I had a unique and educational experience attending BowlExpo 2024 earlier this month to get a sense of the current situation in the bowling industry. Below are my key takeaways from the convention, followed by my more in-depth report.

Key Takeaways

• • ** Whether you like it or not, string pins will be part of bowling’s future in the next 5-10 years. The major suppliers are marketing the huge cost and operational savings, and installing them is a stated goal of Bowlero, the largest operator of bowling centers in the U. S.
  • **The arcade business has become a major contributor to the bottom lines of bowling centers, with some centers earning thousands of dollars of income on a weekly basis.
  • **The dining areas and sports bars are also becoming key contributors to the bottom line, leading proprietors to offer a larger variety of higher quality food and beverage options. Fortune 500 consumer goods companies such as Pepsi and General Mills were in attendance as they are taking notice of this growth opportunity.

My Visit to BowlExpo 2024

To say that the Varipapa family has a long history in the bowling industry would be an understatement. From my grandfather’s Hall of Fame career to my family’s 40-year ownership of a chain of pro shops in the northeastern U.S. and to my first job out of college in marketing and public relations with AMF, bowling has been a major part of the family history for decades. But I have been out of the industry since selling the family business in 1990 after my father’s death and spent the last 34 years in marketing and communications in business and government. However, my recent retirement has rekindled my desire to get back into the bowling world. But after 34 years, I realize that I have a lot to learn about all the changes that have transpired. Fortunately, some recent events have given me the opportunity to get a quick introduction to the current state of affairs.

My grandfather’s biography was published in May, and the timing was perfect to provide some excellent marketing opportunities. John and Joe Laspina from Maple Lanes purchased 300 copies of the book to distribute to all their pro-am entrants at the PBA50 tournament in Clearwater, FL, and to their championship teams in Rockville Centre, NY. The author, Glenn Gerstner, was on hand to autograph the book. The buzz this created led to the Bowling Hall of Fame inviting us to sit at their booth at the annual BowlExpo convention in July to market and sign the books, and once again, thanks to the generosity of John and Joe LaSpina, Glenn and I were their guests at the convention. And I certainly learned a lot while I was there.

Andy Varipapa Had a Presence at the Convention

With visible signage at the Hall of Fame booth, people stopped by to talk with us about Andy and purchase books, which benefitted the Hall of Fame. As I walked around the large convention hall and introduced myself, people would note the name on my badge and immediately start telling me stories about Andy. It was an interesting twist, as when Andy met people they would listen to his stories, but as I met with many proprietors from around the country, they would tell me their stories about when Andy visited their centers. I enjoyed hearing all this history, and Andy definitely had a presence at the convention in spirit.

An Industry Education

While this was my first visit to BowlExpo, it was not my first business convention, so I approached it with the same strategic focus. The floor was divided into three distinct sections, the first being the bowling section. As you might expect, the companies with the most extensive footprint were Brunswick and QUBICA*AMF, showcasing a selection of consumer goods but primarily focusing on their string pinsetters – each with a working sample mini-alley – as the cost savings may be too significant for the industry to ignore, in addition to the growing shortage of experienced mechanics. The rest of the section had bowling ball, bag and shoe manufacturers, sportswear, numerous bowling supply distributors, coaching companies, and booths for the BPAA, Bowlers Journal, the PBA, and of course the bowling Hall of Fame.

The second section of the convention floor – and, to my surprise, the largest section – focused on the arcade vendors. It was very big, very noisy, and filled with kids playing with all the various games. When I was a young bowler, all that my bowling center had was Pac-Man and Breakout. The size of this arcade section made me feel that I had just walked into a Dave & Buster’s location, not a bowling center. But in conversation with many of the proprietors there they indicated that the arcade section of their center is now contributing a significant and growing portion of income and profits to their bottom line. And having spent a considerable portion of my professional career in business, I understand their perspective.

The third and last area was the food and beverage section, which again was larger than I expected. More importantly, however, was the realization that the industry has a definite focus on upgrading the menu choices available to their customers. I sampled some delicious items that wouldn’t normally be found in a bowling center, and such choices could entice their customers to have a meal at the center’s dining area. At many centers the dining area has expanded with a full menu, no longer the simple snack bar that I remember from my past and has also become a larger contributor to a center’s bottom line.

The same can be said for the bar area, which in many centers has become a thriving sports bar that also contributes to the bottom line. The convention floor featured numerous vendors marketing sports drinks, hard seltzers, and new non-alcoholic beverages for centers to offer their customers. It was very apparent to me that some significant Fortune 500 consumer goods companies such as Pepsi and General Mills were in attendance, marketing their products to an industry they view as a growth opportunity.

Final Thoughts

My attendance at this year’s BowlExpo convention was an amazing education on the current state of the bowling industry. Again, my thanks to John and Joe LaSpina of Maple Lanes for affording me the opportunity to attend. I look forward to attending next year’s convention to see where the industry goes in the next 12 months.