The PBA is bowling on stringpins??

[@steve4880]

I find it funny that the centers say string pin bowling will be cheaper. Yet the alley I bowl at for leagues and 1 other alley close by have specials of 2 hours for $15. The ones with string pins have a $30/hr special. So where is the deal?

[@aidenhernandez5343]

corporatism is magic, my friend. cheaper for the lane makers, maintenance, and the house. and somehow more expensive for the consumer.

[@etarnkufecin]

I'm glad you posted this because this is my biggest fear with the string logic. Cheaper machines to run, less staff to maintain them, up the cost to pay for the upgrades.

[@JDubzDrumz]

The deal is, they are making more money. 😅😂

[@Topnikko]

They're passing on the cost of the string pinsetters to you.

[@Best_of_Bowling]

I have 100% respect for 220 and his idea… We NEED to start a campaign!

[@rub1xbtw]

i also love your channel! and i agree 100%

[@paulsmith9198]

You are absolutely correct. A complete shift to string-pins will delegitimize the sport and take eyeballs away from bowling.

[@ronwest217]

I agree with you completely. As a former tour player (unsuccessful) I fear that the sport is on it's deathbed. In fact, it has been dying for years.

[@JPelley9]

It’s been slowly dying for the last 20 years, but yes, I do believe it is now on its deathbed.

[@Slinginghotlead007]

I think it will struggle on. Bowlero is awful for the PBA. Bowlero is the largest chain of centers AND the largest investor of the PBA brand. And it’s dictating to the PBA what is good for Bowleros bottom line. And that’s to cut the costs at the alleys to make more money through open bowl. They do NOT care about league bowlers or the Professional Bowlers and the integrity of the game. People years ago said golf was dying. But now it’s back. Bowling needs sponsorships and more TV revenue or SM view revenue.

[@DynamicGracer]

I’m a losing regional bowler too

[@NathanMoist]

The sport is "dying" yet my state tournament is sold out. The PBA is seeing high ratings. The WSOB, US Open and Masters used to let anyone in to fill entries now it's sold out. And Nationals is at 11,000+ teams.

[@clarkbrowning8473]

For context: Local center hosted a Scratch Tournament on Saturdays twice a month. Had 40+ guys attend. Switched to string Pins and they had only 6 people show up.

[@220avg]

Yikes

[@mikehancho8930]

I personally believe that is the answer to the issue. It seems counterintuitive, but if no one does it, it sends the message that no one will want to ever.

[@MrTyakaflex]

Good. If anyone considers themself a serious bowler and bowls in a String Pin tournament, shame on them.

[@Swaggletail]

@@mikehancho8930 Huh?

[@witewolff3576]

Serves them right. If we boycott string pins they will eventually go away😅

[@decadude8968]

The amount of people I know who say they will give up bowling before playing on strings is high, I see so many people say they don't want string pins. The main reason I see centers switching to them is cost, yet has usbc tried doing anything to help them save on equipment or or service or anything at all so they don't feel the need to? I live in the metro Detroit area and the number of bowling alleys around me that have shut down in the past two decades is already a lot it seems. There needs to be a balance of passion for the sport and business profitability, too much of either one just causes problems.

[@austina3703]

A big issue is also mechanics. The house I'm in (and only one within roughly an hour) is going cert strings over the summer. They can't afford to pay a serious mechanic what industrial rates are so when they do find someone able and willing they don't stick around for too long. There are a lot of other managerial mishaps with the house but the part replacements are nearly impossible to find for the older free falls and the mechanics are a dying breed they can't afford to pay a competent wage.

[@decadude8968]

@austina3703 I can definitely understand that. The house I bowl at doesn't have a designated mechanic for the same reason, they can't pay high enough to keep it, and so our machines break down just about every other week. This past season we had 3 weeks in a row the lane broke down at some point. And the one time they moved us to a different pair, one of the lanes had an issue after the first ball. It's ridiculous.

[@BassRacerx]

USBC should work on an open source pin setters. and 3d printed parts. Brunswick and AMF have the monopoly on pin setters and Bowlero bought out amf. I would also argue that Brunswick might have a monopoly on the sport. Why is it that my only 2 local pro shops ONLY sells brunswick products. Also Bowlero needs to be investigated for Monopoly Last year bowlero is spending a 200 million dollar war chest to do remodels and acquisitions of more centers. I like Bowlero but we can't let them buy ALL of the centers in America!

[@JRBowling1997]

​@@austina3703 they should get GSX or NXT pinsetters over stupid stringz

[@YouTubeBowlersTour]

You have the right idea but I feel there is a piece missing. There needs to be a free fall machine so reliable with very few parts that it kills off every existing pinsetter including string pins. However that hasn’t been invented yet. I am a mechanic for a center that has free fall machines. I am aware how much money and maintenance goes into these machines because of how complex they are. If we were to simplify that, that would boost bowling profit for sure.

[@jameslawrence5902]

As a league bowler I know the time spent if a pin setter is not functioning correctly can be the difference between some of my fellow league guys getting three games in or having to leave early to make the night shift jobs.

[@JoeDoe-ro1ms]

Good luck getting the USBC to certify that with Brunswick and Bowlero effectively having a monopoly over the entire damn sport. They'd rather the sport die and then squeeze as many dollars out of its corpse as humanly possible over allowing a single new manufacturer even TRY and enter the space.

[@JRBowling1997]

​@jameslawrence5902 then you have god awful machines. Or they are doing a cheap job of not taking care of the machines.

