How to Leverage Spark Interactive Bowling for Increased Revenue

March 20, 2025

In an increasingly competitive market, bowling centres must offer something unique to stand out. Spark Interactive Bowling is an incredible way to create a truly immersive experience for customers, setting your venue apart from traditional centres and from those with non-interactive projection systems However, how you sell Spark can have a significant impact on both your revenue and the longevity of your equipment.

Many centres in the UK currently run Spark all the time, selling bowling by the game. This ensures every guest experiences the unique visuals and interactive elements, allowing you to demonstrate a real point of difference to competitor venues. However, it does mean that the operator can’t command a price premium for the use of Spark vs a product sold without it, as there’s no option to not have it. In this scenario, instead of creating a premium option, the centre has chosen to present their whole offering as premium.

It is worth considering that this ‘always on’ usage clocks up a great many light hours – meaning that where a centre is open around 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, projectors will need replacing approximately every four years. Centres will need to factor in this significant investment into their long-term financial planning.

An alternative approach, which is much more common in the USA, is to sell the Spark experience as a distinct premium offering, presented as an alternative to standard bowling. In this scenario, the centre is only using the projectors when a customer has paid for the experience. This method can allow centres to charge a higher game rate for Spark enabled sessions, while also increasing the lifespan of their projectors and enhance the exclusivity of the experience.

The Case for Selling Spark as an Distinct Product

1. Protecting Your Investment

Projectors have a lifespan of approximately 24,000 light hours, which equates to around four years if they are used continuously. Running Spark full-time requires the operational expenditure to replace the projectors to be built into the financial model. By offering Spark as a distinct product, projectors are only used when a session is booked, extending their lifespan and reducing the frequency of costly replacements.

2. A Premium, Time-Based Experience

Some of Spark’s most engaging games, such as Horse or PinPix, can only be played when bowling is sold by time rather than per game. If you continue to sell bowling per game while running Spark full-time, customers won’t fully appreciate the interactive elements designed for variable length play sessions. By switching to a time-based pricing model for Spark sessions only, you align the customer experience with the product’s creative strengths.

3. Increased Perceived Value

If customers see Spark as a standard offering, they may take it for granted. However, if it is marketed as an exclusive, upgraded experience, it becomes more desirable. Customers are more likely to pay extra for something special. While hourly rate bowling traditionally commands a lower game value vs game bowling, the exclusivity of the Spark experience can help increase the price point to bring these values more inline.

For example, a standard game might cost £10 per person, while an hour of Spark bowling could be priced at £60 per lane. This pricing structure makes Spark an attractive group experience while ensuring the venue maintains the maximum revenue per lane. The impressive visuals of the Spark bowling lanes, the range of game opportunities and personalisation for the players will captivate other envious guests in the centre, helping drive both cross-selling on the day and repeat visits.

4. Streamlined Operations

When a customer books a Spark session, the system can automatically activate the projectors for that specific game, – reception staff simply select the appropriate Spark product.

Reservations via Sync and Meriq allows for a blend of time and game bowling rates to be in use, keeping interaction from the staff perspective to a minimum.

These measures help create a seamless and hassle-free experience for both employees and guests.

5. A Stronger Marketing Opportunity

Selling Spark as an distinct product gives your centre a reason to market the experience actively. Educating customers on what Spark offers, through social media, in-centre digital displays and interactive demos, will help drive demand.

Centres should highlight Spark’s AR-enhanced bowling experience, demonstrating the unique games and visuals that make it a must-try activity.

How to Successfully Market Spark as an Upgrade

Target Corporate and Group Bookings: Spark bowling, particularly with Brunswick pin select games, is an easy sell for bigger groups of six or multi-lane parties for their second or third games. This change of scoring styles and gameplay mode creates variation for players and also acts as a leveller for players of different abilities -making it ideal for celebrations and corporate events.
Highlight the Exclusive Nature of Spark: Emphasise that it’s a premium experience.
Leverage Digital Assets: Use videos, images and social media content to showcase the excitement of Spark.
Train Staff to Upsell: Ensure reception staff understand the value of Spark and can confidently explain why it’s worth the upgrade.
Run Demos: Offer occasional Spark demos to walk-in customers to generate interest and encourage future bookings.

While running Spark all the time may seem like an easy way to differentiate your centre, selling it as an distinct product is a smarter, more sustainable approach. By offering it as a premium experience, you extend the life of your equipment, increase revenue potential and make Spark feel like an exclusive, must-try attraction. With proper marketing and a clear pricing strategy, Spark can become a key driver of bookings and repeat visits for your centre.

Are you ready to transform the way you sell Spark? Start promoting it as an unique product today and watch your revenues grow while keeping your equipment in peak condition for longer.