I noticed in another thread it was mentioned that league bowlers always complain when the USBC/State/Local fees always seem to go up every year.

I remember going to league meetings and several people always complained loudly when it went up one buck.  Then someone would say, "let's go unsanctioned." What is it now, around $21 or $22?

It never bothered me, because it was a one-time yearly fee, who cares about one more dollar, one time?

I also play USTA tennis.  A one-year membership is $44 ($119 3-year, $176 5-year).  Everytime you play a different "season," such as mixed doubles, men's 18 & Over, 55 & Over, etc., you also must pay $25, for each season.

For example, this year, I played on 6 separate teams, 2 mixed doubles and 4 different men's teams, each costing $25 for a total of $150, plus the $44 USTA membership fee.

This is the equivalent of having to pay a USBC fee for each league you bowl, every year.  Imagine the uproar if they tried to make us do that?

Our 40 & Over team made the play-offs.  When you make the play-offs, the team must pay a $135 fee.  In our case, our club paid the fee for us.  Not sure if all clubs do this.  If we had placed in the top two in the play-offs we would have made the sectionals.  The fee for the sectionals: $250 per team, plus a $14.74 processing fee.

No idea what it would cost if you made the nationals.

I have never heard anyone complain about the tennis fees, which are exorbitant in comparison to bowling's one-time, low fee.

What do you get for your money?  USBC has eliminated almost all awards.  I guess you are paying for those in the USBC offices somewhere who oversee everything and make the rules.  I am sure someone else can fill me in on what all they do.  There is a website that lists member awards and past year's averages. 

In USTA you get a pretty good website where you can keep track of all the players and teams, including past years.  You are also paying for local officials and coordinators who oversee the local leagues, play-offs, sectionals, etc.  Also, players are rated and ratings posted, and available to view via the website.

And USTA membership also allows you to play USTA-sanctioned tournaments, but, of course, you must also pay an entry-fee for all those tournaments.

Of course, the cars in the parking lot of most tennis clubs are a lot more expensive than those in the average bowling center. 

Any thoughts on the similarities/differences between the two are welcome.

Except in bowling we get a chance to win some of our fees back in prize money.  There is no prize money in tennis.

Also, the price of belonging to a private club, which is not required to play on a USTA team, but almost everyone that plays does, is generally greater than league dues for a season.

It definitely is a different crowd, although I do know at least two other guys that do both.

There are lots of tennis leagues that are not USTA-sanctioned...and I would put the competitive nature within the league up against those of the leagues that do desire to play outside of the region. 

The issue with bowlers and the sanction fees is that the costs continue to rise while the reward FROM those fees continues to decline. 

Oh, and depending on where in the country one is located, the access to neighborhood courts could very well come simply from payment of the POA/HOA fees.  My lake community has both covered and uncovered courts and is considered private only in the sense that it is restricted to residents and their guests...but there are no additional fees required for "membership" (unlike the two golf courses). 

But if you do already belong to a tennis club, it is difficult not to want to play on the club USTA team. 

I guess that depends on where you live...around here, plenty of people are content to have their go at it on a weeknight league that has teams from various neighborhoods...they are competitive in the sense that they are playing for a championship but they are not sanctioned. 

I have played in the non-sanctioned tennis things and they are a little cheaper, but the ones I was in were not teams, just mostly singles and sometimes doubles, although there is World Team Tennis, but it has very strange rules.

Back when dad was playing, each neighbood 'team' had singles, doubles and mixed doubles and they were playing for total points as accumulated by wins.  There was also what I guess could be described as A, B and C players...the A players were the equivalent to what varsity in school would have been while B players were like those JV players just on the cusp of being able to sort of compete at the upper level and the C players were everyone else on the 'team' that were the golf equivalent of the ones happy to get an occasional par while avoiding a double bogey.

Quote from: michelle on August 17, 2015, 10:22:38 AM

 

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I have played in the non-sanctioned tennis things and they are a little cheaper, but the ones I was in were not teams, just mostly singles and sometimes doubles, although there is World Team Tennis, but it has very strange rules.

Back when dad was playing, each neighbood 'team' had singles, doubles and mixed doubles and they were playing for total points as accumulated by wins.  There was also what I guess could be described as A, B and C players...the A players were the equivalent to what varsity in school would have been while B players were like those JV players just on the cusp of being able to sort of compete at the upper level and the C players were everyone else on the 'team' that were the golf equivalent of the ones happy to get an occasional par while avoiding a double bogey.

That sounds nice.  Never heard of anything like that around here, but there may be. 

At any rate I wasn't complaining about USTA, I like it, I just find it strange that so many bowlers complain about USBC going up one dollar, when it is a one-time per year payment.  I realize now they have cut out almost all awards, but I was really referring to years past, before they did this.  I am sure they still complain, but I don't go to as many league meetings as I used to.

Great Statement. Bowlers should not complain. $20.00 is nothing for 1 time a year. Bowlers who do complain are not serious Bowlers.

It is kind of like the comparison to golf.  Lots of golfers never join local USGA affiliate, they just go out and play.  Same with tennis.  However bowling has always measured its participation by USBC affiliation.  By almost any comparative measure USBC membership is cheaper than other sport affiliations.  Especially when you remember that most golf and tennis players at higher levels also belong to expensive clubs. 

It is kind of like the comparison to golf.  Lots of golfers never join local USGA affiliate, they just go out and play.  Same with tennis.  However bowling has always measured its participation by USBC affiliation.  By almost any comparative measure USBC membership is cheaper than other sport affiliations.  Especially when you remember that most golf and tennis players at higher levels also belong to expensive clubs. 

AMEN. Couldn't have said it better Myself. The USBC needs Our Support.