There seems to be a lot of back and forth on this. Amazing to me that people get this worked up over 18 to 20 dollars. I was a local association director for many years and only opted out due to other endeavors that were taking too much of my time.
I operate a tournament promotions company as one of my side jobs and I can tell you if you aren't USBC sanction you won't bowl in my events and without a certified average you would be scratch. That said, tournaments only affect a very small part of those who bowl. Now before someone says tournaments are mostly for high average bowlers I would guess that less than 40% of our bowlers have a 200 average and maybe 20% enter in our optional scratch side events. There has to be some way of documenting averages even though we all know not every average is a true representation of a bowlers capabilities.
On the bonding. I know way too many centers that have misappropriated a leagues funds. I would believe that none of these began the year believing that at the end they would be unable to pay the leagues money or awards back, but due to running short of money that is what happened. On the other side are centers like ours that no longer offer that option, just too dangerous. We had one of the better centers in our area (not our center) last year had one of the better high average leagues have their entire prize fund stolen by the league secretaries boyfriend. Yep, he got in and emptied the account. After filing for the bonding the bowlers eventually got paid, the president and secretary were suspended and after almost a year so was the boyfriend. Point is when dealing with money, it happens and way too often. USBC is able to give us the option of at least getting the bowlers their money and then go after the theives. I think this league was 20K or more in prize funds or so the rumors, but how many $10 fees did it take to cover that league or how much was the insurance to cover all of our leagues if this happened.
Inspection of the lanes occur once a year and is performed by the local association, that is where part of your local fees go. They also inspect for honor scores though not as often as in the past. In too many associations they notify the centers that the inspection will be given on a given day and time, a violation of rules, but that is what happens. The inspectors at least get mileage for the travel or used to anyway and there are materials involved. All of our locals also provide trinkets for some awards that national does not provide. Ours has an office and secretary, so there are expenses and salaries envolved. How many salaries are envolved at the national office in Arington and what is the rent on that facility. Yes the national sets the rules with the help of the local assocations that use their money to travel to the convention, that convention is also paid for by national. SO, the bowlers don't get a dime of any of that money so why should they have to pay for it. Those are parts of doing business and this business is bowling. It is a business for all of the centers and is for USBC and really the local too. You can not support the business without money and that money comes from dues. They are a membership organization and thus are totally dependent on our support in the form of dues. Yea they have gone out and tried to bring in extra money with advertising but how much would you pay for an add in our membership magazine or annual mailing of your card.
Most of the awards don't mean alot to me anymore I have been in this too long. I just want another 300 ring and to finally get an 800. At least USBC is there if and when those finally happen or I hope they will be.
On non-sanctioned leagues and tournaments. What are you going to do if a bowler is violating a rule? Oh, I know you are going to go to the USBC rule book and show them they can't do that. Hold on, you are not sanctioned. IF I want to walk down the lane to the pins and knock them down it is not outside the rules, is it? Foul lights don't count do they, I mean that is not written in your league rules is it. Can't use the rule book you decided not to use those rules when you went non-certified. Who you going to call to resolve your heated dispute over that guy sanding his ball. Not the local association. Open play is for non-sanction bowling and leagues/tournaments should always be sanctioned. Sorry,but if you want to bowl under our rules then pay the fees. I bet you will spend more than $10 or $20 dollars next week on beer,brackets,card games and maybe even your weekly league fees.
Nice soap box to get on. How many sports charge such a small fee and provide any part of what USBC does, though that is getting smaller. How many out there have joined the golfing organizations. What do you get?
