Page 42 - BCM May 2024

BCM WHITE PAPER

Chris Chartrand Corey Dkystra David Frewing
Pat Ciniello Jeremy Felton
State of the Global

Bowling Business

Industry leaders weigh in on where we’ve “We managed to open 80% of the

been, where we are and where we’re going. locations and operate,” he told BCM.
“Imagine, while active combat is still
going on and cities are bombarded by
BY BOB JOHNSON Russian missiles and bombs, people
are ready to play.”
oet and author Maya Angelou the International Business Depart- While that no doubt is the most
P famously observed, “You can’t ment of American Bowling Service in extreme example of a “business
really know where you are going until Japan; David Frewing, president of disruption,” the business of bowling
you know where you have been.” US Bowling Corporation; Alex Funk, is impacted in numerous other ways
Similarly, Winston Churchill suggested president of Funk Bowling North every day.
in a 1948 speech to the British House America; Tyler Jensen, president of “Transit times have been extremely
of Commons, “ ose that fail to learn Storm Bowling; Hans Krol, chief execu- di cult to navigate,” says Jensen about
from history are doomed to repeat it.” tive o cer of BowlTech in Europe; shipping bowling balls and other
Taking time to re ect can be chal- Graeme Rose, managing director of consumer products to various interna-
lenging in a world that’s evolving at Tenpintec/Cybernetic Solutions in tional markets. “With water levels at an
an ever-faster pace, and the changes Australia; Roberto Simeone, president all-time low in the Panama Canal and
taking place in bowling sometimes of Steltronic Scoring; and Paul Sylvia, the Red Sea shipping crisis caused by
seem to be turbo-charged. vice president of Dexter Bowling. the Houthi rebels, it reminds you that
But understanding both where even moving bowling balls is subject to
we’ve been and where we are today are Of Wars and Water Levels climate and political issues.”
critical to ensuring a successful future You don’t have to tell Igor Plokhov
for the bowling industry — an industry how life can change in the blink of an Revenue Trends Post-COVID
that must be healthy if there is to be a eye based on events over which one e global unrest comes at a time
future for the sport. has no control. He was managing a when bowling has been enjoying one
Who better to assess the state of the chain of bowling entertainment cen- of the strongest business periods in its
industry than the people who have ters in Ukraine when Russian President history following the mandated busi-
skin in the game? Eleven executives Vladimir Putin decided to invade ness closures during the COVID-19
took time out of their busy schedules the country and missiles destroyed a pandemic.
to contribute to this BCM White shopping center in which one of the “ e rebound that has happened
Paper (in alphabetical order): Chris bowling venues was located. in the industry just goes to show how
Chartrand, chief executive o cer of After living through the terrifying much people crave socialization and
Kegel; Pat Ciniello, chairman of the early days of the war and moving his a sense of community,” observes
board of QubicaAMF; Corey Dkystra, family to safety in Poland, Plokhov ulti- Dykstra. “In speaking with proprietors,
chief executive o cer of Brunswick mately relocated to Scotland. ere, he many of them had their highest rev-
Bowling Products; Jeremy Felton, vice manages the remaining Lucky Strike enues ever in 2022. Many have seen at
president of sales and marketing for centers remotely. business or small declines since then,

40 • BCM • MAY 2024 www.bcmmag.com

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