Numbers at tournaments

[strop]

Well, are they improving or not.............????

I can only speak for Senior events these days and if we look at the squad listings for the first 3 tournaments next year....

JAN - Brisbane - full with reserves 90 bowlers
FEB - Melbourne - 100 bowlers - still spots
MAR - Canberra - full 90 bowlers

So why is the seniors so different to the adult?

certainly not the prize money......

I know the tournaments are great to be at, and are fun.........

The Australian Cup coming up this week end ....how many entries have they got?

Does it look likely to improve next year, or is it just because it is contained to the elite and numbers of these are few and between.......you tell me.
I know this topic has been spoken and written about so many times........but oh well.....here's to Seniors

 

[GBS]

My guess ... The entry fee is just too high.

It gets to a point where athletes say "I just can't do it."

It wouldn't matter if 1st price was $5000.

There just comes a point is the supply and demand cycle where the cost outways the "value" and entries suffer. It's just the "economic" maths.

For the future od Oz tournaments, unless the prize funds in general have exceptional value down the order of place getters then people may say - "I just can't do it."

 

[John_Velo]

G'Day,

I have been looking at this the last few months with the interest in bowling a few in 2011 if I can get my pin fall up.

$300 + for a qualifying round is steep and to get maybe 10 or 12 games. The sports series appears much better value for money.

But it probably goes more to the second point.

Seniors generally own their houses and don't have a bank looking over their shoulder. Nor do they have to work a standard six day week to make ends meet.

20 to 40 year olds have a mortgage. Let’s say averaging for Sydney $300k, that makes a cup of coffee a luxury.

John Velo

 

[strop]

That's funny John, I'm one of those you mentioned..............

Seniors generally own their houses and don't have a bank looking over their shoulder. Nor do they have to work a standard six day week to make ends meet.

20 to 40 year olds have a mortgage. Let’s say averaging for Sydney $300k, that makes a cup of coffee a luxury.

There are also many of us that are not in that Luxury boat.....

 

[Glenno]

Cost of living far greater than it was in the 70's and 80's and even the 90's to a point.
The Percentage of a persons wage going into there mortgage is greater than the old days.
Prizemoney has stayed pretty much the same but entry fees on the rise.
However one has to remember that we don't make money in bowling, we make our money doing our jobs during the week.
Maybe lower the scale, lower the entry fee and lower the prizemoney. However that may not work.
NSW had a great grand prix series back in the. 90's. Around 10 events a year, was no need to travel interstate back then.
People maybe just are not interested in tournaments anymore, not the end of the world

 

[magpi17]

Interesting thought, It seems we want cheaper entry fees but more prizemoney. Sponsership is hard to get these days so thats the reason entry fees are so high.

 

[John_Velo]

Interesting thought, It seems we want cheaper entry fees but more prizemoney. Sponsership is hard to get these days so thats the reason entry fees are so high.

G'Day,

I don't believe that is the point being made. More the point that the cost of living for the people that would bowl in the events is to large a luxury for those with a house to pay off, a few young kids and long hours to work.

$300+ buys a lot of league nights compared to a weekend tournament.

Nothing more than that, the numbers appear to be good for the $90 odd dollar Sport Series. At the end of the day you could bowl in three or four for the same cost.

John Velo

 

[Fitzy]

Nothing more than that, the numbers appear to be good for the $90 odd dollar Sport Series. At the end of the day you could bowl in three or four for the same cost.

In the long run though, I'd still be losing the same amount of money!! LOL!

 

[John_Velo]

In the long run though, I'd still be losing the same amount of money!! LOL!

Yep, but you at least get three or four bites at the apple and a lot more games. I would would rather bowl than watch

John Velo

 

[Roysa]

Not to mention the sports series is the only exposure we have to tournament patterns. Another reason people probably dont choose to bowl tourneys is the pattern is tough. Some people don't want to spend 300$ on 10 games when the pattern will kill them. It's simply not in most peoples discretionary spend. Sports series is an opportunity to learn and improve without dishing out so much cash. Bowling on tough patterns at SS events helps ppl prepare for tough tourney conditions and at a 3rd of the price. And who knows you might get some money back

 

[strop]

One thing about the Senior Tournaments is you might be paying $190 - $200 to enter, but you are getting a minimum of 16 games for that, but usually 18 games.

Usually only $1000 for first, but pay down fairly well.

Most of us will travel to these in groups, e.g. us here in SA usually about 10-12 of us will grab the cheap flights, grab a 12 seater bus to drive around and divide the accomodation between the 12 of us. Work out quite well over all to keep the costs down.
For me I have a young family (remarried again) have plenty of commitments, but do it cause it's fun, and catching up with all the other bowlers from else where , the same. !!

Cheers

Tony

 

[jason_doust]

One thing about the Senior Tournaments is you might be paying $190 - $200 to enter, but you are getting a minimum of 16 games for that, but usually 18 games.

Usually only $1000 for first, but pay down fairly well.

Supernaculum, Tony. Which is Latin for "upon the nail", although I'm going with the often used (if mistaken) translation of "to hit the nail upon the head."

Ken Sheehan always said that if you give bowlers a decent amount of games and an affordable entry fee, you would run successful events. Seems like he's still right.

Smaller 1st prize, lower entry and longer payout nearly always gets a lot more entries. There are a few people who think that a big carrot at the top is the answer. I (and going on numbers, a lot of other people) disagree as a broad principle. I think bowling can support an event or two each year like that, but I'll support something like your seniors format every time over it.

I guess I'm more into enjoying the experience over gambling for bigger stakes.

 

[bon316]

Money comes into it but I dont think its the only thing to blame. Its the other issues that people have that probably need to be addressed.

This is the issue that stops me from playing.

There are a small number of bowlers who play so slowly that everyone else has to wait for up to 20 minutes between 2 game blocks.

This is incredibly frustrating and people who have aches and pains physically cant afford to stop/start like that.

A time limit should be introduced and enforced.

 

[bluey]

The 2 lowest entry fee tournaments this year both had the highest amount of entries, K&K and NSW Open. Two different states, good formats, people travel for this. $300+ entry fee events have not had the numbers. I think Cairns had a full field as well? also a low entry fee.