New Research Bowling: The Hidden Gem for Brands in Marketing to Millennials, Seniors, Gen X and Y, Boomers…Simultaneously!

Wow! Is there really something every generation has in common?

Could there possibly be a way to tap multi-generational marketing, all under one roof?

Is there a way for sponsors to appeal to every demographic at the same time?

The answer to all the questions above, is an emphatic YES! 

The sport of bowling is an absolute hidden gem for brands, sponsors, and communities alike.  Bowling can be used to engage and endear customers to brands like never before.

The digital age is perfectly suited for bowling centers, since they have more screens than a Buffalo Wild Wings! Throw in some mobile gamification, digital innovation, great food and drink, great exercise, and a chance to win life changing experiences, and you have a recipe that everyone loves. 

As a matter of fact, the sponsorship opportunities within the sport of bowling, could very well be a greater value than any form of advertising, or any sports marketing concepts to date, including the NFL!

Pretty amazing stuff, check it out.   

Before we explain, let’s look at a little research

·       According to the World Health Organization, nearly every region of the world had a strong increase in life expectancy for years studied 2000-2015. 

·       According to a recent Fung Global Retail and Technology Report, Seniors are now spending more money on experiences than ever before. Rather than spending and saving on material goods, Seniors are now looking for experiences, (or the opportunity to win experiences), rather than traditional loyalty rewards such as miles or points. Not only are Seniors showing this propensity, all other demographics across the board are indicating similar desires. Seems like the ‘old days’ of miles, points, and even cash back rewards, could be short lived. Loyalty solutions today require a much higher level of innovation than previous. 

·       Seniors increased spending on leisure activities due to two key factors, mobility and money. Seniors are more mobile than ever before, have more money, and are more plugged in than many of us realize. Not only is this true of Seniors, every demographic is getting more plugged in and mobile with the desire for experiences.

·       Studies also showed similar patterns for exercise. Many gyms are now targeting customers over the age of 60. Exercise and health are now important for people of every age group.  If we can combine exercise, health, experiences, and winning, then we have a mousetrap that very few verticals are able to deliver.   Throw in loyalty, gamification, social sharing, and rewards (all while exercising) and it’s lights out. 

·       But, it’s not all about health, it’s also about value, fun, sharing, and experiences with social benefits, something every generation is showing a higher propensity in desiring.  Studies are showing a significant increase in spending by all demographic age groups for activities which fill emotional needs. Over 24% of income is now being allocated towards these types of activities. Maybe the digital age is causing a new phenomenon? People are now searching for ways to go somewhere and do something that fills emotional needs.  Bowling is perfectly suited to fill these needs by combining all of the elements above, something ReThink bowling has integrated with their solutions. 

Let’s break it down. 

What do people of all ages really love to do or accomplish? I think there are 5 foundational elements that people of all ages enjoy. 

1. People love to WIN. Winning is a deeply engrained emotion in our psyche. 

2. People also love winning experiences more than traditional rewards. 

3. People love to eat and drink, and they love good food, healthy food, and some adult beverages while associating with friends. Remember, wine is healthy J Beer is too, but many people say it’s not ALL about the health, they need a little fun at the same time. Bowling can do both. 

4. People also love healthy and fun activities, with eating and drinking, with friends, with winning, and with experiences. Holy smokes, the new customer want’s it all! They also love to share their feelings while doing these activities via social. Seniors are the fasting growing demographic on social media, who would have thought?

5. People love to watch sports! Here is something we learned with the birth of Fantasy Football. We now know that people really love to watch sports, if they can win while watching. The problem with fantasy sports is that it’s difficult to understand, and can be very expensive. If any sport can figure out a simple way for people to win, (both while watching and doing), you have a home run. That’s exactly the formula ReThink Bowling is utilizing. 

Here is what is amazing….

With the sport of bowling, we can do ALL 5 of these activities at the same time! But, here is where bowling has missed their mark, and why ReThink Bowling is bullish on the sport. Sponsors and brands should pay close attention, there could very well be no better way to endear customer loyalty (to a brand), than through winning experiences (to that brand), at your local bowling center.  

Here is the case…

1. Bowling has over 67 million participants, around 3X the number of golf. Yet, this vast ‘open play’ market, has yet to be tapped for membership benefits. The sport has mistakenly pursued the ‘serious’ bowler, or the ‘league bowler’, rather than the ‘open play’, or ‘casual’ bowler. The numbers have been pointing away from leagues for a long time, but sometimes old habits die hard.

2. The casual bowler has never won anything with a bowling ball. As a matter of fact, these causal bowlers don’t even own their own ball or shoes, they use ‘house’ balls or rental shoes. After all, who cares? There has never been a reason to get better, practice, or take lessons… right? 

What if there were a reason to take bowling a bit more seriously, but still have fun? After all, we know when people get better at an activity, they do it more often. What if we could throw a strike and win a scholarship for our kids? What if we could throw a strike and win a new Ford Mustang? What if we could watch sports and have the same opportunity to win? Might this opportunity to win cool prizes and experiences appeal to a huge demographic which has never felt the need to purchase their own ball, or take lessons to get better at the game? 

Would these people bowl more often if they could win life changing experiences for simply throwing a strike, or getting 9 pins? Would they watch more sports at our center if they could win while watching as well? 

