5 ms·

Wouldn't it make sense at some point to add more pins or make the alley longer, or something? Right now the only “excitement” one get from watching bowling is

by d--b 3y ago

Wouldn't it make sense at some point to add more pins or make the alley longer, or something? Right now the only “excitement” one get from watching bowling is when one of the player fails at performing a strike.

xattt 3y ago
Switch Sports has the right idea by including moving elements, ramps and cliffs.
- unnamed76ri 3y ago
  I thought you were referencing a real world thing for a moment…
- Karellen 3y ago
  Is that a show on ESPN The Ocho?
SudoAlex 3y ago
They already do something - the oil patterns they use on the lanes is considerably different for open/league bowlers compared to competitive bowlers. However the professional bowlers will have the skill, experience and equipment to deal with all the different oil patterns.
- d--b 3y ago
  They do the oil thing because that's one thing that doesn't require a change in rules. But strikes should happen less than 10% of the time for the sport to be enjoyable to watch. It's way more interesting to see a professional bowler strike 2 pins than 10.
  - SudoAlex 3y ago
    There have been rule changes to equipment at different levels to help counteract some of the issues with two handed bowlers, and modern bowling balls. (Note: I bowl in leagues in the UK, so definitely not at a competitive level). Back in August 2020 balance holes were banned by the USBC (and therefore applied internationally), which would have a greater impact on two handed bowlers - as they don't insert a thumb in the ball, it gave them the potential for two balance holes instead of one. Currently every hole drilled into the ball must be used during the release of the ball. More recently certain competitions (PBA mostly) are restricting the use of urethane balls to ban any balls which don't meet a minimum level of hardness. This hasn't been applied at a wider level yet, although it may have an impact over time. https://www.pba.com/2023/june/2023-pba-hardness-report https://www.pba.com/2023/june/2023-pba-hardness-report So things are changing, but it's mostly reactionary rule changes as new problems are being discovered.
  - uxp100 3y ago
    less than 10% of the time? Different pins and a very short pattern maybe could achieve that, but I strongly disagree. I think that would decrease even further the popularity of bowling as a spectator sport. It would just be confusing to a casual player why the pros are getting similar scores to a player who bowls once a year. However, if you think you’d like that, maybe look into candlepin bowling. I think their strike rate is above that, but not far above it. An interesting game, id like to try it. I’ve got a few duckpin lanes near me, but candlepin seems like it is specific to a few locations.
IggleSniggle 3y ago
Bowling is developing into "big balls golf." You try to read and guess oil conditions, with the oil pattern being different at different venues, and the pattern change by every previous bowl of the day. An innovation that would make it more interesting to watch would be a way of showing these differences to the audience.
- d--b 3y ago
  Golf is both way harder and way more varied than bowling though. A golfer who does an eagle on a par 4 is a lot more enjoyable to watch than a bowler who doesn't screw up a strike (regardless of oil conditions).
  - oneeyedpigeon 3y ago
    I feel like people are missing the analogy — the golf equivalent of bowling would be like if most players hit a hole-in-one off most holes. Yes, it would be boring. I'm biased, though — my sport of choice is one in which both teams can spend 90 minutes failing to score a single 'point' and still deliver plenty of entertainment.
  - IggleSniggle 3y ago
    That's sort of what I was saying? Bowling would be a lot more interesting to watch if it were possible to actually see and appreciate the changing conditions of the alley, as a spectator.
- eppp 3y ago
  Don't they show this with the blue coloration in the oil?
Kon-Peki 3y ago
> Wouldn't it make sense at some point to add more pins or make the alley longer, or something? The required construction costs would almost certainly bankrupt 90% of the facilities, and kill the game
devnullbrain 3y ago
Why must every sport change itself to become a TV spectacle equal in magnitude to the Superbowl? Is a sport that its players love a failure?
- jncfhnb 3y ago
  Games are more interesting for everyone when they’re driven by noteworthy good plays vs noteworthy bad plays. A low performance ceiling isn’t very fun.
- adrianN 3y ago
  If all good players are approximately equal it makes sense to make the game more difficult to see whether more advances can be made.
mindslight 3y ago
It's called candlepin.

by d--b 3y ago

xattt 3y ago

Switch Sports has the right idea by including moving elements, ramps and cliffs.

unnamed76ri 3y ago
I thought you were referencing a real world thing for a moment…
Karellen 3y ago
Is that a show on ESPN The Ocho?

