Episode Overview
Podcast: The Economics of Everyday Things
Host: Zachary Crockett, Freakonomics Network
Episode: #9 "Bowling Alleys"
Date: January 29, 2026
In this episode, Zachary Crockett delves into the past and present of American bowling alleys—once a staple of social life, now a business forced to reinvent itself. By interviewing industry veterans and experts, Crockett unspools how bowling survived decline, why it's making a comeback, and how the economics of running a bowling alley have fundamentally changed.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Golden Age and Decline of Bowling (00:24–04:03)
- In the 1960s, bowling boomed: over 12,000 alleys and pro bowlers earning more than NFL stars.
- Bowling alleys served as what one trade publication called "the poor man's country club."
- The landscape shifted: league membership plummeted by 75% since the 1960s; many alleys closed due to rising real estate values.
- Quote:
“Bowling alleys were a critical part of America’s social fabric. The poor man’s country club, as one trade publication put it.” (00:54 – Zachary Crockett)
2. A Survivor’s Story: Bel Mateo Bowl (04:03–06:19)
- Mike Leong, a lifelong bowler who took over Bel Mateo Bowl, recounts investing over $1 million to modernize and revitalize the alley.
- Renovations included: upgraded restrooms, new scoring systems, lights, music, and air freshening.
- Leong’s focus: eliminate old bowling alley stigmas and attract younger customers.
- Notable Moment:
“I wanted to make Bel Mateo a place that was going to be very clean and very modern compared to the old 1960s, 70s look that it had… The scoring system that we purchased was, you know, quarter million dollars. We added laser lights with fog machines.” (04:38 – Mike Leong)
3. From League Play to Open Play: Shifting Business Models (05:45–07:56)
- Modern bowling alleys now generate only 30-40% of revenue from leagues (down from 70%), so open play and parties are the focus.
- More attention to experiences for kids and young adults—birthday parties in the day, social bowling at night.
- Quote:
“It wasn’t cool in the 80s and 90s and maybe even 2000. But the centers that have survived are very friendly towards the younger generation.” (06:02 – Mike Leong)
4. The Bolero Model and Industry Consolidation (07:06–09:35)
- Devin Stewart (FSU bowling coach, CEO of Bowl Connect, consultant) explains Bolero’s takeover: buying up over 300 alleys and transforming the experience—neon lights, high-end food and drinks, glow-in-the-dark lanes.
- At Bolero-style alleys, bowling may only account for about half the revenue; the rest is ancillary (food, bar, parties, etc.), sometimes even overtaking bowling.
- Bowling alleys now compete on maximizing "dollars per square foot"—with alternatives like laser tag and mini golf replacing vast lanes.
- Quote:
“Proprietors are figuring out ways to maximize dollars per square foot and that number is getting higher and higher… Some even do, you know, go karts, mini golf adjacent to their facilities..." (09:04 – Devin Stewart)
5. Sticking to the Roots (09:35–10:35)
- Leong on resisting buyout offers:
- “I have an allegiance to bowling. All of the other ancillary income things that happen in a center, at least for me, are to keep people happy in the center while they're bowling.”
- At Bel Mateo, bar and snack sales are secondary; the heart remains the lanes.
- Quote:
“The snack bar is probably only about 8% of the revenue, so they’re not making a lot of money… Even the pro shop that we rent, I almost give it to them for the cost of electricity.” (10:02 – Mike Leong)
6. The (Surprising) Economics of Operation (12:09–16:06)
- Business basics: 15% of revenue goes to rent, nearly 30% to staff.
- Bowling-specific costs:
- Frequent equipment replacement: balls ($30 each), pins ($18 each—$9,000/yr for Leong’s 24 lanes).
- Used pins are sold to gun ranges for target practice.
- Stolen shoes are a recurring headache; restocked three times a year mostly due to theft, not wear.
- Lane oil: about $250/day for lane conditioners.
- Machines: older pinsetters are complex and expensive to maintain; reliable mechanics are scarce.
