USBC Sanctioning

[RobLV1]

While hanging out with way too much time on my hands, I got to thinking about Sanctioned Leagues. Looking at all the ways that the USBC has dropped the ball in terms of bowling; failure to adequately control bowling ball specifications, dropping of all but the most rudimentary dressing regulations, stoppage of local certification of lane surfaces, cutting way back on individual achievement rewards (how many plastic key rings can you use), I have to wonder why we keep paying sanction fees to keep them going. I'm think of proposing that we reconsider sanctioning this year at our league meetings. What are your thoughts on sanctioned leagues?

[classygranny]

If you have ever bowled in a league where there was money issues (stolen/mis-accounted for) you understand the need for the bonding. If there was a way to protect the funds, perhaps the certification could go away.

On the other hand, if the league rules did not include ALL/MOST of the USBC rules you could have a bit of a mixup. For instance, if the league rules didn't cover the issues of dead balls or balls coming out of the gutter and clipping corner pins - all "might be" legal in an unsanctioned league.

Just food for thought - I don't really lean one way or another.

[bowl1820]

Whether a league should be Certified or Not is a long running debate.

Some of the main things certification provides is that players get to play under a set of standardized playing rules and for the most part it also provides for a standardized playing field, which would be utilized by every other certified league no matter where they are located.

That way when you go somewhere else to bowl, You won't have to play under a set of totally different rules.

It also provides a record keeping service which maintains a database of certified players averages. This database is used by leagues and tournaments to verify players entering averages etc. no matter where they are at.

Certification also provides bonding for the leagues money in case of theft or whatever .

Are these three things worth the your $20 certification (Sanction) fee? If not then don't certify.

Okay so everyone agrees they don't like the USBC so they don't certify, what do they do then?

Most un-certified leagues I've seen in person or heard about online that are talked about, They wind up for the most part using the same USBC rules and approved equipment as before. Maybe there might be one or two minor changes (you can use a ball with a weight hole, you can sand the ball during bowling etc), but they still are basically using the same rules.

So did they lose anything?

Well if there is a dispute, it ends with the league. Because If you don't like the out come you can't fight it. You can't go to the local assoc. or national level and going un-certified the league loses the USBC bonding, So unless the sec./tres. gets bonded (Which we had one here did that) or the house sets up some kind of escrow account or whatever. The league money isn't protected.

As for the players with maybe the exception of recreational bowlers, That only bowl one league and the occasional fun tournament.

The more dedicated players, will still get their USBC card. Because they play in another leagues that are certified and the USBC and Big money tournaments that are certified and require you have your USBC card. So only a few recreational players actually saved money and the league lost it's bonding.


As for the USBC average database, if everyone goes uncertified that database will become meaningless and dry up. What then is every league going to start calling all over the country for players averages? Will someone start a new "free" database up? if so with every place doing it's own thing the averages will still be just as meaningless somewhere else.

As for the conditions, the house is typically still certified, so their still playing on the same conditions. So Unless the league makes a agreement with the house to have different conditions (easier,harder whatever), which they could have done that when they were certified, nothing has really changed.

Nothing is being verified,Their still putting out all but the most rudimentary conditions and the local certification of lane surfaces is still not happening. it's highly unlikely the league will be out there taping the lanes, checking the levelness of the lanes etc. so not certifying didn't really gain you anything except maybe the ability to roll a ball with a extra hole in it or not put your thumb in etc.

As for Awards, I always thought it was funny. For years online I seen people complain about how awards were meaningless and wish they got rid of them.) Then the USBC started getting rid of some of the awards, Then it's "OMG!!!! their getting rid my awards! that ain't right".

Now the USBC didn't do away with awards, they left it up to the local assoc. to handle them. If the players don't like the award types given out what do they do? Well they can get together go to the assoc. meetings and get them to change them. But we know that will never happen, bowlers like to complain but they don't want to be part of the solution. They want someone else to fix it and pay for it.

Un-certified leagues, well they either won't give out any awards or they will raise the fees some and give out their own. Of course most of those will be cheap trinkets too, because they find out awards/prizes are not cheap unless you get cheap ones because they don't that much money. It won't be that much different than the USBC's in the long run.

