Rule Change

[classygranny]

So our league is experiencing a mass exodus of bowlers giving notice to quit - for various reasons. We lost 17 bowlers over our holiday break. We bowled our position round last Friday with the bowlers that were present.

Since it is the start of our second half, the officers want to propose we drop from 16 teams to 12 teams and move about 4 bowlers to other teams.

Our league rules (unfortunately) read: ROSTER / LEGAL LINEUP / SUBSTITUTES / FORFEITURES
The league will consist of 16 teams (or more) with a playing strength of 4 persons. Rosters will be limited to 4 members per team. All members must be 18 years of age or older prior to bowling in the league.

Would this need to be passed by a written 100% vote - and would this be with the "old" 16 team captains and officers; or could this be done with the "new" 12 team captains and officers. Or is this something that during our Covid year would be inconsequential?

[RobLV1]

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Do what you have to do to keep the league going. We are currently bowling trios on one lane, against a team on another lane with one vacant lane between us. Legal? Probably not, but at least we are bowling!

[classygranny]

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Do what you have to do to keep the league going. We are currently bowling trios on one lane, against a team on another lane with one vacant lane between us. Legal? Probably not, but at least we are bowling!

Actually, that is currently legal as USBC adopted some temporary changes to the rules. I'm just confused on whether our situation would require a "rule change" vote; and by whom.

Your situation is covered by this change: Effective immediately, USBC has temporarily waived USBC Playing Rules 106a, 106b, 320a and 320b, which state two lanes must be used for competition and bowlers must alternate lanes – bowling five frames on each lane of the pair. It also waived the requirement that both lanes must be used for a bowler to be eligible for awards and average recognition. The temporary waiver allows competitions to use one lane for the entirety of a game and allows recognition of scores bowled on a single lane for USBC High Score Awards and for a bowler’s official average.

[Ryster]

So our league is experiencing a mass exodus of bowlers giving notice to quit - for various reasons. We lost 17 bowlers over our holiday break. We bowled our position round last Friday with the bowlers that were present.

Since it is the start of our second half, the officers want to propose we drop from 16 teams to 12 teams and move about 4 bowlers to other teams.

Our league rules (unfortunately) read: ROSTER / LEGAL LINEUP / SUBSTITUTES / FORFEITURES
The league will consist of 16 teams (or more) with a playing strength of 4 persons. Rosters will be limited to 4 members per team. All members must be 18 years of age or older prior to bowling in the league.

Would this need to be passed by a written 100% vote - and would this be with the "old" 16 team captains and officers; or could this be done with the "new" 12 team captains and officers. Or is this something that during our Covid year would be inconsequential?

This seems like something you could do with one rep from each of the existing teams (and also a rep from the bowling center) in a quick stand-up meeting before the next league session. The league President proposes a motion to change the league to 12 teams, asks if anyone seconds the motion, and then asks for the "yeas and nays". If it passes, then you all fight it out over who gets transferred to what team. The lane assignment schedule will also change based on 12 versus 16 teams.

Honestly, this kind of thing happens regularly at our center and there is never a meeting. The center simply changes the lane assignments, works "behind the scenes" to move people to other teams, and everything just flows along. Moving people to other teams is the biggest challenge. Competitive people want to be on a "strong" team, some people don't like each other and will not bowl together, others don't really care.

[boomer]

That doesn't sound like a USBC kind of rule - just a league rule. Should be good to go with either captains or acting captains and rep from the center and a majority. Read the rest of your league rules, especially the part about changing things, which should be included. Any good rule-set (or by-laws or constitution or whatever) should have methodology for amendment/changing included in it.

[classygranny]

Unfortunately, since it's the wording in our league rules, my concern is the USBC rule that states any changes to the rules after their acceptance must be approved 100% by BOD and in writing as stated in Rule 122 – Meetings
After the league schedule begins, a change in the league rules and approved prize list can be made only with the written consent of every team captain or designated representative.

That is my only concern...We have already restructured the members, and the prize fund isn't affected since it is based on points.

