"One of the women's sections had only eight teams.
"The fact is that the entry fee of $18 a player is far too high for just one day's play for the bulk of the players who do not qualify for post-section play."
Adams said a more equitable solution would be reducing the fee to $10, with the better players who then qualify for the post-section finals paying another $10 to carry on.
"The decline in entries will be halted and reversed.
"More experienced bowlers will be inclined to take academy players in their teams thereby giving them exposure to higher intensity games."
The Chronicle understands fees for centre tournaments have increased from $15 per person in the 2013-14 season, of which $2 goes back to Bowls New Zealand.
Bowls Wanganui board member Graeme Young said unlike the other centre tournaments, the 4's event this year was only one day as opposed to the drawcard of a full weekend of matches.
"I think there will be some discussion between now and next year, increasing the number of games people get.
"For the first two centre events of the year, all the entries were up 30 per cent. The number for this year [in 4's] was the same as last year."
Young said as the overall registered number of players in Wanganui was now around 570, compared to 1100 from years gone by, the fee levels were structured with that in mind.
"Every dollar that Bowls Wanganui earns is essential to keep it going.
"They've got to exist and if they don't get the money from that avenue, they have to get them from another."
Laird Park club vice president Bernard Anderson said most of their small membership of 25 found centre tournament fees too dear.
"I'm in the rep team so in our club I'm generally winning all the time.
"For our older members, what [Adam's] saying is associated with them.
"They know they're not going to get anything out of it. They tend not to get involved.
"This $10 thing was last year, I don't know if it will make any difference."
At the larger Wanganui Bowling Club, former president Tony Herbert agreed the board needed to look at the situation, even if there wasn't an easy fix.
"I addressed my concerns to a board member last week - "what are you going to do, you have to have some concern".
"Entry fees most probably are stopping some.
"If they won through their section play, they'd be delighted to pay the next [$10]."
Not taking part in bigger centre events went in line with his concerns about overall bowls numbers decreasing from when he joined the Wanganui club in 1980.
"Back then, there were people who missed out playing roll ups on Saturday's because the greens were full."
At the Wanganui East club, publicity officer Ray Hutchison said the issue was Bowls Wanganui has run into deficit.
"I'm not sure [tournament decline] is entirely dollars, but Graham's idea is good. It could be trialled to see how it goes.
"Anyone likes to pay less money, but the $18 must have been pitched with revenue in mind.
"[Bowls Wanganui] need as much revenue as they get, so it's a balancing act.
"The user pays, really."
