Ok, this might be an odd idea, but Saturday morning is weekly bowling for our kids and I was thinking about WiFi. Wonder if/when bowling alleys will get WiFi and start talking to other alleys?

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could tell your friend across the US: hey, let’s “meet” at the bowling alley and play. The console on the alley could be set on a timer so that new play must commence every X minutes so you don’t end up turning the bowling alley into a gigantic chatroom with nobody bowling or charge by the hour with no limits.

Also, for those waiting, virtual bowling matches could be setup and networked together. High scores across the country could be streamed on the gigantic monitors. This would also get netizens off their butts and out doing something physical. I see a nation of very unhealthy, overweight people if more emphasis isn’t put on computing and exercise.

(and while writing that, I realize we are currently on break from our YMCA membership — doh!)

There is potential here and if I owned a bowling alley this would be the route I’d take with the future bowling alley: more integration and networking with other alleys. The scoring and displays have gotten more computerized and futuristic but there isn’t much in the way of creative thinking about connecting to bowlers in other leagues in other cities across the globe. Potential, I tell you. Somebody get the PBA on the line.