Over-70's KO entries down again

Veterans League

The entry deadline for the Veterans League Over-70's Knock-Out competition was last Wednesday and with only 20 entries received that is a new low in numbers. Last year there were 28 entries. The pre-COVID year of 2019 only 6 years ago there were exactly 50 entries in this competition. Even three years ago in 2022 there were 41 entries into this same competition so the number has more than halved over the past three years. Why do you think that is?

Well clearly the cost of entering going up to £4 per bowler as compared with the £2.50 last year hasn't helped and the total entry income has decreased despite the increase in charges. Why the drop in interest and what it is to be done about it? So despite the increase in the number of teams in the League the interest in the individual competitions is only going one way.

One attempt to address the lack of numbers is in this year's Over-70's Pairs KO has been introduced with a change to competition format. Previously bowlers entered in pairs with the League Rules stipulating that bowlers must come from the same club. This year it has changed so that bowlers enter individually and then a random draw is undertaken to pair all the entrants up. Early indications are that this has failed so far to attract an increase in interest with only 8 bowlers entered to date. If that doesn't improve before the entry deadline then that is just enough to provide for 4 pairs, enough for two semi-finals.

Yet the experiment of introducing free entry into the Lower Divisions Individuals Trophy has seen a dramatic increase in numbers. Last year there were 35 entries in this competition for bowlers from the 6-Man League and Divisions 3, 4 and 5 of the 10-Man League. This year, with still a month to go before the entry deadline, there has been over 60 entries. What lessons are to be learnt from these two examples of different approaches to the same problem?

The full list of entries for the 2025 Over-70's KO competition is below with the deadline now passed and the opening round to be played on Friday 9 May.

Paul Rangeley (Netherton Con)

Roger Stopford (Rastrick BC)

Maurice Grange (Marsh Lib)

Paul Rushworth (Broad Oak)

Keith Hilton (Brockholes)

Stuart Greaves (New Mill)

Andy Carter (Marsh United)

Denis Taylor (Marsh United)

Edwin Haigh (Clayton West)

Colin McCluskey (Huddersfield Rec)

Graham Hirst (Lowerhouses)

James Turney (Marsh Lib)

Kevin McCluskey (Huddersfield Rec)

John Hodgson (Shepley BC)

John Bloomer (Almondbury Lib)

Andy Broughton (Almondbury Lib)

Derek Frost (David Brown Sports)

Graham Brook (Netherton Con)

Robert Mudd (Waterloo)

David Jones (Primrose Hill)