[@SkateClipsAndTips]

If PBA starts using stringpins I will stop watching it. The pin reaction will be a complete joke

[@jamesbrown4632]

Certified strings are more consistent and natural than original arcade strings. If that's what drives you away, were you a fan to begin with?

[@TonysMusic1974]

​@@jamesbrown4632🙄🙄🙄🙄

[@TonysMusic1974]

We also need more independent houses. Unfortunately the one I bowl in is closing in 14 months 😢

[@farmboy805]

@@jamesbrown4632 the most clown comment I’ve heard all day

[@witewolff3576]

@jamesbrown4632 Certified or not they are still pins on strings and change the intention and result of pin action. This is a cash grab by centers to increase profits. No savings will pass down to consumers, they will still charge 10$ a game and any good score posted will always have an * along with it.

[@Do0mtrainw3]

I miss being a kid PBA all year round. My dad used to tour with Guppy Troup, when first place is 10k and old tourneys were 20k . Between the contracts , but the cost of the bowler is insane. Housing , entry fee, travel . I hope we don’t go for string for integrity of the game

[@kingshabazz1310]

The PBA using string pins, is like the NBA using portable Huffy basketball hoops and rubber basketballs.

[@JRBowling1997]

Spot on

[@H2ORyuusei]

Tend to agree. We've got two bowling centers about 10-12 minutes apart where I live. One switched to string pins the other is currently still free fall. Leagues used to be decently full on both, however, everyone has now migrated over to the freefall center. (As expected.) The bowling alley that has the string pins is pretty much dead now. Their leagues are so small that most of them don't even get started anymore. I feel that stringpins can be a good practice tool, but definitely feel like they have no place in the professional portion of bowling.

[@AlexRodriguez-hh2kg]

There is nothing more to say I agree with you 100% it comes down to business. String pins reduces drastically operational costs, not only on maintenance and repairs, but they can can also cut employees of all their centers which is a win win for the business but at the cost of the death of the sport.

[@JackpotsAfterDark]

It’s sad that you are right . Whenever a company like that takes over and it’s publicly traded , the only thing they care about is hitting revenue goals to drive up the stock prices .

[@MrTimmyGT]

I 100% agree with the season being waaaay too short. I feel like it just started and it's already over

[@stephens9772]

A local house by me is talking about getting them, I thought it was ridiculous, but talking to the manager the cost for parts on the A2s is getting really expensive and even hard to find. So I feel like getting houses to not switch over will need something to be done about that, or a cheaper machine that uses free pins being designed.

[@BassRacerx]

Needs to be open source. Imagine just emailing a file to a local machine shop and having it made locally. Or if it can be made out of composite 3d printed on site!

[@squidly2112]

So, my home bowling center (52 lanes) hosts leagues 6 days/evenings per week. Most evenings the center is PACKED with league bowlers (4 per lane, 52 lanes). Leagues are so important to our center that the GM has, at times, turned down even collegiate bowling tournaments because he brings in far more money from leagues. I have discussed this string-pin issue with several people that I bowl in leagues with. So far, unanimously these people have indicated that if the center were to go to string-pin bowling, they will quit bowling. I am one of those as well. I have yet to run into a single individual that is willing to bowl with string-pins. Fortunately the GM of our center (and the owner) say they will close down the center before they would ever go to string-pins. The GM and owner KNOW that they cannot survive in the long run with string-pins. They will lose virtually ALL of their primary (and reliable) income with string-pins. Our center, and its management, are fighting against this stupid string-pin evolution. Should we be forced into it, I will be having a big bowling ball sale and I am out!

[@sirsulley8110]

Bro I have been saying the same thing you are for 10+ years now. I used to bow with a guy who bowled on string pins and tried to convince us that it was going to be the future. Since he was so persistent on it; When I got home I looked it up and sure enough there is a huge following that is gaining traction and it terrifies the living hell out of me.

[@220avg]

They’re doing a good job of brainwashing a lot of bowlers

[@witewolff3576]

It's just like golfers who will only golf on a par 3 course or when the extra large cups are installed.

[@BornIn1500]

@@220avg It won't be long before the new generation calls anyone who doesn't want strings a "boomer who doesn't like change" because "this is the future, old man". Always happens. I find it funny though because this string pin phenomenon is a mirror image of when 2 handed bowling started. I can change a popular quote that seems to fit. "First they came for the wood lanes, and I did not speak out because I didn't care about wood lanes. Then they came for one hand bowling, and I did not speak out because I didn't care about one hand bowling. Then they came for the pinsetters, and there was no one left to speak out for me."

[@wunderlichx]

​@@BornIn1500Don't speak the truth about 2 handed bowling! It's become too normalized. The mob will come for you. 😨 Everyone knows that's not how bowling was meant to be played. But it was useful to bring more people to the sport who wanted an easy way to get more power and revs. So they allowed it on a technicality: "well, the 2h release, the guiding hand comes off before the fingers exit the holes so it's actually a one-handed release and still legal..." I'm not sure that's even true for most 2-handers. A lot of them appear to release at the same time with both hands to me. Maybe if you recorded in super show motion, it would show the fingers of only one hand in contact with the ball for milliseconds. What a joke.

[@alexfischer575]

People are seeming to miss the mark on why many bowling centers are switching to strings. Qualified mechanics for machines are becoming increasingly hard to find and repairs for traditional machines are therefore getting much more expensive and time consuming to get fixed. The strings are supposed to be a much more user friendly system to avoid mechanical issues and be a better long term solution than being on a constant hunt for qualified mechanics. I manage a 28 lane bowling center and we were quoted somewhere around $700,000 to switch to strings, which is something we're considering in the next 3-5 years because of retiring mechanics. It's not something we want to do but something we may be forced into.

