ARLINGTON, TX – May 4, 2011 – As the economy inches towards recovery, female “mom” consumers looking for fun, wholesome and affordable family-friendly activities are turning to one of America’s favorite pastimes – bowling.  The Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA), the leading non-profit trade association and voice of the bowling industry, reported today a significant spike in participation among females aged 25-34. 

According to 2010 Simmons Data Research based on a sample size of more than 24,000 U.S. adult consumers, the BPAA announced participation among females aged 25-34 at 35 percent, up from 31 percent the year prior. 

The BPAA also reported that, in comparison to other sports activities, bowling participation saw the largest spike among all participatory sports (activities that require more than one individual to be played) that saw increased participation in 2010:

• Bowling – 4 percent increase
• Golf – 0.7 percent increase
• Volleyball – 0.4 percent increase

“Across the country we are seeing a consistent trend where moms are turning to bowling as a fun, wholesome and affordable activity for the family.  Also, moms find it appealing that bowling is a highly inclusive sport that can be enjoyed by family members of all ages – unlike other sports, the playing field is level and there aren’t very many barriers,” said Steve Johnson, executive director of BPAA.

Added Johnson, “we’ve also found that many moms are delighted to see the tremendous strides that the bowling industry has made with many centers now offering increased food and entertainment offerings.”

Bowling’s surging popularity among “mom” consumers follows an industry-wide trend that has seen bowling rank as the nation’s number one participatory sport, contributing to a $10 billion impact on the U.S. economy.