Bowling Participation on the Rise in 2000 - Brief Article

Bowling Digest, Oct, 2001

TWO RECENT STUDIES SHOW THAT overall bowling participation is increasing. According to both the National Sports Goods Association and the Billiard & Bowling Institute of America, bowling participation rose in 2000.

The National Sports Goods Association found that 42.3 million people ages seven and older took part in bowling last year--up from 41.6 million in 1999 and 40.1 million in 1998. According to this study, bowling is America's seventh-most-popular recreation and fitness activity. Ranking ahead of bowling on the 62-strong list are exercise walking (81.3 million), swimming (59.3), fishing (52.6), vacation camping (48.9), exercising with equipment (43.2), and bicycle riding (42.5). Rounding out the top 10 after bowling are billiards/pool (32.2), basketball (27.2), and aerobic exercising (27.2).

Meanwhile, the Billiard & Bowling Institute of America National Bowling Participation Study reported that 53.8 million Americans ages six and older participated in bowling at least once in 2000. That's up from 52.5 million in 1999 and 50.5 million in 1998.

The BBIA study is data collected by the American Sports Data Inc. for its Superstudy of Sports Participation. According to that data, only recreational swimming (94 million) and recreational walking (82.6) ranked higher than bowling.