Schedule Changes in League

[classygranny]

I understand a change in the rules requires a 100% vote of the BOD. Curious if some teams are not represented at the meeting, can you still vote and the represented teams vote at 100%?

The issue is since we are mostly an older group of bowlers, a lot of members are out due to Covid, Flu, or just scared. There is talk of us suspending the league for a few weeks and adding those to the end of the season. Of course, this would have to be approved by the house.

If we vote on Friday morning before the start of bowling, could we suspend Friday as well? Or would we need to bowl Friday, and then suspend for a few weeks? Is it fair for us to go ahead and bowl on Friday with those that bother to show up? It is position round, so there could be a few forfeits, if we bowl.

Ideas, suggestions?

[Ryster]

Yes, you can vote to suspend effective Friday if you want and the house also agrees. A captain, or designated rep, from every team needs to vote. Can you get a full vote via email or by calling the team captains and getting an answer? Is suspending league for a few weeks really going to make people feel better? It isn't like everything is going to magically get better in a few weeks...

With Friday being position round, there really isn't much else you can do. You can't really permit post-bowling for a position round (post bowling was the solution here recently for bowlers that were nervous during the increase in cases.)

[Aslan]

We had a vote after coming back after a recent shutdown on extending the league a few weeks and bowling over the Christmas holiday (when we were scheduled to be off)...so, a schedule change. I think our rules were that we needed a majority of teams to agree to the schedule change. Having to get 100% of the teams to agree? I mean, I guess that might be how they did it. I'm not a captain so I don't know. But, we have nearly 40 teams and I can't see all 40 agreeing on any one thing. But, maybe they did.

[classygranny]

We had a vote after coming back after a recent shutdown on extending the league a few weeks and bowling over the Christmas holiday (when we were scheduled to be off)...so, a schedule change. I think our rules were that we needed a majority of teams to agree to the schedule change. Having to get 100% of the teams to agree? I mean, I guess that might be how they did it. I'm not a captain so I don't know. But, we have nearly 40 teams and I can't see all 40 agreeing on any one thing. But, maybe they did.

Unfortunately USBC rules (not to be overridden by League rules) require a 100% written vote to change any rule. It was stupid on our league part to put a static number of teams in the rules. Lesson learned....have already made a not for summer and next fall to rewrite the rule to me a variable number...or, "at least 6 teams" - the requirement of the house.

[Aslan]

Oh, it might be the difference between a "rule" versus a "schedule".

Most leagues I've been in have cancelled games for a variety of reasons: (center schedules holiday parties, inclement weather, Covid restrictions, etc...). Teams never had to vote on it or vote to make up the games or vote to just not make them up.

But, I guess if you have it written as a "rule" that there be a certain number of teams and a certain number of weeks be bowled...then thats different. I don't know. I just know this last time, after the most recent shutdown (there've been 2 here), the center realized they weren't gonna be busy with holiday parties and told the leagues they could make up the lost weeks over those weeks we were scheduled to be off over Christmas/New Years. But, I guess it required each team captain to sign off on it. I thought it only needed majority of captains to approve...but maybe they needed all 39 teams to agree...which would be surprising because I can't see all of them agreeing to that given many had probably already made plans not to bowl and to be out of town.

[Ryster]

Our league does not put the league size in the rules. Just the league format, number of weeks, start date, end date, and any dates that will be missed due to national holidays.

If teams drop off, then the bowling center usually works to get it all sorted out.