I think Shayne and a few others will agree with me here... COMMUNICATION is the Key...
YES i also agree that cost of living is a huge factor, but Communication WITH the BOWLERS is everything...You have to make them feel NEEDED AND WANTED...Without BOWLERS (the most important ingredient) you don't have a successful event...
You also need a Tournament Committee headed by a very good Tournament Promoter (non Bias) is the answer to your question...A Team that also doesn't give any one Bowler in the country an advantage every time they step onto the lanes...Up until recent events we could predict the outcome more often that not after looking at the pattern displayed...
These people breed success...If you look at all the successful circuits that were or are running around Australia over the last few years these have either had or still have that in place...
Promote the event, even send personal invitations, talk to the people individually if that what it takes to poach players to play in your event...Sometime you have to beg, borrow and steal to fill your squads...
You have to move ahead of the times...Move faster than the economy, see the changes happening before they happen and have strategies in place to concur that...
About 5 or 6 years ago, TB offered to help Run and Promote the Super Six events (at no cost)...Set up a team to keep the circuit alive, try and help keep events that are now defunct...e.g SA Cup for one...
We were told we weren't required...I am not saying we could have done it better than anyone else, but we were sure willing to give it at try, as we could see participation levels back then declining at a rapid rate...Something needed to change, and it didn't, now look at it...
Wayne i don't believe back in 2001 Tenpin bowling was anymore of a sport than it is now...I just think we had someone promoting the events better than we have in the last few years...e.g Tony Goodwin...
Successful events will breed Numbers just on there own...We need to get back to the basics baby steps at first...