So what happens if the secretary runs off with the money in this non sanctioned league?  Just one reason other than an award to bowl in a sanctioned league.

Will you let league members use their Jackals?
Or use the USBC approved ball list?

Just it a try and see what happens.

We're still going to play by USBC rules. We just elect not to give them any monies.

It will be interesting to see how many of your bowlers wind up having a sanction cards anyway.

Do to them bowling in other leagues that are sanctioned or wanting to bowl in sanctioned tournaments.

About 70% only bowl in this league and have doing so for many years

Hog

For your protection, regardless of the stature of the officers in the local community or how he/she presents him or herself, you need double and possibly triple protection for the league funds. Many others have run off for much less and have literally ruined his/her life for what most of us would shake our head at and say "Why"?

You never know what is going on at home, work, or somewhere else that would make someone act out of character.

Before I moved last year, a guy and his buddies got high/were drinking or a combo of both and decided to order a pizza for delivery. The pizza guy showed up late and the guys started to give the pizza guy a bad time (like a 30 minute delivery guarantee or its free) and one of the guys ended up punching the pizza guy, pizza guy is out cold, falls back, cracks his head on the ground, dies. Guys are all in jail right now over what, a $15-$20 pizza? One guy had no records prior to this...nothing.

Point is, you just never know. Require 2 or 3 signatures on the league funds at the bank and require everyone to sign in front of a banker before any money can be withdrawn. If the lague has checks that can be drawn off the account, make sure the checks require multiple signatures. Make sure the president of the league reviews the bank statements monthly to ensure all the money is in the account that should be. Its the little things that will end up protecting you in the long run.

I'd say you're kind of a hypocrite if you're going to use USBC rules but not pay for the privilege.  Why bother even bowling?  Why don't you and your fellow league members quit the sport.  Hang out in the bar, pool your money and buy yourselves all the trophies and trinkets you can afford.  If that is the only reason you bowl, the sport doesn't need you!

IMO, you're making ab argument FOR the USBC without even realizing it.

in order to start your own league, you're going to use all of the work USBC already did for you.
In order to manage the league, you're going to use the officer structure USBC mandates.
In order to give rewards, you're going to charge bowlers MORE than their USBC dues. Managing your league is already more expensive than USBC sanctioning fees, and you didn't do an iota of the work.

This whole post reeks of "I hate my internet provider, so I steal my neighbors wifi".  I hope your league fails miserably, though I doubt it will. You think you're hitting USBC where it hurts, but the only people this hurts is the bowlers that do sanction that now have even less funding.

USBC sanctioning also provided bonding for the league.

If the league goes unsanctioned, then you should use part of that $20 surcharge to have the Treasurer bonded.

We had a guy here who was Sec./Trea. for several leagues, he went and got himself bonded.