Adds comment from Lucky Strike in paragraph 4

By Mike Scarcella

WASHINGTON, May 7 (Reuters) - A group of bowling patrons has sued Bowlero and AMF bowling centers owner Lucky Strike Entertainment LUCK.N, alleging the company illegally drove up prices and undercut quality in a drive to dominate the U.S. bowling industry.

The proposed class action, filed in the federal court in Seattle on Wednesday, said Lucky Strike and subsidiaries violated federal antitrust laws and state consumer protection provisions through its strategy of acquiring hundreds of competing bowling centers nationwide.

The plaintiffs are 11 bowlers from Washington, California, New York, Illinois and other states. They are seeking class action status on behalf of at least thousands of other bowlers.

Mechanicsville, Virginia-based Lucky Strike, which was formerly known as Bowlero Corp, in a statement on Thursday called the lawsuit "a meritless attempt by a startup plaintiffs’ firm to generate headlines." Lucky Strike said the market is competitive, and that "we are confident in our conduct, confident in the law, and we will defend this case vigorously and to the fullest."

Attorneys for the consumers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The bowlers allege Lucky Strike acquired bowling centers across dozens of cities, giving it dominant market shares locally and nationally.

Bowlero operates more than 350 bowling centers in North America and controls about 35% of U.S. bowling revenue, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims the consolidation allowed the company to raise prices for lane rentals, shoe rentals, food and drinks, while cutting costs by reducing maintenance, staffing and operating hours.

"Bowlero’s dominance — fueled by repeated hedge fund and private equity investment on the road to going public — is the product of its Wall Street-engineered unlawful merger-driven playbook," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit also cites Bowlero’s 2019 purchase of the Professional Bowlers Association, which the plaintiffs say gave it additional leverage over competitors through marketing and tournament access. The PBA organizes professional bowling tours and has media deals with major U.S. broadcasting networks.

The plaintiffs asked for unspecified monetary damages and a court order unwinding certain past acquisitions. They are also seeking to bar Lucky Strike from making additional acquisitions in bowling and related markets.

The case is Benjamin Doehr et al v. Lucky Strike Entertainment et al, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, No. 2:26-cv-01535.

For plaintiffs: Catherine Simonsen of Simonsen Sussman, and John Fiske of Baron & Budd

For defendants: No appearances yet

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