Guess I will err on the side of caution and figure out a way to get the 100% even from the team that has resigned.

[Ryster]

If a team resigns, they forfeit all rights and claims to anything related to the league. They don't need to be included in any votes to change any rules. You only need the vote of the remaining teams.

[bowl1820]

So our league is experiencing a mass exodus of bowlers giving notice to quit - for various reasons. We lost 17 bowlers over our holiday break. We bowled our position round last Friday with the bowlers that were present.

Since it is the start of our second half, the officers want to propose we drop from 16 teams to 12 teams and move about 4 bowlers to other teams.

Our league rules (unfortunately) read: ROSTER / LEGAL LINEUP / SUBSTITUTES / FORFEITURES
The league will consist of 16 teams (or more) with a playing strength of 4 persons. Rosters will be limited to 4 members per team. All members must be 18 years of age or older prior to bowling in the league.


Would this need to be passed by a written 100% vote
Since it's part of the league rules then Yes. (I believe you can just have the team captains or designated representatives sign a rule change proposal drew up by the secretary, I've seen that done before.)

Rule 122 – Meetings
Rules shall be adopted at a meeting prior to the start of the league schedule by the board of directors,
unless the league elects to have its rules adopted by the membership. After the league schedule
begins, a change in the league rules and approved prize list can be made only with the written consent
of every team captain or designated representative.


and would this be with the "old" 16 team captains and officers; or could this be done with the "new" 12 team captains and officers. Or is this something that during our Covid year would be inconsequential?

The teams that withdrew are no longer part of the league, So would not be part of the vote. It would just be those that are left.


and move about 4 bowlers to other teams.
As for moving the players to other teams, I believe You should probably have a vote for that also (it might not be needed, but it would cover you just in case something comes up..

Rule 107b. Transferring Team Membership
Unless otherwise provided by league rule, a bowler listed on a team’s roster and whose scores have
counted, may transfer to another team in the league during the season provided:
1. Adult leagues: Two-thirds of the league’s team captains agree to the transfer. This provision does
not apply to USBC closed leagues, or to any league which adopts its own rule to govern transfers.

[bowl1820]

If a team resigns, they forfeit all rights and claims to anything related to the league. They don't need to be included in any votes to change any rules. You only need the vote of the remaining teams.

If the players withdraw properly from the league, They don't forfeit "all" rights and claims. I believe They could make a claim for any franchise, prize and any other money for which the team or individual may have been eligible.

Commonly Asked Questions – Rule 114a.
114a/4 If a team member resigns or is replaced during the season, are they entitled to share
the team prize money?
Regardless of how long bowlers compete with a team, they qualify for a prorated share of
the team’s prize money provided they resigned in accordance with Rule 114a or were
replaced by the team captain. (See Rule 104a.)
Rule 104a, Item 12, requires the team captain to pay each member of the team within 15
days after receiving prize money in accordance with any verbal or written agreements.
USBC holds that prize distribution among team members is a team matter. When a member
has bowled part of the season and is unable to be a member at the end of the schedule, it
is common practice for teams to prorate prize money between the member who resigned
and the replacement based on the number of games each bowled and paid for during the
season.

[Ryster]

If the players withdraw properly from the league, They don't forfeit "all" rights and claims. I believe They could make a claim for any franchise, prize and any other money for which the team or individual may have been eligible.

Commonly Asked Questions – Rule 114a.
114a/4 If a team member resigns or is replaced during the season, are they entitled to share
the team prize money?
Regardless of how long bowlers compete with a team, they qualify for a prorated share of
the team’s prize money provided they resigned in accordance with Rule 114a or were
replaced by the team captain. (See Rule 104a.)
Rule 104a, Item 12, requires the team captain to pay each member of the team within 15
days after receiving prize money in accordance with any verbal or written agreements.
USBC holds that prize distribution among team members is a team matter. When a member
has bowled part of the season and is unable to be a member at the end of the schedule, it
is common practice for teams to prorate prize money between the member who resigned
and the replacement based on the number of games each bowled and paid for during the
season.