 What if sponsors received such value from digital innovation, that instead of paying for expensive advertising, they donated prizes and experiences instead. This way, there is no cost to proprietors to provide them.  That’s exactly what we are doing for bowling, it’s the perfect sport to make this happen.

3. Bowling is also great exercise; bowling has NEVER promoted the healthy benefits of the sport, but the ideal time to do so is now. Did you know?

Bowling burns MORE calories than walking or even light running. Just three games of open play exercises more muscles than a complete gym workout! Just three games of open play:

·       Works out over 184 muscles.

·       Lifts or swings over 800 pounds while doing squats and strengthening arms.

·       Walk close to a mile while swinging and lifting at the same time.

·       Burns over 600 Calories.

·       Helps mental focus and balance.

·       Taps dopamine to the brain for a feeling of goodwill.

·       Where is the marketing about the health benefits of bowling? Everyone is looking for the above yet very few people know that bowling is this healthy. Everyone is looking for fun, value, exercise, healthy activities, family togetherness, and more? Have you tried working out with kids, it’s pretty tough, but it’s a lot more fun to go bowling with kids. 

·       PLUS, kids and families can bowl (and win) in ZERO-degree weather or 100+ weather!

·       The opportunity for bowling to emphasize the health benefits are ideal. I am sure numerous sponsors are unaware of the above. 

4. Watching sports at the local bowling center has never really been emphasized or promoted outside of bowling. Instead, we see commercials for Buffalo Wild Wings with their slogan, Beer, Wings, Sports. Bowling centers have much more to offer than BWW, but have failed to make the case.

Many centers receive more income from food and drink than they do from bowling. At ReThink bowling, we are creating an entirely new way for customers to watch sports at their local bowling center. Rather than removing lanes, we suggest adding big screen TV’s, making the lounge more attractive, and combining watching sports with playing sports at the same time.  This is far less expensive than adding lazer tag, or doing a complete renovation. We think the activity of bowling is ready to explode when we add winning, fun, value, and membership benefits in conjunction with watching and playing sports.

Most people have never won anything watching sports, but the remarkable growth of Draft Kings and Fan Duel shows us that ‘fantasy sports’ is very profitable. Is there a way we can tap into the fantasy sports mindset but make it simpler, easier and much more rewarding? 

Yes, there is. Soon, the best place to watch sports will be at your local bowling center. 

Customers who watch sports at their local center will be able to win life changing experiences and amazing prizes. Scholarships, automobiles, Super Bowl tickets, Make-a-Wish types of things, you name it, all kinds of prizes for simply watching sports and playing along with the game. 

Many of these prizes will be GIVEN to the center owner in lieu of expensive advertising dollars with much greater ROI. We can show it and prove it which will open up opportunities for centers that have never existed previous. Now centers can be very generous with rewards knowing there is no redemption expense associated with giving these rewards.  

UBER is another fantastic marketing partner for bowling, now people can stay longer and spend more while winning free rides for safe trips home.

Bowling is actually one of the only sports where people can WATCH and DO sports at the same time! We can even synergize the activities for even greater rewards! For the first time, customers can actually watch sports, participate in sports, eat, drink, and win, all at the same time! Now that’s something to invest in! As you know, the best time to invest in an industry is just prior to take off, we are on the tarmac J

5. The opportunity for small screen to large screen engagement is second to none with the sport of bowling. Social shares, aggregator boards, digital contests, mobile winning, actual winning, scavenger hunts, the ideas are limitless and very profitable. The stage is set, the market is ready, and we think it’s time to ReThink Bowling.

What about the PBA and PWBA? Great question! 

6. The PBA and PWBA, the men’s and women’s professional organizations within the sport of bowling, are poised to boom like never before. 

Bowling is already a big hit with kids, high schools, and colleges. When the dream of becoming a professional bowler becomes more of a reality, an entire generation will practice more, buy better equipment, and keep the sport growing for years on end. 

Did you know bowling is the ONLY professional sport where women compete on an equal basis with men, and have won! That’s right, no women’s tees, no handicap, just straight up equal competition, and a woman has won a National PBA (Professional Bowlers Tour) event beating all the men. This one fact alone is huge for sponsorship, but has never been leveraged.

U.S. Open

I bowled the U.S. Open in Indianapolis, IN many years ago, when male professionals and female professionals actually competed together, bowling on the same pair of lanes. Bowling has never leveraged any of these amazing facts and most people don’t even know they occurred!   

Bowling has more potential for fan engagement and sponsorship value than any other sport to date. If we think the NFL has power, think again. Bowling has far more power, it’s just not realized yet. The mobile device will change the game of bowling forever.

At ReThink Bowling, we are utilizing a number of cutting edge mobile strategies and technologies to revolutionize the profitability of the sport. These same technologies will bring in added sponsorship revenue to both centers and the professional tours. 

Bowling will be the new leader in mobile technologies and customer loyalty innovation.  

Bowling simply needs to re-think itself! That’s why we called our company ReThink Bowling, www.rethinkbowling.com .  

We have launched in Ohio and Michigan, with more information coming soon. In the meantime, email me with any questions - [email protected]

Join our movement to change the sport of bowling forever! We can all benefit by helping communities, families, and small business, it’s about time!