[@tmtmtlsml]

My local Bowlero just fired two of their three mechanics. I'm sure if you looked in areas where Bowleros took over recently, you'll find plenty of qualified mechanics. No one is debating that strings are cheaper to operate and maintain. They're arguing that it negatively affects the game in a way that can't be justified by the savings, especially a corporation like Bowlero.

[@dv8davidsaporito766]

The answer is to create your own Professional Bowlers Tour... Use private centers, gain your own sponsors and rival the PBA with the goal of creating enough of a divide that Bowlero has no other choice but to make the changes one way or the other... Thus sealing their fate. Because inevitably, they will have to cut costs which means adding stringpin, raising costs, and lowering payouts. Can it be done? Sure. Will it be easy? No. But nothing worth having, was ever easily acquired. Good luck and Godspeed!!!

[@Slinginghotlead007]

Hey!! That’s what I said! I totally agree! With “The House Bowling” already grouping certain bowlers and several others teaming up to create better content they could create a separate league like the LIV Tour did for the PGA. Eventually causing them to merge. But you have to break Bowleros stranglehold on the economics.

[@austina3703]

@@Slinginghotlead007 LIV is literally hundreds of millions of oil dollars sportswashing the saudis in a venture they plan to bleed money into without making a profit....hard sell to the youtuber crowd who won't have quite that much liquidity or desire to set money on fire "for the sport" (they also don't have quite the baggage to clear up)

[@finally3984]

If they switch everything over to stringpin, there's going to be an enormous surplus of freefall pin setting machines. Pick up several of those, and you could open yourself up a bowling alley.

[@dumattco]

You need a merch T-shirt that says, save the messengers! Or, don’t kill the messenger! 🤪

[@trailerparkretirement]

Agree with you 100%. Started bowling in 1974. I've watched the game get easier and easier to the point where a 300 barely means anything anymore. It's all become about money for sure and it's headed in a bad direction. Hoping some balance returns to this but the fact that strong pins are even a thing...that pretty much jumps the shark...

[@thegamesalem]

Mike I don't think you are all wrong here. But I do think it's also a perception issue. When you see idiot entitled bowlers flipping double birds at their opponents for what send to be small infractions, that turns away sponsors. Bowlers throwing hissy fits about conditions and why they can't score turns away sponsors. Until bowlers can stop getting in the way of growing the sport, it will continue down this path. Part 2 of this is cost. I have a local center up here that switched to strings simply due to operating costs. They couldn't keep a reputable mechanic on staff and with the strings they could run everything themselves. If that keeps centers open, then it might be the way to go. There will always be free fall centers, but as long as the cost to operate a free fall center is two to three times the cost of strings, then this path isn't gonna deviate. Sad to say as a 40 year bowler, but it may be true.

[@grillmaster95]

Exactly. You're probably gonna have to cater to a niche audience because bowling just doesn't have mass appeal. People just don't take it seriously for one reason or another, and having some short dude throwing a fit on the lanes because he messed up isn't going to make people take something more seriously, it's gonna make people look at it as clown behavior. A giant football or basketball player getting mad is more likely to get mass appeal because it's a more violent and physically dominating sport. Wrestlers pulling their antics works because they're physically imposing

[@bowlingxp8345]

Correct. And because those who use bowling as fun are far more than those of us who see it as a sport, Bowlero will accommodate the majority, so fun bowling. That is why they are maximizing profit and reducing costs without caring about strings. But seriously ? They charge 10$ per game ??? And 20$ for a beer ? If people pay for that they are bad consumers.

[@SarcasticStorageStacker]

You are right. If they go to strings it will ruin bowling. I like seeing pins fly normally.

[@Benthehuman]

Everyone needs to boycott anything on stringpins. It's the only way they're gonna stop pushing it

[@SarcasticStorageStacker]

I plan on watching bowling as long as they are free fall. If they go to strings, Ill be done. Good breakdown.

[@J002]

I would boycot it so hard and if they ever do a live show with string, it would hurt them so much after people seeing it and probably saying this is bull shit and tune away.

[@JDubzDrumz]

Sooo due to strings, rev rate or speed will be all you need. The strings can and do make other pins fall. Accuracy will not matter as much, if strings are involved.

[@NathanMoist]

For spares yes. For strikes no.

[@joeyrulz86]

We did a poll w the league this year and out of the 120 men bowling in the league... 117 out of 120 bowlers said they would quit INSTANTLY if our center converted to string. We have a center that is falling apart and needs repairs everywhere. New lanes, new machines, and more... and they were discussing alternatives. When they heard the main money league would quit in a heartbeat, they didnt even bat an eye to it and have been repairing the machines when they can. String pins will kill the sport 1000%. Casual bowling wont keep the doors open. One of the other houses here has learned that kicking the leagues out and catering to strictly casual will drop revenue fast. The big money league there shrank by 30% last 2 years due to poor management and terrible bowling lanes and conditions. Sadly, I dont think the sport we know today will be around in the next 10-15 yrs. If bowlero continues this trend of string pin lanes, in due time it will be all we see and Ill be gone.

[@rotoryan]

We had a Monday night league with an array of issues and every team SAID they would quit. They lost two teams and picked up 4…people are all talk but the routine of league will always be there

[@tmtmtlsml]

@@rotoryan This seems very different to the normal league bowler complaining. Strings seem like they have a LOT more opponents than synthetic lanes or 2H bowlers

[@purpleclock_njkim]

there is no way this is real 😭 😭 😭 stringpins just ruin the fun of bowling (and the exhilarating feeling of messengers hitting other pins) wtf is the pba doing honestly 💀

[@LSBNN]

I’m that old guy that hates synthetic lanes took over.. now string pins? I need a diaper 🎳

[@xRunar]

Fair point. This could actually be a big problem.

