In August our league is most likely going to vote to dump the USBC. The USBC has done nothing for us. Our secretary has put in for some awards and we never get them. We have called the local chapter and still no resolutions. The secretary and other officers are on board with leaving the USBC and we'll still get our awards, even if you already have a rings.

 The league would act on it's own. The money that we would pay to the USBC will be placed in an awards fund and anyone that shoots an honor score will get a ring. We have about 100 bowlers so at $20 a head, we will have around 2 G's for awards. We can buy a lot of rings for 2 G's. Whatever monies that don't get used will be placed back into the general prize fund. It a win, win for our league.

 Leagues used to sanction in order to get awards. Basically now there are no more awards so why keep the USBC. It's time to dump the USBC. I hope more leagues start thinking about leaving them too. Hit 'em where it hurts. Their wallets. Maybe they will get the hint.

So 70% of these guys will not be bowling any other USBC sanctioned leagues or tournaments? 

70% of these won't pick up a ball until September. Many use only one ball and they're over 10 years old.

Quote from: Good Times Good Times on May 19, 2016, 10:15:42 AM

So 70% of these guys will not be bowling any other USBC sanctioned leagues or tournaments? 

70% of these won't pick up a ball until September. Many use only one ball and they're over 10 years old.

Fair enough.

USBC ( ABC at the time ) had little to do with bringing in the host of new bowlers during the boom of the late 50's, and likewise there is little they could do to stem the decline.  Bowling centers are a profit making enterprise, and as such, it is the job of their trade association, more so than of the USBC, to promote overall participation in the game.  It is the job of the USBC to create an atmosphere that promotes the competitive side of the game in terms of leagues and tournaments which in turn represent a profitable product for proprietors to offer. 

For an organization that in your words has no impact, positive or negative, on membership they sure seem to take a lot of membership dollars.

my wife and i were going to bowl a summer league. went to the meeting, they want $35 for a sanction including the "local". we both laughed and walked out. center owner asked what happened, i explained the sanction fees are insane,what a joke.

You need to go back and point them to this link.

http://www.bowl.com/Program_Changes_2014/Program_Changes_2014-2015_Home/Adult_short-season_membership_now_available/

Quote from: Urethane Game on May 19, 2016, 08:26:56 AM

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!

WOW. Thanks for the strong reply but I'm not giving up bowling.

Has anyone here played golf or baseball/softball during the summer? What rules do they play by? Who do you pay to use those rules?

I sometimes play mens slow pitch softball in the summers.  when a league lines up with the availability of my friends.

There are several governing bodies for softball.  ASA, USSSA, NSA and others.

each has their own rules.  the basics of the game are the same, but they each govern equipment differently, and there are some differences between what is a legal pitch.

every softball league I have ever participated in has been associated with one of the established governing bodies. 

From a liability and insurance perspective there are no local fields that would allow you to play without being governed by a body.  and we have a number of privately owned softball parks in my area.  They could take that risk and choose not to.

Not being on that side for bowling, I don't know this either way.  But, I wonder if the bowling center is taking any risk (personal injury litigation??) by taking on a non-sanctioned league.

The thing that screwed ABC/USBC was giving bowlers the expectation that bowling is only special when they give you a trinket that you wouldn't take a second look at during checkout at your local dollar store.  As far as I know, no other governing body gives trinkets to their members.  Especially, for less than a couple of value meals at McDonalds.

And yet bowlers are still bitching about not getting those trinkets any more...


This is actually about the only real complaint I have with USBC(other than not being able to wear shorts during the USBC Open when the ladies can). For bowlers who have been around a while and gotten a few 300 and 800 awards, those 150 game, 200 game, 75 over average, 100 over series patches, keychains and magnets mean nothing.


But to a new bowler, those items tend to have a lot more value. It adds something to the game whenever they receive one. Like it was another step in their progression as a bowler. Now before the stampede of idiots here start giving me grief, I don't care if you think these trinkets are worthless. Most new bowlers appreciated receiving them and that benefited the game. I think it was a mistake to stop that program.

Quote from: morpheus on May 19, 2016, 02:16:27 PM

For an organization that in your words has no impact, positive or negative, on membership they sure seem to take a lot of membership dollars.

 
Annual dues are less than a good chunk of bowlers spend on food, booze, and/or brackets in a single night. Just the administration piece of USBC services is worth more than we're each paying.
 
Aside from this, I hope it makes sense that the USBC (or any governing body) has limited impact at the local level. Keep expectations in sync with reality, and the USBC isn't that bad of an organization.

This!!!! ^ Bowlers are a hypocritical bunch. Pay 200+ on a ball that won't make them any better but won't 25$ to a association that is TRYING to help. We should be paying 3 times what we are currently paying