SudoAlex 3y ago

They already do something - the oil patterns they use on the lanes is considerably different for open/league bowlers compared to competitive bowlers. However the professional bowlers will have the skill, experience and equipment to deal with all the different oil patterns.

d--b 3y ago
They do the oil thing because that's one thing that doesn't require a change in rules. But strikes should happen less than 10% of the time for the sport to be enjoyable to watch. It's way more interesting to see a professional bowler strike 2 pins than 10.
- SudoAlex 3y ago
  There have been rule changes to equipment at different levels to help counteract some of the issues with two handed bowlers, and modern bowling balls. (Note: I bowl in leagues in the UK, so definitely not at a competitive level). Back in August 2020 balance holes were banned by the USBC (and therefore applied internationally), which would have a greater impact on two handed bowlers - as they don't insert a thumb in the ball, it gave them the potential for two balance holes instead of one. Currently every hole drilled into the ball must be used during the release of the ball. More recently certain competitions (PBA mostly) are restricting the use of urethane balls to ban any balls which don't meet a minimum level of hardness. This hasn't been applied at a wider level yet, although it may have an impact over time. https://www.pba.com/2023/june/2023-pba-hardness-report https://www.pba.com/2023/june/2023-pba-hardness-report So things are changing, but it's mostly reactionary rule changes as new problems are being discovered.
- uxp100 3y ago
  less than 10% of the time? Different pins and a very short pattern maybe could achieve that, but I strongly disagree. I think that would decrease even further the popularity of bowling as a spectator sport. It would just be confusing to a casual player why the pros are getting similar scores to a player who bowls once a year. However, if you think you’d like that, maybe look into candlepin bowling. I think their strike rate is above that, but not far above it. An interesting game, id like to try it. I’ve got a few duckpin lanes near me, but candlepin seems like it is specific to a few locations.

IggleSniggle 3y ago

Bowling is developing into "big balls golf." You try to read and guess oil conditions, with the oil pattern being different at different venues, and the pattern change by every previous bowl of the day. An innovation that would make it more interesting to watch would be a way of showing these differences to the audience.

d--b 3y ago
Golf is both way harder and way more varied than bowling though. A golfer who does an eagle on a par 4 is a lot more enjoyable to watch than a bowler who doesn't screw up a strike (regardless of oil conditions).
- oneeyedpigeon 3y ago
  I feel like people are missing the analogy — the golf equivalent of bowling would be like if most players hit a hole-in-one off most holes. Yes, it would be boring. I'm biased, though — my sport of choice is one in which both teams can spend 90 minutes failing to score a single 'point' and still deliver plenty of entertainment.
- IggleSniggle 3y ago
  That's sort of what I was saying? Bowling would be a lot more interesting to watch if it were possible to actually see and appreciate the changing conditions of the alley, as a spectator.
eppp 3y ago
Don't they show this with the blue coloration in the oil?

Kon-Peki 3y ago

> Wouldn't it make sense at some point to add more pins or make the alley longer, or something? The required construction costs would almost certainly bankrupt 90% of the facilities, and kill the game

devnullbrain 3y ago

Why must every sport change itself to become a TV spectacle equal in magnitude to the Superbowl? Is a sport that its players love a failure?

jncfhnb 3y ago
Games are more interesting for everyone when they’re driven by noteworthy good plays vs noteworthy bad plays. A low performance ceiling isn’t very fun.
adrianN 3y ago
If all good players are approximately equal it makes sense to make the game more difficult to see whether more advances can be made.

mindslight 3y ago

It's called candlepin.