How can TBA Differentiate Itself From Your Local Centre ?

[Mistagear]

If Bowling as a sport, continues to have competitions allowed outside the umbrella of it's national body TBA, how can TBA show reasons why bowlers should join ?
Let me explain what I'm asking.
If ALL Sport Bowling needed to be sanctioned by TBA before it could be called a bowling league or a tournament...then TBA has a "product" which it can sell, that gives every sport bowler a reason for joining TBA if they wish to play the sport.
This is not currently the situation.
A Bowling Centre approaches it's customer (social bowler) and asks if they might like to join a League which the BC created and manages. The bowl owns the competition and introduces it's customer to the competition...So there is no reason why the BC should need TBA to exist.
TBA neither provides the competitor nor owns the competition.
TBA needs to find some way to make the competition it's own property(at least partially)

I'm looking for suggestions how TBA might become the owner of competitions in Aust ?
.
This might initially seem rather extreme but, what if TBA registered a logo and the names of TBA Bowling League, TBA Bowling Tournament and TBA Bowing Championships.
Then TBA could offer sanctioning of a league under the TBA banner and provide at least 1 coach be available at convenient times throughout the length of that league for instruction of bowlers. TBA would need to produce an "info kit" for the use of the BC which would assist in promoting the sport and would be seen as of "value" to the BC.
This way, the promotion of the sport of bowling would become a joint effort between the National body and the BC, rather than the whole process of creating and maintaining a Sport Bowler be the total responsibility (and ownership) of the BC..

TBA virtually feeds off the work done by BC's. This seriously impacts on TBA's perceived membership value and makes TBA as vulnerable as it currently is.

I'm not saying this IS what should happen, I'm asking for other suggestions how our National Body could be seen as an essential part of the equation ?

 

[Jasonguru]

I think this is a great suggestion. Needs some refinement but a good and valid point with the bowling centres owning and running the league, there needs to be some point of difference offered up by TBA, state and local associations to increase numbers and revenue for the betterment of the sport. How this is structured for the benefit of all is the key. This has been brought up before and with some digging through the forums i believe from memory some great suggestions were thrown around a while back but nothing came of it.

Where to next?

 

[John_Velo]

G'Day All,

Interesting topic. Probably done before?

Thought, my son plays soccer. We sign him up, the local club runs the junior soccer team, the parants of the local area run the game roster and schedule for the year through volanteers, parents provide the coach, parents provides the ref, club provides the equipment through fund raising of the parents. The local Council provide the fields and the grass cut.

A sponsor provides the shirts for the year. Every member of the team must be a member of Soccer Australia to play.

What did Soccer Australia offer in the process? Advertising, simple as that.

There was a time when every bowler had to be a member of the TBA regarless, you bowl league you sign up.
Bowling use to be on TV! The more members, the more funds the TBA has to employ more staff, the more staff the more the TBA can do to promote the sport of bowling.

If the TBA could do that, then the "why join" should be a no brainer. Call the membership your Blue Chip share in helping bowling move forward. One chip will not make a difference but every bodies chip will fill the bucket and allow the TBA to give it a bigger go than they currently can.

Thanks for reading,

 

[Mistagear]

I'm offering to give a 9" Android Tablet PC as a prize to the best suggestion answering my previous post.... on one condition.
The condition is, that someone can persuade Cara Honeychurch to be the judge of the best submission received before 1st May 2013.

I will also include in the prize, a My Lane Play App for the winner to track their bowling stats

If Cara will judge this, I'll donate the prize.
Everyone interested in seeing bowling become the sporting force it could be, please submit your ideas

 

[Jasonguru]

great offer and great idea.

lets get it rolling. I will chew the fat and put in a suggestion soon.

 

[Mistagear]

Wanted to bump the thread in hope people will take up the challenge.

While I'm doing it, I'd like to introduce my new buddy...
Crikey here comes STRIKEY

 

[Mistagear]

I read with interest in the 2012 TBA CEO'S Annual report of a 10 week trial program called Bowling 101, an introduction to the sport.
Other than the single reference in the CEO's report, I can find no other reference to this program on TBA's website.
Can someone please give me details of the program, where it was trialed, where I can obtain the written objectives and where I can view the data, as stated, as a success ?
Without having any facts and simply going by the name of the Program, this should be exactly the sort of thing TBA can do to begin to own the sport at the base level.
I would really appreciate if someone with knowledge of what exactly is involved in the Program would please inform me.

 

[Mistagear]

Part of TBA's stated objectives this year is to raise the profile of Bowling.... This is disappointing that our Bowler's performances internationally have not been more highly rated

The Australian Sports Commission Board has announced funding allocations to National Sporting Organisations for high performance success and for sports participation in 2013/14.
This funding commitment includes an investment of nearly $120 million in direct funding to sports in 2013/14, with $100 million of this for sports to deliver on the Australia’s Winning Edge Targets.
It includes an investment of an additional $5 million across 24 Olympic and Paralympic sports who made a strong performance case to the AIS.
The funding will support the delivery of Australia’s Winning Edge — the high performance game plan for moving Australian sport from world class to world best and is an investment in Australia’s sporting success.
A range of information and resources are available about this funding announcement below including facts sheets onAustralia’s Winning Edge Investment Allocation, Investment Approach Process and the Investment Allocation Model.

 

[Mistagear]

I also note in the above info, Rugby Union was able to successfully apply for and receive $500k funding to build a "Centre of Excellence".
I'm looking forward to TBA applying for a similar grant next year

 

[Mistagear]

Comments on this idea please.

