Bowling, The Wright Way - February 11, 2000 by Don Wright
Dues Increases Are On The Way!

How many of you have seen the commercial in which Earl Anthony says, "There are bowlers, and there are people who bowl?" Then Anthony holds up an ABC card and tells you the benefits of being an ABC member. Well, being a member could be very costly in the near future.

During the legislative session of the ABC Convention in Albuquerque this March the biggest item on the agenda will be a proposed dues increase, that if approved, will be the highest increase in the history of the ABC.

The proposal would raise the national dues $2. and authorize a $2. raise for state and local fees. Approval would, for the 2001-2002 season, raise the maximum from $12 to $16.

That alone should get your attention, but if the ABC membership drops more than 10 percent below the 1998-1999 figures, another $4 dollar hike would automatically kick in.

Now all you ABCers don't think you are being picked on because the WIBC is considering increasing national dues from $6. to $11. per season during their legislative session in Reno. A separate amendment from the Tulsa, Oklahoma WBA would change the national dues to $15.

Now I gotta tell ya folks this will have a drastic affect on sanctioned bowlers.

ABC and WIBC have some standard company answers for why this must be done, but they will have a hard time convincing the bowlers in leagues that simply want to compete for the socialization and recreation.

I can tell you that the league my wife is secretary of will have a very hard time filling the usual 12 teams if those proposals pass. Her league is made up primarily of retired people ranging in age from 50-80. There are younger people, many of who are military who have a hard time making ends meet and are often deployed and miss portions of the league for which they pay for a substitute. The younger people also pay for childcare because our center does not, and will not provide it. The first night of bowling gives them a jolt when they pay for their cards and their bowling. Lineage at that particular center isn't bad because it is a military center, but when the civilian centers raise their lineage, so does the military. We have had many a couple show up for the organizational meeting only to leave once they realize the overall cost.

I do not see how the ABC and the WIBC can not expect to lose recreational bowlers in both men's, women's, senior and junior bowling.

You can go on the ABC/WIBC web site at http://www.bowl.com and read the top 20 questions they claim to have received on this topic. Well, I'm here to tell you the biggest question I'm asked by the recreational bowler is, "What does ABC do for me?" Having an organization that simply makes and interprets rules isn't any incentive to join ABC. The ABC awards for the recreational bowler are trivial at best. All the patches look alike, the high average award, league championship award and others are in all honesty cheap. There isn't much difference in what I see with the WIBC.

The competitive bowler enjoys the ABC and WIBC Nationals, but again most go knowing they have a minimal chance of winning. They go for the tradition, socialization and vacation. More bowlers hope they win something in the brackets than the event itself.

The ABC and WIBC do not help there own cause when we look at what has happened with Strike Ten Entertainment, Bowling, Inc., a planned move of their headquarters and the possibility of combining their forces. Is the dues increase a bailout, a subsidy for salaries and the cost of an extensive move?

I certainly don't want to see the demise of either organization, although I would like to see some restructuring. Being a military man I have first hand knowledge of the inverted pyramid. I know that whenever you have a headquarters of any kind their needs always seem to come before that of the guy in the field. I see a bloated, mismanaged for years; organization that needs money for survival and the bowler is the answer to their needs.

I submit that if this increase is approved ABC and WIBC may not feel the repercussions immediately, but I will assure you that 10 percent decline will become a reality, so all you ABCers be ready to grab your wallet again when that additional four bucks kicks in.

See you on the lanes.