im going to have to totally dissagree about bowling gear. You have always had your high cost, high performance gear, it has always been expensive and it has always been marketed as the top of the range product. The difference from 5 years ago and today is simple, back then the variety of bowling balls somewhat paled in comparisson. Look at todays market, you have proactives, high performance reactives, mid range, low range, 3 piece, urethane, plastic's. It's a huge choice, go back 5 years and if you wanted an aggressive ball for the oil you generally went with a High RG, 3 piece reactive, that was pretty much the top of the range.
It's rather simple when you think about it, bowling ball technology has increased dramatically over the past 10 years, there is a demmand for it which drives the industry. On the other side of the coin, advancements have been made in lane technology too, surfaces, high viscocity oils, sanction machines, just to name a few. Being down under we are at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to new advancements, the country as a whole just does not have the sheer number of people to contend with overseas markets.
Where do i see bowling in another 5 years? well i really dont have any idea. If you were to ask me the same question 3 years ago i would have said it would drive itself into the ground. All the problems with the governing body really hit the sport pretty hard in the late 90's - 2000. You have to recognise that quite alot has since been established in an effort to get the sport back on track, but there is quite a long way to go. I was going to go nit pick and add things which i think are wrong with the sport but doing so would only be relaying concerns already expressed in other threads in here.
One thing i think that is lacking is a set of industry guidelines and rules. The other point that if these guidelines are created (or if they still exist), they have to be enforced. But then on the otherside, in it's present state, what is the benefit to a center with accreditation? (appart from the ones who are fully behind the sport).