- Quote:
“We have to reorder shoes probably three times a year. Rarely is it because the shoe breaks. It's probably more because somebody wanted that shoe and took it home.” (14:20 – Mike Leong)
- Notable Moment (Fun Fact):
“We sell a lot of [used pins] to people at gun ranges. They like to blow them up for some reason.” (13:59 – Mike Leong)
7. Technological Change: Making the Game Easier (14:44–16:29)
- Melamine lanes and modern balls/oil patterns have made bowling easier—perfect games have skyrocketed from ~800/year (1970s) to over 50,000/year.
- Pinsetter mechanics: an aging specialty. The United States Bowling Congress now allows “string pinsetters,” a simpler, cheaper system, reflecting the scarcity of traditional mechanics.
- Quote:
“It's much more difficult than looking under the hood of a car. One of the difficulties of running a bowling center is having a mechanic who can troubleshoot when your machine goes down. It’s just not something that there’s a lot of people doing.” (16:06 – Mike Leong)
8. Rising Prices & The Future of Bowling (17:05–17:51)
- Inflation and higher costs have pushed game prices from $0.25/game (1960s) to up to $15/game today.
- Operators must raise prices to survive, risking customer complaints but ensuring longevity.
- For bowling devotees, the price doesn't matter; the joy of the sport is what endures.
- Quote:
“If I don’t keep those prices up, it’s real simple. We’ll just go out of business.” (17:05 – Mike Leong) “You can bowl a 28, you can bowl a 228, it doesn’t matter. I just think it’s really, really beautiful that people are having fun again.” (17:34 – Devin Stewart)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On nostalgia and decline:
“Leagues have been in decline for decades. Many bowling alleys have been replaced by high rise condos and office space. And the establishments that remain have had to get creative to keep their businesses out of the gutter.” (00:24 – Zachary Crockett)
-
On modern revival efforts:
“Bowling has become cool again.” (01:37 – Mike Leong)
-
On the economics of modernization:
“In all, Leong says he spent over a million dollars on the retrofit, more than what he’d paid for the business.” (05:12 – Zachary Crockett)
-
On industry consolidation:
“I have more buyers than properties to sell, which is actually a strangely good problem to have.” (07:56 – Devin Stewart)
-
On the changing ethos:
“The new model is made so that the person that wants to come bowling can’t because they have to wait an hour. They don’t have enough lanes. So what do you do? You sit at the bar and you have a drink or you eat. I have an allegiance to bowling.” (09:42 – Mike Leong)
Timestamps of Important Segments
- 00:24 – Setting the stage: the cultural and economic backdrop of bowling’s golden age
- 02:12 – Mike Leong’s first memories and the historical “country club” ethos
- 04:38 – The modernization investment at Bel Mateo Bowl
- 05:45 – Shifting revenue streams: leagues vs. open play
- 06:54 – Devin Stewart introduces the new, immersive bowling experience
- 07:56 – Bolero’s acquisition spree & revamped business model
- 09:35 – Leong on resisting the corporate bowling model
- 12:09 – The unique cost structure of running an alley
- 13:12 – Insurance and liability issues
- 13:35 – Equipment costs, pin replacements, and side hustles (selling to gun ranges)
- 14:20 – Shoe theft and turnover
- 14:44 – Lane oiling, easier bowling, and the rise of perfect games
- 16:06 – Pinsetter mechanic scarcity and technology change
- 17:05 – Necessity of raising prices for survival
- 17:34 – Stewart on the enduring magic of bowling
Tone & Language
The episode maintains a smart, lively, and conversational tone, peppered with nostalgia and humor alongside pragmatic business insights. Crockett weaves in personal stories and data, balanced by the perspectives of industry insiders—demonstrating both the emotional and economic stakes.
For Listeners Who Missed the Episode
Whether you’re a casual bowler, economist, or business owner, this episode paints a vivid portrait of how a humble American pastime has weathered economic storms, technological change, and shifting tastes—and why, with both the old guard and new players innovating, bowling’s lanes aren’t quite deserted yet.