What if TBA wanted to increase the participation within Sport Bowling at Tournament level (a stated objective of TBA).
How about offering all Centre's which apply for a Sanctioned Event, a 50% discount on the sanction fee IF.
The Centre agrees to allowing the local TBA Branch to organize their own tournament in addition to the one being applied for, at a game rate of 50% of the usual League rate.
The Centre gets more revenue via the second tournament without having to promote (TBA members canvas bowlers).
TBA Local gets the profit from the Tournament they promote, which can be spent on extra coaching/promotion of the sport etc.
TBA National gets grass roots members actively promoting the sport. That way TBA could create a stronger second tier tournament circuit as a feeder into the higher level Open Tournaments.
This could lead to more structured levels of competition that would entice bowlers to start their journey from League level into higher levels of competition.
Each local branch of TBA have a better chance of fostering a new tournament bowler(bowler to bowler support) than does the Centre. The Proprietor's only real interest is to promote in their own Centre, not create a healthy competition away from his base.
Sure there are some Proprietors who are bowlers and have the interest of the Sport at heart, but majority of Centres are Corporate establishments and have only their own self interest in mind.

TBA needs to create the structure to encourage the various levels of Sport Bowling to exist and flourish

 

[jimcross]

Goodness Mistagear, what will it take to make you realise that this forum is not, -got that - NOT, here for serious thinkers wanting to improve the sport for all. If you can think up something that looks like a way to give some individual some advantage, and to hell with the rest, then you'll generate some interest.

 

[Mistagear]

Goodness Mistagear, what will it take to make you realise that this forum is not, -got that - NOT, here for serious thinkers wanting to improve the sport for all. If you can think up something that looks like a way to give some individual some advantage, and to hell with the rest, then you'll generate some interest.

You are correct yet again Mr Cross.
Not only did I not receive a single suggestion from the Members here, nor did TBA reply to my email either.
I can only conclude both Bowlers on this site and TBA are as apathetic as eachother when it comes to interest in the future of the sport.

 

[jayboybriz]

I'm ignorant in this regard but aren't tournament sanction fees only about $300?

 

[Mistagear]

Well, I'm upset that this subject is going nowhere.

In April I wrote to TBA and did actually receive an email back from Cara Honeychurch. Have since been contemplating her response and have reluctantly come to the conclusion that TBA does not possess the desire, skills nor forward thinking to achieve their stated goals, nor do they have much chance of saving the sport of Bowling from becoming a purely entertainment and ceasing to exist as a legitimate sport.

I believe the only chance Bowling has to flourish is, if an entrepreneur with great foresight, manages to change the way our sport is played and controlled.
The alternative that Bowling slips away and becomes totally replaced by black lights, music venues and bowling bars, is already gaining strength and nobody seems remotely able to come up with a plan to arrest the demise.

Total Bowling should soon become...Totally Sad What Happened to Bowling .com.boohoo
I'm really sad to be expressing this view, but I do think it will eventuate. All the warning signs are there, AMF in US is again in financial trouble, US league bowling in decline, Some Aus Centres no longer have juniors joining the sport, TBA numbers down to 25k from 100k in years past, plus other signs of decline in the sport etc.
Such a pity.

 

[Dougy]

Thats why im going a head with wat we talked about in Ballina mate with out them getting a invite.

Give u a update if your bowling next weekend

 

[Mistagear]

Does anyone have access to the "Sweeney Sports Reports" ???????????,
a subscription service For 25 sports… Total interest levels, passion
levels, participation rates, attendance, TV
viewing,radio listening, newspaper readership,
internet and mobile coverage
Sponsorship awareness levels by sport*
Sports event, competition and club following
Sports related spend
Sports involvement and lifestyle characteristics
Imagery of sports
Improvement suggestions by sport
Best TV coverage.

Even a past report would be very useful. If you can help, please contact me

 

[Docta]

I told you Mistagear. the only way forward is to remove all the bad apples in charge and start with ppl who know what they are doing. Its a corrupt system and until it changes we as a sport will keep going backwards.

 

[Mistagear]

Docta, I dont believe the people in TBA are "bad apples" but do tend to agree the "corrupt system" is the reason the good people who are elected, become influenced by the bureaucratic system which eventually makes the individuals ineffective in effecting change. They eventually are so guided by the system that they become part of that bureaucracy.
I have watched another sport gradually be taken over by the bureaucratic systems imposed on it by the Sport's Commission, to the point that they no longer have any power to control their own destiny and have virtually become like a small government institution. Organizations become "talk tanks" where nothing is achieved because there are ever increasing reviews and re-hashing of "procedures", formulating of goals which never actually eventuate and generally going around and around in circles, getting absolutely nothing achieved that actually advances the sport......sound familiar ?

It has been a good reminder for me of what happens if people allow the "system" to influence the vision of what they are trying to achieve. If you are thinking outside the square, you must remain outside of the system. That does not mean that you refuse to allow the Governing Body to come to you and be included once they see that what you are doing is already working. It means that you must not try to achieve your goals through changing the system, you create what you want and the system will eventually come to you.
This is the essence of what I tried to convey to Dougy when we spoke at Ballina (see his post above). Dougy and Co are changing the way the sport is run, eventually it will gain momentum to the point that TBA will want to accept the methods... Meaningful change will improve the way things are done.
In the mean time, all TBA rules will be adhered to and TBA will be a welcome partner in the change, I think this is a better path than either trying to change the system from within or to reject the Governing body from the equation altogether.

I also have a plan to fundamentally change the way the sport is played, to change the way bowling is viewed as a passtime and less prestigious than other sports,to make bowling a spectator sport so participants will receive genuine accolades from family and friends when the bowler wins his/her local competition.
In my opinion, perception is everything, I'm going to change perception and that will change how everyone thinks about bowling.
Think how Kerry Packer changed Cricket, he change the perception of how people thought about cricket, I'm looking to do the same thing for bowling....only the budget is different lol