900 global

[britjeff]

has anyone tried any of these balls? the pro shop that i have had all my stuff off( mail order as t 100 mile away) have them for a good price. i've seen some videos and they seem to hook well, but they are pros and can prob hook a house ball. just want to know if they are any good. as per my earlier ththread about a beginner ractive ball i think i could go for that but with my local ish proshop drilling it for me , but not finger tip.
jeff

[Aslan]

900 Global used to be a very dominant ball manufacturer and a PBA sponsor with PBA pros under it's banner. But recently, it's balls have under-performed....the business environment has softened...Storm/Rotogrip has taken a huge chunk of the market...and newer, sexier faces/brands like Motiv and DV8 have taken a big bite as well. That has relegated 900 Global to near obscurity...and if they don't re-invent themselves soon...I doubt they'll be around much longer. Ebonite, Columbia, and Track are barely hanging on to Hammer's brand name in terms of staying relevant. Brunswick is still putting out quality products...DV8 has worked but Radical kinda fell on it's face and now the brand (Brunswick) is for sale...and nobody is buying.

A lot of people still throw 900 Global. It was definitely a "player" back in it's day...kinda like an Ebonite or Track or Columbia...but it no longer sponsors PBA players...and is on the outside looking in. I figure, if nothing changes, it'll probably disappear in a matter of a few years. Ebonite stepped in to grab brands like Track, Hammer, and Columbia...but I doubt they'll be interested in 900Global...the brand name just isn't strong enough. Brunswick can't buy them. Neither Motiv nor Storm needs them. So either they'll go under completely or team up with a minor player like Seismic, Lord Field, Lane #1. I've heard they are already part of the Pyramid bowling ball process...in terms of cores and production...so they might linger on as a toll producer for start-up bowling ball companies.

I've never been a huge fan although I do throw a 900 Global ball currently and have one other one in the "closet of destiny". I've heard really good things about their roller bags though.

[got_a_300]

Ahhhhh yes the old 900 Goober brand and the reason I call it the
Goober brand is because they have a bunch of goobers running the
company straight into obscurity.

As Aslan said they used to be a very dominant ball manufacturer and
a PBA sponsor with some heavy hitter PBA pros under it's banner with
one coming to mind....... Walter Ray Williams Jr.

[Amyers]

Ahhhhh yes the old 900 Goober brand and the reason I call it the
Goober brand is because they have a bunch of goobers running the
company straight into obscurity.

As Aslan said they used to be a very dominant ball manufacturer and
a PBA sponsor with some heavy hitter PBA pros under it's banner with
one coming to mind....... Walter Ray Williams Jr.

I've heard rumors that 900 global is coming back to the PBa soon and has started signing bowlers up. Who knows if it's true or not

[Aslan]

I've heard rumors that 900 global is coming back to the PBa soon and has started signing bowlers up. Who knows if it's true or not

They kinda have to. Their brand isn't worth anything right now unless it's known and it's not gonna get "known" until it's sponsoring PBA Tour pros. Once the brand is worth something, THEN you might be able to sell it off.

[fortheloveofbowling]

I think the 900 global brand may be owned by amf.

[britjeff]

didn't realise that most of the ball manufacturers were owned by one or two parent companies.

[mc_runner]

For the other part of your question of if the balls can hook... short answer is yes! We're at the point where pretty much any manufacturer has an aggressive offering, medium offering, light oil offering. They're called different things in the different companies but generally for a first ball you'd probably look at the less aggressive, more entry level stuff - You can't really go too wrong with any of them especially if you're just getting into the sport. They all provide a controllable reaction without a lot of the complications you can start to get with the more aggressive/higher $ balls.

[Aslan]

I think the 900 global brand may be owned by amf.

Actually, I think 900 Global bought the AMF ball brand...which should have been a sign of things to come since virtually nobody even is aware that AMF makes bowling balls...I know I keep forgetting. They made a Cobra Special Edition that I kinda wanted...but it was hard to find. They've made some other stuff...I was tempted to get it on clearance...but it's just not a very good performing brand. I have no idea what 900 Global was thinking. They have the AMF ball brand...most people don't know it exists. Then they take the 900 Global brand and essentially destroy it by pulling it out of the PBA. So now...they can't really sell the brands...because nobody knows about them...but they can't be making any money.

And the thing is, they can't survive the way a Seismic or a Pyramid can. Pyramid is a very new player...that doesn't have much overhead. That makes low sales numbers palateable. Seismic/Lord Field/Lane #1...are all "niche" brands...also with very little overhead...so again, low sales numbers more palateable. But 900 Global WAS a BIG brand...with factories and sales reps and all that kind of overhead. They can't easily become a "niche player" because they're not...end even if they try to be...any bowler that actually would consider a niche brand...would see 900 Global as a "failed giant" rather than a "niche brand".

What they need to do is get back in the PBA. Then start releasing some really good products. And they need to do that while there is still a 900 Global following. I know 900 Global is the primary sponsor of the abta (amateur bowling tournament association). I think Storm sponsors the ABT (Amateur Bowlers Tour). When I bowled a abta event...LOTS of 900 Global equipment and bags! You actually won MORE money (if you win) if you use 900 Global equipment. And many of these folks, over the years, also acquired 900 Global stuff as raffles and prizes and what not. I think they gave away two "Networks" at that tournament.

In case you don't know...which you probably don't..."The Network" was the name of their last high performance ball...and I actually liked it and thought it would be a decent ball...despite the stupid name.

So, there IS a 900 Global following still around...but it is quickly disappearing as 900 Global essentially sits in the back of the room doing nothing.

[britjeff]

thinking of going for it, more as a first more reactive ball than my pro bowl. with a normal drilling, even if i'm going to get it driiled for me at the pro shop, i think it will make a good stepping stone into something more aggressive with fingertip drilling. from what people have been saying, it sounds like they were a good brand so hopefully the balls are still good. oh and please excuse the spelling. the damn keyboard on my lappy sticks so sometimes letters are missing or doubled up