Sorry I just started rambling here.

[bowl1820]

If you have ever bowled in a league where there was money issues (stolen/mis-accounted for) you understand the need for the bonding. If there was a way to protect the funds, perhaps the certification could go away.

The league sec./Treas. could get bonded.

Some use the house as the "Bank" But unless they(the house) set up some kind of escrow type account or whatever it's called to put the leagues money in. It not necessarily safe there either, if the house closes goes out of business they can take the leagues money with them. Someone posted about that happening awhile back.

On the other hand, if the league rules did not include ALL/MOST of the USBC rules you could have a bit of a mixup. For instance, if the league rules didn't cover the issues of dead balls or balls coming out of the gutter and clipping corner pins - all "might be" legal in an unsanctioned league.

Just food for thought - I don't really lean one way or another.

Most un certified leagues wind up using the USBC anyway. But yes disputes can happen and you lose some of the USBC resources that are in the rules.

[classygranny]

The league sec./Treas. could get bonded.

Some use the house as the "Bank" But unless they(the house) set up some kind of escrow type account or whatever it's called to put the leagues money in. It not necessarily safe there either, if the house closes goes out of business they can take the leagues money with them. Someone posted about that happening awhile back.

Only the bonding would be safe. Even if you use the house banking, there is a time frame when the funds are withdrawn and disbursed that "something" could happen.

[Ryster]

League awards are paid for and provided by the local association in my neck of the woods. Bowling towels, keychain flashlights, accessory bags, etc. Basically the best trinkets China has to offer.

It is getting harder and harder to justify sanctioning. Bowlers are more and more not wanting to follow the rules. "We are here to have fun. The rules don't matter that much.". Well, then don't sanction.

Personally, I find value in sanctioning so I have a sanctioned average for tournaments. While I rarely bowl tournaments anymore, I never know when one will come up or I will be asked to bowl in one. The $20 annual fee is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

[classygranny]

League awards are paid for and provided by the local association in my neck of the woods. Bowling towels, keychain flashlights, accessory bags, etc. Basically the best trinkets China has to offer.

It is getting harder and harder to justify sanctioning. Bowlers are more and more not wanting to follow the rules. "We are here to have fun. The rules don't matter that much.". Well, then don't sanction.

Personally, I find value in sanctioning so I have a sanctioned average for tournaments. While I rarely bowl tournaments anymore, I never know when one will come up or I will be asked to bowl in one. The $20 annual fee is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

It's funny you say "Bowlers are more and more not wanting to follow the rules". I have a friend that bowled a summer league - not certified. No one followed any rules, there were a couple of fights over pin carry - ie; ball came out of gutter and got a corner pin, it counts - as it wasn't written in the league rules. Also, there was a guy that bowled right handed and picked up all his right side spares left handed - counted, because they hadn't put that in the rules. The league rules have to specifically address all of those issues - or attach themselves to the USBC rules or state which ones. It can be messy if the league officers aren't careful. If a league is going to use the USBC rules, it seems they should "pay" for that privilege and just certify the league.

[boatman37]

I used to play pool quite a bit. When playing for fun house rules apply. When you went to a place you always had to ask what the rules were, And you couldn't usually remember so you always had to ask. Fights and arguments were common because someone would 'assume' a rule then an argument would ensue. I played in leagues and league rules overrode house rules when playing league so everyone was on the same page. It wasn't sanctioned by anyone but the league adopted a set of rules and that was that. I think poll rules are a little more difficult than bowling rules in my opinion but nonetheless I think a standard set of rules is a good thing and the $20/year is nothing in the grand scheme of bowling costs.

[RobLV1]

Just because a league is not sanctioned does not mean that they cannot agree to abide by USBC Rules. Having rules makes sense. Having every bowler pay for the "privilege" does not.

[boatman37]

Most of the leagues at our center are sanctioned but there are a few that aren't so you do have options if you don't want to pay sanction fees. Our Tuesday night league is sanctioned but the Thursday night league is not.