. When faced with a tough business decision, John simply thinks about doing the right thing without looking at the bottom line.
It takes courage to do the right thing, especially when it may have a price tag attached. If John Sommer didn’t have that courage and commitment, LPBT probably would have ceased to exist in 1987. That was the year the Ladies Touring Players Association held rival tournaments against LPBT, sponsorship was at a low point, and the future looked pretty dim. Others involved at the time were ready to fold up the LPBT tent, but not Sommer.
If you’ve ever met John, you know he is a quiet guy. He never looks for the spotlight. In ‘87 he was the calming influence that kept LPBT alive. He gave LPBT President John Falzone the backing and encouragement needed to go on, and a short time later, LPBT was rewarded with a wonderful sponsorship from Sam’s Town.
1987 was a transition year for LPBT. 1997 is looking like a transition year for the entire industry. Almost all of the pieces of the Bowling Inc. puzzle are now in place. Our challenge today is to make sure each piece of the puzzle fits the whole. A couple of pieces have fallen from the table, but we should pick those up and concentrate on building a masterpiece.
Some may look at recent decisions by members of our bowling family as major problems, but I don’t see it that way. When PBA signed a marketing contract with The Marquee Group, a piece of the puzzle fell from the table. When AMF cut back its sponsorship last year, a piece fell from the table. When Brunswick cut its pro staff, firing all of its lady pros, a piece fell from the table.
Should we get mad and turn the table upside down? Should we just walk away from the table because a few pieces are on the floor? John Sommer wouldn’t. John would calmly and carefully pick up those fallen pieces and stick to it until the puzzle is completed. He would do the right thing without looking at the bottom line.
Now, in this transition year, is the time for all of us to adapt John’s philosophy. PBA, LPBT, Brunswick, AMF, the bowling media, ABC, WIBC, proprietors ... everyone involved in this industry must take a long look at where we are and where we are going. Now is not the time to look at the bottom line and panic. Now is the time for everyone to make a new commitment to the success of this industry.
Now is the time for everyone
to make a new commitment
to the success of this industry.
Part II
For the bowling industry to be successful, the American pro tours must be successful. If the tours prosper, the entire industry will prosper. They are our window to the world. History cannot lie and cannot be denied. Look at golf, tennis, football, baseball, hockey, auto racing, or any other successful sport—when the pros become successful, the industry prospers. And it didn’t happen in Europe or Asia for those sports; it happened in America.
I get so tired of hearing representatives of bowling product companies talk about how great their overseas business is and how lousy their business is in America. Most of them wouldn’t exist if not for tremendous business that was built in America. If, in fact, business is off in the domestic market (and I can’t imagine that in light of the increase in ball sales since the resin revolution), then I say put more resources into the domestic market. Invest more in advertising, put more into the pro tours and pro shop promotions. One of the cardinal rules of business is that when business is off, invest for the future.
Of course, there is tremendous potential overseas, especially in new markets like China. But to take resources away from America to invest there is not smart business. Another thing to consider is that, all over of the world, bowling is regarded as a serious sport. Only in America has bowling become more recreation than sport. And as long as our industry continues to promote only to the casual to the casual/recreational bowler, it will continue to be.
When I see automatic scoring systems with cute little graphics that don’t work to keep league or tournament scores, something is wrong. When I see very uncomfortable tables and chairs designed apparently only for open play, something is wrong. When I see bowling centers that don’t even have the world "bowling" in its name, something is wrong. When I see centers trying to make "disco bowling" and "bumper bowling" the foundation of their business, something is wrong. When I see the price of bowling balls escalating beyond the reach of the average bowler, something is wrong. And when I see the governing body of our sport asleep at the switch while scores go completely out of control, something is wrong.
Are we—all of us in this industry—only able to focus on one aspect of the game at a time? I don’t think so. There is nothing wrong with change; change is good. Promoting recreational bowling is good—but not at the expense of the sport. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it till I die: The sport is the horse; the recreation is the cart.
To all our friends in all corners of this industry, please start thinking of the big picture. Think long term, and ask yourself the question my very successful friend, John Sommer, asks himself so often, regardless of the bottom line: Is it the right thing to do?
Jim Goodwin, a BWAA director and LPBT’s regional program director, is the award-winning editor/publisher of Stars & Strikes, in which the preceding originally appeared. Subscription rates are $20 per year (Pin Point Publishing, 2850 Red Valley Run, Rockwall, Texas 75087 ... voice/fax: 972/771-0069).