Monday, May 2, 2011

An Ardent Reader Responds

One of my ardent readers, Tom Hebbe of Blue River Bowl, sent me a quick response to my blog "What We Can learn About Marketing From A Four Year Old." here it is in its entirety

"Hell yes we are missing something...THE INDUSTRY and the people still remember HOW IT USED TO BE.

I currently have less than fifty sanctioned youth bowlers-(never have had more that 144)...

Locally Soccer Spring and Fall has between 600 and 800 kids participating!!
Babe Ruth Baseball has nearly 300 boys playing summer leagues!
Basketball...EVEN Larger numbers than Soccer.

ALL have defined age groups. All have UNIFORMS! All have COACHES and Practices and SHORT SEASONS 12 weeks or less! All have a STRUCTURE from the top down...an actual WORKABLE plan to get kids into the sport, learning the fundamentals, and graduating to the next level as part of the structure.

Bowling is a great game. Bowling is truly a Lifetime Sport! But the LEADERSHIP needs to get a workable plan to get the sport re-built from the ground up!

It is so frustrating when you know what could be with this industry...and year after year.season after season...people still just come bowl...but they do not get involved! but then again, why would they?

40 YEARS of watching an industry crumble, I am saddened, frustrated, worried and just so tired of it all..."

Sincerely,
Tom Hebbe
Blue River Bowl