I'm actually all for it. It puts the advantage back where it should be, to the guys that work the hardest. There are 3 divisions now, not everyone is competing against the "pro amateurs" anymore so why the complaints? I have NEVER heard anyone say, "oh yeah, I got the lane patterns and practiced on them for a couple months before I went and when I got down there, everything played exactly the same." They don't even play the same from the BJ or Showcase lanes to the actual tournament lanes. People who don't know what the shot is will take 6-8 balls and the guys who know will take 10, so I don't want to hear, "well I won't know what to take."
What's been the goal for the patterns at the tournament? To be tough but playable, and to be playable for as many styles, speeds, and rev rates as possible. If you have that much of a problem with it, go a few days early and bowl the BJ a couple times and spend several hours watching. The same stuff seems to work every single year. I'll also have to check the rules, but I'm pretty sure you can move your feet and make other physical adjustments. I'm also pretty sure you can practice and learn.
Too many people think that releasing the patterns helps. Guess what? It doesn't. When you show up without any preconceived ideas and just take what the lanes give you, you bowl better instead of going in with a "game plan" and then panicking when it's not working or when the "pattern isn't playing right." How many GREAT teams and bowlers did we watch on the live streams that didn't do well at all despite knowing the pattern and practicing on it for months? How did people ever have success before they started releasing the patterns? Pretty sure participation was higher before too.
Complaints about Reno. Are you going for a vacation or to bowl? Aside from maybe the new South Pointe facility, the NBS is pretty much the ultimate bowling destination. If you're going for a vacation, why do you care how you bowl? And if you're going to bowl, who cares if it's in Reno? I spend all my time at the stadium anyway.
You would also think people would be more happy. Not releasing the patterns means all these big guns that spend a couple months at Kegel practicing on "the pattern" every year won't be able to do that anymore. They'll have to do the same thing you do, practice and be prepared. You also can't tell me there won't be plenty of information relayed back by people who are going early. If you have a problem with "going in blind," don't go so early! If you want to do better, practice! Show up a few days early! If that's not an option for you, don't begrudge the people who sacrifice and/or put in the work to make sure it's an option for them!