[@jlgvw]

As soon as it became acceptable to order chicken wings to your lane I knew the sport was doomed

[@Thewannabeprobowler]

I definitely agree with you that bowling either needs more sponsors more money or more attention, or all 3, and string pins are not the answer, I truly hope my local bowling alley in Tennessee doesn't add them!

[@drwisdom1]

I have watched every PBA televised event since 1979 except two events. It was events using the "World Scoring System." The scoring method was such an abomination I turned it off. String pins would end my 45 year dedication to the PBA.

[@karsonyoung3705]

We need to show this video to Chad Murphy and the entire USBC in their next board meeting.

[@bowlingvanjapan4099]

That will just encourage them. They think the will create views and growth for the game even if it’s negative.

[@grillmaster95]

I've pretty much stopped watching professional bowling and going to tournaments altogether, and that's really bad that someone who grew up traveling and competing in tournaments as a kid decides that he's just not that interested in it anymore. I bowled on a college team and have lost interest in competitive bowling almost entirely. One day, maybe I'll get back into bowling tournaments and watching bowling, but it's probably not a good sign that someone who used to be a part of your captive audience feels almost no desire to participate anymore. It's not even for a singular reason either. I don't have the money to be traveling to tournaments and paying entry, and even the ones close enough are usually house shot tournaments that just turn into carry competitions on who can hit the ball the hardest rather than who can actually hit what they intend to hit or who can pick up spares the most. Combine that with handicap, and it feels like I'm just basically playing roulette with whether I match up well enough with the lanes to carry like a high rev player or to beat out the dude who just sandbags in league to get more handicap for tournaments. If you try to look at doing these tournaments from a financial lens, it doesn't even remotely make sense. If you remove that part and look at it from the lens of just enjoying competition, it doesn't make sense for that either because I don't want to just compete on who hits the ball hard enough to get the carry that you need when there isn't enough of a punishment for completely missing your target. I've got no problem if someone beats me scratch on a tough pattern because they just executed shots better than me. Bowling on extremely high ratio patterns is basically as absurd to me as string pin bowling tbh

[@railroadaddict1884]

It is also hard stay interested In a sport with a 3 month season.

[@tmtmtlsml]

I know a ton of bowlers just in my relatively sparsely populated area that are good enough to cash in PBA regional events, but they make more at their day jobs than they would even if they won once travel and lodging are taken into account

[@Osborne4Life]

If the PBA follows through with it, I’m dropping my PBA card.

[@SarcasticStorageStacker]

Congrats on 40K 220

[@BritishGamingReal]

Make some anti-stringpin merch. I'd be all over that lmao

[@wuggza]

shadow string pin bowling government. we gotta take this all the way to the top. and who the heck is pepe silvia? ive got mountains of pepe. there is no carol in HR

[@DJCasperatwork]

Agree! Here in the netherlands the biggest international tournament of the year was for the last time this year. Also a lot of houses here go to stringpins. Its sad but true.😢

[@etarnkufecin]

My take on it is this, I like PBA bowling and I watch other tournaments on TV, youtube or in person and I help coach local youth leagues as well and those are the sport of bowling. The flip side of that and the thing that does make bowling unique is the recreational side because that is the increased revenue/reduce cost that the bowling centers fight and why string pins become more of an option. I'm sure a bowling center owner or manager can give a better idea of how much a center makes through sustained recreational bowling vs leagues or tournaments, that was beyond my role. If centers, the more common sized centers around the county, not the stadiums, switch to strings, do you think that group doing the birthday party or other randos that get on a waiting list to get a lane after league care if its string pins or free fall? The recreation of bowling is not going to die. People talk about hating the sport of bowling transitioning to strings, in my opinion that starts with the backend as much as the front. Figure out how to get the job of being a lane mechanic to be more desirable. Around this area we have about seven or eight different bowling centers, six to 16 lanes and all have different owners, but only two mechanics and a guy that drives around the state servicing the AMF machines. One of the owners happens to be younger and is his own mechanic, the rest have older owners and the one mechanic is in his 60s, the guy driving around the state is in his 70s. Mechanics are aging out and people just don't want to do the job because for a smaller or midsize center that is an expensive position to fill. Every center and area is different, so you'd have to talk to the mechanics yourself to find out what they think of the profession and how it impacts the future of the sport.

[@BassRacerx]

Need to make it so you don't have to be a specialist that needs years of experience to service the free fall machines. There has to be a better way to build the mouse trap so anyone who graduated highschool can figure it out. Also it's been a long time since ive seen my local 48 lane center have an "out of service" free fall machine so the issue with free fall is mostly upkeep not "fixing" them.

[@etarnkufecin]

@@BassRacerx They have done little things here and there to make them simpler, but a lot of bowling centers still use old machines, especially AMF centers. One of the local centers have machines from the 60s, another has ones from the 70s. Bowling centers buy equipment from other centers than have shut down when they "upgrade". I'm sure some do buy new machines when its a new construction or a full on renovation.

[@squidly2112]

Man, your direction you want to see absolutely NAILS IT! .. WTF are these people doing? .. I cannot believe the PBA season is only 3 months. It sucks! .. and it definitely needs more sponsors and money. I don't see how PBA bowlers can even survive. Going to string pins is going to completely destroy bowling.