Honestly, I have had to resign from 2 leagues in the past 25 years. I did it in writing, and paid the 2 weeks of league fees as required by the rule. In neither case did I ever receive a prorated payout of the prize fund, nor did I expect to.

The statement in the USBC rule book says it is "common practice" to prorate prize money, however it is not a rule that bowlers who resigned receive any kind of payout.

The team could do it to be "nice", but they are under no obligation to include the former member in the payout.

[bowl1820]

Honestly, I have had to resign from 2 leagues in the past 25 years. I did it in writing, and paid the 2 weeks of league fees as required by the rule. In neither case did I ever receive a prorated payout of the prize fund, nor did I expect to.
You should have made a claim for your share of the prize money when you didn't receive it.


The statement in the USBC rule book says it is "common practice" to prorate prize money, however it is not a rule that bowlers who resigned receive any kind of payout.

In the USBC Rules it clearly states that "Regardless of how long bowlers compete with a team, they qualify for a prorated share of the team’s prize money provided they resigned in accordance with Rule 114a or were replaced by the team captain. (See Rule 104a.)" and " requires the team captain to pay each member of the team within 15 days after receiving prize money in accordance with any verbal or written agreements."

In regard to this:
"When a member has bowled part of the season and is unable to be a member at the end of the schedule, it is common practice for teams to prorate prize money between the member who resigned and the replacement based on the number of games each bowled and paid for during the season."

What they are saying here is that using proration as the method of determining how much the players get paid is the "common practice". Not that you have the option not to pay the resigned member .


The team could do it to be "nice", but they are under no obligation to include the former member in the payout.

Yes they are under obligation to include the former member in the payout, if they properly withdrew from the league. It's just that most player's don't know under (The Rules) that they are eligible to get a share or that they (The Capt) are required to pay it out.

I know because being a team captain (and Leag. Officers) I've had to pay it out and few times the League Sec./Treas. even had the prize money already divided up for me to include a resigned player.

Now if a player doesn't resign properly or if they and the Capt. have a verbal or written agreement in regard to any prize monies. That would change things.

[Ryster]

I got clarification from the USBC Rules department. They agree that if a bowler resigns in accordance with the rules, they should receive a payout of a prorated share of the winnings based on the team's final league standings. If the bowler is not receiving a payout, the league has to inform the bowler (preferably in writing) as to why there is no payout being paid to them. If the bowler disagrees with the reasoning, the bowler would then escalate the issue to the USBC.

Sounds like the leagues at our bowling center have to make some changes as this has never been the case. I have been a team captain several times and a league officer on a few leagues over the years, and this was never done.

[classygranny]

I got clarification from the USBC Rules department. They agree that if a bowler resigns in accordance with the rules, they should receive a payout of a prorated share of the winnings based on the team's final league standings. If the bowler is not receiving a payout, the league has to inform the bowler (preferably in writing) as to why there is no payout being paid to them. If the bowler disagrees with the reasoning, the bowler would then escalate the issue to the USBC.

Sounds like the leagues at our bowling center have to make some changes as this has never been the case. I have been a team captain several times and a league officer on a few leagues over the years, and this was never done.

It's all in the rulebook. More team captains and officers need to give this a read. I admit, I have read them and sometimes can't find what I'm looking for and have to ask for help. But we should all have the basics.

I posted as our diminished league was a bit confusing on exactly how to handle. Even the rules department at USBC wasn't much help. An USBC rep in our area assisted more, and with our more laid-back league, we muddled thru this morning.

We actually went on the basis that the majority of the BOD could motion and vote on the matters at hand. Since the rules should not have stated a firm number of teams, we treated it lightly and went with the majority of vote. It actually passed 100% of the BOD members attending. Some opinions felt that if teams had resigned they were no longer part of the BOB, but others felt that if the two week notice was still in place they were still part of the BOD. Thus, the reasoning of going with the majority of the BOD handling the league issues and not necessarily a rule change requiring 100% written agreement.

So all is good, we are now a 12 team league (instead of 16) and only have a vacancy or two. Not bad for starting the second half, after a really rough holiday season and Covid outspread.