Wouldn't it make sense at some point to add more pins or make the alley longer, or something?
Right now the only “excitement” one get from watching bowling is when one of the player fails at performing a strike.
Right now the only “excitement” one get from watching bowling is when one of the player fails at performing a strike.
However the professional bowlers will have the skill, experience and equipment to deal with all the different oil patterns.
(Note: I bowl in leagues in the UK, so definitely not at a competitive level).
Back in August 2020 balance holes were banned by the USBC (and therefore applied internationally), which would have a greater impact on two handed bowlers - as they don't insert a thumb in the ball, it gave them the potential for two balance holes instead of one. Currently every hole drilled into the ball must be used during the release of the ball.
More recently certain competitions (PBA mostly) are restricting the use of urethane balls to ban any balls which don't meet a minimum level of hardness. This hasn't been applied at a wider level yet, although it may have an impact over time.
https://www.pba.com/2023/june/2023-pba-hardness-report
So things are changing, but it's mostly reactionary rule changes as new problems are being discovered.
I think that would decrease even further the popularity of bowling as a spectator sport. It would just be confusing to a casual player why the pros are getting similar scores to a player who bowls once a year.
However, if you think you’d like that, maybe look into candlepin bowling. I think their strike rate is above that, but not far above it. An interesting game, id like to try it. I’ve got a few duckpin lanes near me, but candlepin seems like it is specific to a few locations.
The required construction costs would almost certainly bankrupt 90% of the facilities, and kill the game
A golfer who does an eagle on a par 4 is a lot more enjoyable to watch than a bowler who doesn't screw up a strike (regardless of oil conditions).