Year-on-Year figures turnaround

Bowling News

Our annual update on the number of teams in each of 18 local leagues shows a heartening turnaround in numbers compared against the 2025 season. This is the most encouraging set of figures we have recorded over the 13 years of keeping records. Inevitably there are some disappointing results to counter the good news but lets start with the positive facts we can derive from the table below.

POSITIVE FACTS

• Only 6 of the 18 leagues included in the table actually saw a net reduction in team numbers for the 2026 season

• Eight of the 18 leagues actually increased their team numbers for the 2026 season

• Total team numbers (769-765) are almost back at pre-Covid levels

• The Huddersfield Veterans 6-Man League recorded a 5th consecutive increase in team numbers

• The Huddersfield Winter League recorded a 6th consecutive increase in team numbers

• The Ladies Afternoon League recorded a first increase in team numbers for 8 years

NEGATIVE FACTS

• A reduction in teams in the Junior League from 7 down to 5 last year and we hope for better news once the 2026 season fixtures are released

• Only 3 of 17 leagues (excluding the Winter League) have exceeded Pre-Covid numbers

• The Heavy Woollen League is down to 9 teams in a single division

• The top five teams in the table are all weekday afternoon leagues

• The top two leagues in the table are both for the Over-60's only

• Four teams have withdrawn from the Huddersfield League and have been partially replaced by three new teams signing up

A closer look at the Huddersfield Saturday League now that the fixtures have been released and we can take a look at the make up of the divisions. Grange Moor, Cowcliffe Lib C, Elland WMC and Paddock I&C B have all resigned from the League due to team-raising problems.

There are three new teams to the League this year, Bradley & Colne, Milnsbridge Lib and Hemplow B making a net loss of one team taking the total down to 61. The Binns Cup and the Taylor Cup divisions are both 8-man team competitions with 10 teams in the Binns and 9 in the Taylor. Bradley & Colne (2022) and Milnsbridge Lib (2023) both returning after a break away in brackets and all three new teams are placed in the Taylor Cup which will be contested this year with the demand for 8-man competitions increasing. Three more teams have dropped out of the 10-man competitions and reappear in the 8-man competitions, They being Marsh United, Kirkheaton Con C and Outlane B.

The table below shows the team numbers in each of 18 Huddersfield area leagues, presents them in the order of biggest increases in numbers comparing the 2026 season against the 2025 totals. The table also includes a Pre-Covid column showing the difference in numbers in the 2026 season compared against the 2019 season just before the Covid pandemic which had such a massive impact on our sport.

The figures are much better and warmly welcomed and lets hope that this is the turning point for crown green bowling in Huddersfield and maybe nationwide. It is so good to report an upturn in numbers and hope that this is the beginning of a renewed interest in our sport.