[@itsdaley]

Agree with you 100% Give me the choice last in a normal tournament or 1st on a string pin tournament I'd chose the last place as that result is me and not strings playing a part

[@No_Lucks_Given]

The bowling center I bowl on has certified pins. There are some weird things that happen with them but it honestly feels a little harder than deadfall pins. It does look ridiculous though.

[@MarkDavidBlack]

Stringpins = The end of bowling. Period.

[@justsorandom764]

The solution to this is simple. As consumers, we need to not consume this product. If you bowl league at a house that is going to put these in, you stop bowling there, you stop patronizing the pros shop there, and you just altogether stop bowling there. Here in Wisconsin, houses cannot survive without strong league numbers. If we were to largely leave a house that went to string pins, the rec bowling would not keep it afloat, and saving money on a mechanic or 2 isn't going to make that up.

[@YESiCAN_Bowl]

Strings are the End of Bowling i am completly with you ! Lets fight against These ridiclious Stringpins! Cheers

[@machinethesun9243]

The MBA pencil heads have come up with a business plan to make profits at the expense of integrity of the sport. We've seen this formula ruin many industries all ready: from education to health care, with the soaring costs passed on to the end user. And it looks like to me, that the PBA along with the monopoly that Bowlero now has over all the remaining mom and pop places are the formula being used to exercise the takeover of the sport. I'm sad about this as I've only been bowling 6.5 years, and in that time have seen bowling fees go up more than a $1 a year for league where its now close to $30. The strings are the nail in the coffin as practice games are too expensive, hours of operation have been cut in half, and at my home center, we no longer have the PWBA passing through or big tournaments, as drunk bowling in black lights for birthday parties is what the sport is all Bowlero wants. No need to clean the approach, oil the lanes, hire enough employees, open during the day for practice, if the business model is focused on selling booze like any other bar instead of it building the sport of bowling.

[@tmtmtlsml]

My scratch league that just wrapped up was $30 a week. The center had been squeezing us for an extra $1 in lineage ever since they reopened from Covid (used to be $20 a week), so we decided to raise it $5 this season and put the other $4 into the prize fund. Now each year going forward (assuming the pattern holds), the prize fund gets a little smaller as another dollar goes to the lineage...

[@martinboyd3672]

Good morning Mr 220 , over here in England this has pretty much already happened ! Most centres are string pins , even the big centres are string now which has lost big international tournaments , they still hold competitions but not big ones . YBC clubs have disappeared from most centres which kills the process of bowlers moving up to leagues or wanting to get better . The centres have turned round and said " Saturday morning should be for the public not YBC league " lanes only get dressed for leagues because the public doesn't know the difference , our BTBA the association in this country has done nothing for bowling , it's basically killed it . Just a game here now not a sport .

[@PinoyBowlerGS92]

People must be aware that StringPins isn’t the only option out there. The Brunswick GS-NXT has been out since 2022 and if you guys watch the PBA Pro are qualifying at the USBC Masters, those were the pinsetters used in half of the lanes at Suncoast, Lanes 33-64. There’s still hope keeping Free Falls alive. I don’t feel any fear of StringPins invading Bowling here in the Philippines because no Bowling Centers were declining and all centers are still running Free Falls without any problems including newly centers opened up since 2022 until now.

[@dethmellon]

Design a cheaper and better pin setter. That's a big cost factor. It's likely been highlighted by the lack of interest in the sport.

[@JoeDoe-ro1ms]

I find it really interesting that only two companies are able to make pinsetters for certified competition. Im sure that Bowlero isn't putting their thumb on the scale so that others aren't allowed to enter the market with lower cost machines, surely not.

[@rickduran4429]

Totally agree with you Michael! If string pins are the future of bowling, it will completely make the sport of bowling irrelevant. There has to be some pro's out there that can jump on this band wagon. I totally agree the season needs to be longer. Hell, the NBA is 6 months, with 82 games, same with NHL. MLB is 7 months with 162 regular season games. Why can't the PBA be 30 weeks like leagues? They want more money, this will bring it to them. They want more sponsorship, this will bring it to them. Why do you think the NBA, NHL and MLB pay their players so much money? Longer seasons bring more sponsorship. Bowling is a legit sport. It takes eye and hand coordination, skill, technique, just like all other sports.

[@RagingKarma2]

As a bowler since I was in 6th grade now 25 with a solid 205 average and deeply in love with the sport even if I only bowl at a weekly thursday night drinking league with my mother. String pins are the most arcade-y, cheap, and unsatisfying way to bowl imaginable. I bowled on string pins and there is no explosion, no pin action, strikes with horrible throws and even worse hit in the pocket, hell the lanes were busy and they sounded dead. If bowling goes the way of the string pin I might just quit because its not as fun, less rewarding, and genuinely a sad experience to see such a fun sport turn into the equivalent of a modern day disney movie.

[@MM3ScubaSteveUSN]

I thought the SAME thing you feel right now, back in the early 90's when 'reactive resin' came out. It's understandable why string pins are coming out, but it doesn't make it a good thing. One HUGE mistake the industry made was the propagation of automatic scorekeepers - WAY more expensive than automatic pinsetters. There's other issues, such as house shots vs sport shots, and synthetic lane surfaces, but I'll end my 2 cents here.

[@billyeaston6134]

So, im going to be totally honest here. Me and my family started bowling and we love it. WE love the look, feel and challenges of authentic pins being hit buy a ball and the game of chance versus skill. By going to the generic version of pins being held by strings and taking away from the authenticity of the game, actually turns me off. If that happens at my local lane, which i hope does not, I am out, maybe my kids wont mind, but that is to be seen.

