Are Airfares Killing Tournaments ?

[nl]

ARE AIRFARES KILLING TOURNAMENTS

Apart from the cost of tournment entries, airfare, accommodation etc, another thing that might be affecting numbers may be the format that tournament directors are using for the tournaments. For the past three or four years tournaments are set using the "pinfall carry over" format. Regardless of the matchplay numbers 12, 16, or 20, this makes it very hard for the lower qualifyers to win the tournament.

It may be said that everyone has an equal chance to make the pinfall for qualifying, that each squad has the same conditions, but do they ? A number of things come into play during a tournament, heat, airconditioning, washing and oiling and the lanes themselves. I am sure that directors strive to give each squad the same conditions but it doesn't always work out that way, I think that most bowlers would agree that conditions can vary from squad to squad. Numbers per squad can also play a significant part. With varying numbers per squad, some bowlers will not have to play on low scoring lanes where others will. I think that all houses have some low scoring lanes or crap as some would say. This can give some bowlers an advantage inasmuch as they happen to pick the 'right squad' to bowl in and rack up a very good score.

If every bowler in matchplay does not have an equal chance of winning, then matchplay becomes a procession and boring plus making bowlers who qualify but can't win, disgruntled. In the past, qualifying was just that, QUALIFYING FOR THE RIGHT TO MATCHPLAY. Matchplay was the segment that allowed all bowlers to play on the SAME CONDITIONS AND THE SAME LANES, EACH HAVING A FAIR AND EQUAL CHANCE OF WINNING.

By all means encourage bowlers to be top qualifyer by putting up a prize for that $300/.500 which will add to that bowlers matchplay money to give them the incentive. I think that if you go back over the last couple of years results and deduct the carry over pinfall from matchplay you would see some different names in the top five.

For example in the S.A.Cup, based on matchplay pins 3379, wins 240, total 3619, Mac Stewart would have won narrowly from Brandon Qually, pins 3410, wins 200, total 3610. 3rd Paul Trotter, pins 3345, wins 260. total 3605. (How close is that ) 4th Michael Muir, pins 3333, wins 200, total 3533. 5th Brian Pilky, pins 3199, wins 180, total 3379.
Mac started in 16th place, Brandon in 11th, Paul in 8th, Michael in 1st and Brian in 9th, proving that according to how they bowled, each person had an equal chance at winning.

These are my thoughts on improving the tournaments number decline, what do you all think? Please give this some sincere thought, the more people give their input, the sooner the decline in numbers may be stopped.

Nada L

 

[Tiger]

For some people airfares would be a problem, for others perhaps not.
Unless you have a ball-company sponsorship or some other means of financial strength only the elite few will consistantly play in tournaments.
You need to keep updating your equipment, you need to practice, you need to travel interstate regularly to play against the very best to make sure your game is up to standard in order to at least be competitive and make some money to cover your losses.
If you are "Average Joe" who works and is very good at the game, and wants to travel to the big Tournaments you need and understanding employer - lets face it you can be sacked for being too fat or having too many pictures on your office desk these days - so they are very seldom likely to let you have time off to go and bowl a Tournament are they?
Fewer and fewer people are willing to throw money around like it's going out of fashion these days in what are fairly tight economic times.
But it all boils down to one thing at this point in time..........
BOWLING IS TOO EXPENSIVE
Throw in everything else on top of that and it makes a massive dent in the wallet, a little difficult for those who have kids or who have other debts that have to be paid, quite simply your money doesn't go far enough these days.
Who knows, it might pick up again one day :wink:

 

[crazzzed]

I agree that its hard to justify entering some tournys due to the percentages of breaking even or in front. So how about this, instead of having a couple of big tournys in each state what if there was a week where you bowled over the week for more money... let me explain...
If we had 1 week which had two tourneys running, one at the start of the week and one at the end of the week. This would allow people to only have to travel once to get into 2 majors. It could be like a big festival where bowlers from around the country can get together. Each year it could move states or each state could have their own week.
I know there is plusses and minuses to all suggestions but I thought this would be alot of fun.

 

[Dj bruv on da mix]

Crazzed, mmmm very interesting, defiantly worth a thought or two.