Bowling alleys are a popular worldwide leisure destination, this seemingly timeless activity has been around for a very long time and although the concept of the game remains the same there have been many changes to the bowling alleys themselves and the other activities or food and drink that is available at these alleys. The alleys themselves have obviously gone through drastic changes through the years in both appearance and safety, as the years have gone by the world has become more conscious about health and safety in all aspects of life so of course there have been changes made to the bowling alleys in this respect.
Knickerbocker Alleys – 1 January 1840
The first indoor bowling alley was opened on the 1st January 1840 in New York, the very first bowling alley was a very simple place made solely for the purpose of playing the game, there was no food and drink being served and there definitely wasn’t an arcade much like the modern bowling alleys we all know and love. These bowling alleys were more of a competitive place that was generally male dominated, in terms of the interior design it was made predominantly with wood and unlike today’s bowling alleys the pins had to be reset manually by someone who worked there and the score was recorded by a referee.
Compared to the bowling alleys today which are reliant upon machinery to provide bowling balls, reset the pins, record the scores and even order drinks, the machinery did not exist in 1840 and so the game was taken a lot more seriously this could be down to the fact that there would have to be more effort put into the game and it was much more competitive. Bowling was played as a professional sport much like football nowadays. It was taken much more seriously in comparison to nowadays where we go bowling for celebrations, leisure and just general fun.
Modern Day Bowling.
Bowling has undergone drastic changes especially in recent years. Thanks to the advancements in technology the entertainment industry had evolved into something new this includes bowling. What was once a competitive sport is now a fun event for all the family, bowling alleys are much more inviting with interior design and huge arcades so there’s alot more fun to be had than just bowling which Is very different when compared to the bland wooden lanes that were once present.
Thanks to the new technologies bowling has become much more relaxed when compared to the intensely competitive sport that it once was. Bowling she been made alot more fun as everything is done by machines, the pins are changed, the balls are replaced, you can even set yourself and you friends funny names on the virtual score-boards that are able to recognise the amount of pins that are knocked over on each round and record them to keep track. The convenience of bowling nowadays has made it a great opportunity to generate revenue with companies like aboutbowlingballs emerging within the industry.
Overall, like anything there has been vast changes between bowling as an industry and it has definitely become much more of a leisurely activity as opposed to being taken so seriously as a competitive sport. With new things constantly being discovered there has been many upgrades to the bowling alleys and the technology used to make bowling more relaxed. All of these upgrades have led to an increase in the popularity and the profit margins of the bowling industry, this has led to further upgrades and money being put into the upkeep of bowling alleys as there is money to be made in the industry.
In comparison to how things were in the past with the first ever USA bowling alley being such a bland and simple environment where the only thing you would go for was to bowl, we can see how the industry has developed over such a long period of time. We can also see how bored people can get and how for you to be successful in the industry you must constantly be on the lookout for new and enticing things that will attract visitors and maintain this multi million dollar industry.