[@ronduncan3969]

Spot ON! If Arcade (String Pins) Bowling is the only thing available, I’ve spent my last dime on equipment, WHO would spend $250-$300 for a ball to throw in an arcade game?

[@bowlingvanjapan4099]

String pins will kill the game. A million dollar tournament would bring intrigue, viewers and sponsors. However, Tom Clark has been killing bowling for a decade and a half now and he won’t stop now. He puts himself front and center so everyone can see him every telecast and somehow tries to make the pba about him and not the bowlers. He will promote the hell out of stringpins I guarantee it.

[@amplifiedproductionz6000]

I would be curious to hear your thoughts on the WBL and its ideas, I know it's in the early stages. But it has some interesting ideas that could bring some much needed change and growth to the sport. I'm not saying it will, but competition might be needed to save this sport we all care about.

[@jenniferboone-sz1lo]

Also, I think bowlers should learn the 3/6/9 spare system (like Brittany and I do) and have more options. It's not best to hook every spare, imo. Better recreational bowlers grow the sport. WE are the ambassadors for bowling...we have to be if we want to keep it.

[@FR.7511]

This is so sad bc I just got into bowling. Joining my first league with my dad this weekend. If my local alley switches to strings, it'll be my last.

[@jasonsmith3537]

Agreed, more money/sponsors.... I mean, fishing tournaments pay out more. String pins are the ultimate goal because of cost.... Keeps center maint costs down by huge amounts and also reduces the cost and space of spare parts to manufacture. It's about money as always.... Everyone has higher profits due to these things above and the low low frames per stop of strings. I spend about $16k a year on spare parts for my GS-X's....and another center with strings spent a total of $1,500 for the entire year on string parts... The direction we are headed is because big corps like Bowlero have bought out many of your local centers that were barely hanging on, etc.

[@johnpetro9308]

When the houses I roll in covert to carnival bowling ( that’s what I refer strings to), then my days on the maple are over. Will focus on my golf swing.

[@iceman5117]

Step 3 is bowlero/bowlmore switching all their houses to strings

[@donwebster9170]

I don’t know why sponsors won’t deal with the PBA. There are many products that bowlers use outside of bowling (diners, restaurants, hotels, airlines, sports medicine)

[@drummachine434]

I used to shit on easy oil patterns, house shots, all the easy high scoring. That's not so bad anymore now its string pins

[@SirJoelsuf1]

String pins have lowered scores across the board. That's literally the only good thing about them. I tend to mock most bowling boomers who want everything to return to 1977 but they are right about two things. 1) Perfect games are WAY too common and its ruining the sport, 2) Action should be encouraged not discouraged. To me they should replace prize funds which to me are stupid. How much better would league be if instead of waiting for a prize fund at the end of the season there is a high game/set pot every week? Don't want to participate? Cool. Just pay the lineage and the secretary.

[@jayare7750]

“People take bowling as a joke” Says the guy making joke bowling videos. Which I enjoy by the way

[@luigirulerhd1618]

I'm newer to the sport (~3-years experience) and I am fully aware I'm engaging in a sport that is already losing its spark for many. Unfortunately, this change is in my opinion is a last ditch effort by the USBC to keep profits coming in for the other centers around the U.S. Although it makes sense when looking at it from a profitability standpoint, they are not thinking about how many bowlers that take the sport seriously that will simply walk away from the sport due to the change. As much as I would like to say I wouldn't walk away if it became only string-pin bowling, I can't say I 100% wouldn't...

[@sooner300]

Where I live bowling alleys are closing left and right and no new ones are being created other than 6 to 8 lane club atmosphere places. If string pins is a reasonable solution to saving bowling, then I'm all for it, but I doubt it will. The bowling we all love and enjoy, needs a angel.

[@R91vsDriver]

I'm with you, Mike. Inflation is hurting EVERYTHING at every turn in every day life.

[@Ewigi]

I’ve bowled on string pins before, it is not fun. The pin carry makes no sense, the ball hits like a pancake, and I hate to how the strings pull the pins and makes the pin action subpar as hell. I’m really hoping USBC, Bowlero, the PBA, SOMEONE does something to solve this issue. I’ve been trying for the last month or so to get more people into bowling, explaining the mechanics, the technological aspects, and the satisfaction I get from it. I hope I’m doing my part to bring bowling back to it’s former glory. Thank you for making this video 220

[@mikedefalco4871]

I also agree with you..there need to be more tournaments and a longer PBA season with more money

[@johnjohns4056]

Everything you bring up is spot on. I've seen a lot of changes in bowling over the decades, some good, some not so good, but string pins will ruin the sport of bowling. Pro bowling definitely needs more exposure. I still say the beginning of the downfall was when ABC quit airing pro bowling years ago on Saturday afternoons, now string pins will make it extinct.

[@talex001]

I agree strings would be bad for the sport, there are things the PBA could do that they are not doing. I recently started to follow the PBA and to be honest it's confusing with all the tournaments and how the point system works - I have no idea what is really going on until the 5 step ladders on TV, I have no idea which tournament is considered the "super bowl" of bowling.... I recently asked a couple popular youtube PBA'ers if they could make a video explaining it all and they said the point system is even confusing to the players... So I think the PBA needs to better explain the points system and qualifying and they should also highlight the grind and just how much work the top guys put in to even get to the TV step ladders, in other words they need to make it more accessible to those looking from the outside, that will go a long way to drawing interest and with that will come sponsors and more money. People will watch a real competition played at a high level but right now your average person does not realize how many games the top players bowl and think of bowling as if Kingpin is a documentary so they don't take it seriously. Lastly their website stinks and looks like it came from the late 90's and just adds confusion. Now all that said, those are steps the PBA could take to start, will that help local bowling centers though?

[@rc4361]

I agree 100% Please more money, a longer season and serious promotion, but NO string pins

[@Slinginghotlead007]

I didn’t watch the whole video but replied to someone else’s comment and said everything that you put in your video about Bowlero. One option would be for the bowlers ( the highest profile ones and the largest Social Media backed bowlers - coming together to form their own Pro League. Like the LIV Tour did for golf where all the pros went there to make more money and made the PGA change and eventually merge with LIV. KZbinrs are simply doing more for the sport of bowling than Bowlero or the PBA. And making consistently more money doing videos and livestreams than most PBA pros. Which in itself is a sad reality in a “Pay for Play” only sport. Yes, the PBA will push back but there is no monopoly in creating ANOTHER Pro league. There, my idea is out the for free for someone with money or connections to pull it off. This might be the only way to change the direction of PBA and regular bowling.

[@canhhuynh5537]

Completely agree with everything you said.

[@MotivGuy94]

$20 dollar beers?! That's ballpark prices! How tf is that even justified?

[@del1550]

I agree with you 💯 % This video is one of your best. String pins will destroy bowling and turn it into an arcade game for open play family fun with outrageous prices that eventually not many will be able to afford.

[@JamesNpersonal]

100% agree. Pros do this for a living and struggle to survive already as you have pointed out in a previous video. They would need to learn to use the strings to their advantage, and that is just gross for the purity and fun of bowling. I love a split conversion now. It is amazing. But a string pin one? No way. And I also agree that the season is ridiculously short. They charge $15 a month to watch for 3 months. I have been lamenting over this. Imagine if the NBA was only the playoffs. Who would care about individual players if we didn’t want them fight to get there. Step ladder being the only televised part of a tournament is dumb. I want to watch my favorite player every tournament, even if they don’t make top 5. Lots of work to do to fix this

[@mikehancho8930]

Love your videos and your takes. I think that what pro bowling needs is more ahowmanship. Im not saying that there isnt anyone at all now, but personalities like Pete Weber cant carry the sport on their backs forever. You definitely fill a lot of the void im talking about though!

[@mikehancho8930]

I would also like to say that Packy @housebowling also is doing a good job of filling the "animated" bowler category of today.

[@paulawhite8488]

I completely agree with you

[@willieyoung7070]

I’ve been bowling for about four years now, my first two years the alley I bowled at was AMF. Two years ago Bolero took over and the prices instantly went up. At the time I did two leagues, a normal house shot league and a sports pattern league. The house shot league was $13 and the sport pattern league was $24. Two years later the house shot league is $20 and the sports pattern league is $35. I am honestly considering not doing the sports pattern league when it comes back around because I don’t to keep paying nearly $40 a week to bowl. I am an average house league bowler, who’s average is 172. I currently don’t and don’t plan on doing any regionals (same for tournaments). For me bowling is a weekly escape, where I can spend time with my friends while having a few drinks. I initially did the sports pattern league to improve my game, and learn different angles/ techniques. I feel comfortable with my game now, so for me to keep paying nearly $40 for a league is insane. Then Bolero have this rule where you can’t bring in it outside drinks. I love water, so I like to bring my Yeti cup and they have a fit anytime you bring in outside drinks. That being said, their excuse is they’ll give you water. They give you a small styrofoam cup, that you can finish in one sip. Who has time to constantly be going up to the counter to get more water. I love bowling and will still continue to bowl, but bolero is definitely destroying bowling.

[@nevinkinzel]

Our Bowlero provides pitchers of water and regular solo-size plastic cups. 🤷‍♂️

[@jefferydaniels6717]

I don't think this is by design per se. Many houses are converting for cost savings and the PBA is pretty intrusive to a center's schedule so many opt out of hosting anything PBA. So, if a center is willing and is string, you're stuck. Unfortunately, the industry has been sold on the "lower" costs of string pins (i.e limited mechanical staff needed = less payroll) so it's really a matter of time. Wait till you see AMF/Bruswick stop making free fall pinsetters. I'm sure it's coming.

[@user-tu8ff4hj3s]

Your thought process is on point. Why watch cheesy strings with no messengers. That’s part of the excitement to see physics in action and not strings hitting strings with ghost hits.

[@briguyinsi]

Wait a sec… I don’t drink, but I do bowl in a Private center where it’s like $5 or $6 for bottled beers and even cheaper on tap. Does Bowlero really charge $20 for a single beer? I assume that’s sarcasm? lol

[@220avg]

I believe the last time I went to a bowlero I paid somewhere around $16 for a mixed drink lol

[@simonsardine2925]

That was an exaggeration, but they are expensive if you don't get what's on special that day, and there are no specials Fri - Sun. If you like Coors light in a bottle, you can get that for $3, I think $4 on the weekend. if you like a mug of something better it's actually around $9 - $10 depending on what you ordered. A lot of the family owned places are cheaper in that regard. I'm in a different region that 220 though, I can't speak for what they do in CA

[@miketirado6807]

The bowlero by me keeps the lights off. I went on a Saturday afternoon and they refused to turn the lights on. Ridiculously cheap yet overpriced to bowl.

[@simonsardine2925]

@@miketirado6807 Yes I find that can be a problem around here too. I think it will be in part what manager/center you are dealing with. The one by me rarely goes full "cosmic" anymore, and the majority of the days I go they don't have any of that. I think they found that most times they were losing business by turning the lights off. I know a lot of people (myself included) would show up and leave and go to another nearby center when that was happening. They moved away from charging extra for cosmic though and just raised the price of all non-league bowlers to be the same no matter when you go. That used to be their way of "justifying" charging $8 a game.

[@briguyinsi]

@@220avg Shit man, I mean that’s like Lucky Strike boutique bowling prices.

[@scottashley3906]

You’re 100% correct. Bowlero is a corporation looking to build revenue and not the Sport of Bowling. They don’t cater to us, nor do they care about us. They’re in the business of getting people in to simply spend the money on the products only. I am with you 💯% all the way. I will let you know if I come up with any ideas, Michael when I see you. Thanks again.🤙🏿🤙🏿💯💯

[@docholliday4520]

Fuck bowlero. Let them. I'll start my own free fall pro tour, open my own chain of free fall lanes, get my own sponsors and heavily involve gambling and Vegas. Get my own sponsors. Easy win.

[@Ekruob]

Your not wrong. And even though I’m not a fan of string pins. I have also had several bowling centers close on me (north-east USA) siding cost to maintain machinery. The pin setter “technology” is too expensive to maintain, too many moving parts and you need to pay specialized mechanic to be on staff to fix problems as they come up. That price thing gets passed down to a consumer. Ie $15-$30 a game/hour. The only way to stop the string revolution is to come up with a new pinsetter that it’s cheaper than maintain.

[@ashketchem6511]

Brother we are beyond that point of caring about professional bowling. Ideally the PBA dissolves within the next 3-5 years and all the delusional players who think they can earn a living being a professional bowler can finally find a real paying job.

[@Mage_Nichlas_]

Even if String Pins somehow had the exact same reaction, no stringplay knocking over pins or preventing pins from hitting, and made the PBA shows go 0.4 seconds faster for the season total(as seen with the recent shot clock change), if they were the *EXACT SAME* people inside and outside the sport would still look at it like nothing but a toy. If there were no competitive changes the general public would be confused why the pins are on strings because they've only seen those with smaller pins at like an arcade. This goes 5x so for actual bowlers, the biggest part of our viewership that makes the PBA worth it. As sad as Norm Duke and Pete Weber's retirements are, I don't wanna see my heroes I grew up watching in the 2000's retire early because the sport is a joke. And by God they aren't gonna have the Pete Weber sendoff tournament for people like Chris Barnes, Tommy Jones, Parker Bohn III, etc. on rinky dink string pins without contractual manipulation of actual bowling's greatest players.

[@jamesrobinson7381]

I stopped bowling 20 years ago as the price per game went up. I couldn't even tell you what an average game costs now? I know lane rental was sometimes economical. See if you can dig up an ole Columbia Sur D Pro ball? It was illegal back in 1977. Very soft exterior.

[@robertl9863]

You know shit got real when a man pulls out a white board and an expo marker... I'm just appreciating what I have now. Who knows if bowling will even exist in 10-20 years the way things are going. Between string pins and the average cost of bowling going up to $5-10 a game at most alleys, who even knows anymore? Bowlero is literally just a shitty evil corporation that is going to pump and dump bowling. So I just think, whatever at this point. Bowling is dying. I have no control over that. I'm going to enjoy what's left of it before it goes. Also you're so right, the PBA season only being three months is absolutely stupid. We're in the beginning of May and it's over already? I had no idea. The PBA literally exists as an advertising vehicle for bowling, that is the entire point of it. To shut it down before it even really started means there's now 8 or 9 months out of the year you're biggest promotional vehicle is doing nothing... which is brain dead and backwards. When I was a kid, PBA was on every week on Saturday mornings and you would tune in after bowling to see how your favorites did that week. I don't even know what bowling is supposed to be anymore. Bowlero wants you come in with your friends, play one game, buy several rounds of drinks and food. And then leave after spending $100-200 dollars for the experience... that is clearly going to crash and destroy bowling because why would anyone do that more than once a year, if that? It's so clear what Bowlero is doing pumping and then dumping the sport. But there's no one to stop them. Virtually every independent alley is owned by some bowling obsessed boomer who's still held on to this day. In 5-10 years, what will independent bowling look like when this generation is gone? Meanwhile Bowlero murdered what bowling was while not building any sort of young generation who enjoys it. So it's going to die and none of us have a choice about that. Since there's no incentive to get addicted to bowling since it's so expensive now to play. And the sport is treated like a joke. They're just going to kill the game and then all the executives at Bowlero responsible will flee to other corporations like rats off a ship.

[@rotoryan]

It really sounds like you just said “you don’t like it” Cheaper cost easier to fix less money to run a center. You bowl tournaments where lane breakdowns are 30 minutes and you’ll realize strings will be better

[@drummachine434]

I've bowled In a string house before and it took 15 minutes for the employee to get their butt back there and untangle the strings. And your only choice at the place is $35/hr. So strings are no better

[@s1l3nc3r3]

You should watch Nate's and Elise's video they did from there. Also, the PBA event doesn't count towards anything. It's being used as a test for the PBA.

[@bertm13]

With string pins, 220 average bowler becomes 230 average bowler

[@nicknackdaddyack]

String pins are a joke. If bowling goes to string pins only....bowling is pretty much done. I'm a league bowler and have been for 30 years...off and on. I couldn't handle the stupidness of string pins. And heck no I wouldn't watch the pros anymore.

[@jenniferboone-sz1lo]

agree completely

[@nightmaresnightly]

Bowlero is ruining bowling. there was a center around me that would do all you can bowl for 8 dollars just a few years ago. Bowlero bought em up and went to it's 18-23 dollar all you can bowl nights, or 7-10 dollars a game