Unsanctioned league...

[Aslan]

I've never been a fan of non-USBC leagues...and some of the reasons are being mentioned here.

I'm not up to speed on the Bowlero/PBA issues with the USBC...but usually non-sanctioned leagues evolve for one of 3 reasons (or a combination thereof):

1. Bowlers are cheap...and the additional $25/year is just too much money.
2. Bowlers are mad about something the USBC enforced...usually a ban on equipment (balls, sanding balls mid-game, etc...)
3. The center they bowl at is so terrible that they'd never pass the even barely enforced rules related to USBC lane certification.

Why do I hate and prefer not to bowl in an unsactioned league?

1. If the league bowlers are too cheap to pay 48 cents per week to be sanctioned, better watch your bags and personal belongings...they might disappear as well. And realize, this is the environment that draws 'hooligans' and 'dipschmitz'...because they interpret "non-USBC sanctioned" to mean "we can do whatever we want".

2. Bowlers Pbich about the USBC doing nothing...right up until they do something...then bowlers ***** about that. It's a no-win situation. Rather than bowlers blaming Motiv and Storm for making balls that don't pass specifications (which is inexuseable if you follow simple manufacturing quality control procedures and/or aren't intentionally trying to cheat)...the bowlers are usually 50/50 between blaming Storm/Motiv and blaming the USBC for enforcing the rule(s).

3. The BPAA has the power; especially in an environment where centers are disappearing. The USBC has "tried" to approach lane/pattern integrity...but doesn't have NEAR the numbers necessary to inspect facilities in a robust fashion. Therefore, they continue to try 'versions' of the "honor system"....yet centers just don't care. While the better centers will keep their lanes and pins in good condition so they can host tournaments and PBA events; the vast majority will range in compliance between "somewhat" and "laughable".

[boomer]

I don't necessarily disagree - although I haven't seen belongings disappearing. We tend to police ourselves and realize that, really, nothing we have would be worth much to sell. Plugged balls aren't worth much. You steal a purse and you'll have a BUNCH of pissed bowlers chasing you down throwing 14-16 pound projectiles at you.

The non-sanctioned leagues I've bowled in generally were non-sanctioned only because they were kind of anti-establishment. Ask them WHY? and they were. . . meh - IDK - don't want to do all that extra paperwork (which . . . yeah . . . LOL)

Bowlero around here suck. Leagues are leaving them and coming to the few independents which is GOOD. Only problem there is that the independents are getting FULL so, when can I practice??? LOL - good problem to have I guess. But one big reason is that the independents are actually doing the RIGHT things. My center is putting out a consistent pattern (which of course people gripe about) and TRYING to do well by their bowlers. Is the pattern "right" - I don't know. It's generous but not overly so. It's fun and gets us involved - which is good.

But yeah - I don't have a lot of reasons why NOT to be sanctioned.

[J Anderson]

But yeah - I don't have a lot of reasons why NOT to be sanctioned.

Unfortunately, if a league is unsanctioned, the members don’t really need a reason to stay unsanctioned. They need a reason to become sanctioned. Usually it takes having at least one person to work hard at changing the status quo.

[Aslan]

Unfortunately, if a league is unsanctioned, the members don’t really need a reason to stay unsanctioned. They need a reason to become sanctioned. Usually it takes having at least one person to work hard at changing the status quo.

And there's the rub. Once a center starts doing unsanctioned leagues, no-tap leagues, "fun" leagues, "short season" leagues, etc...; then you rarely see them correct course. Like I said before, the USBC doesn't have the power to force the hand of a center as they might have 50 years ago. Centers rarely see, nor care about, the serious bowlers that are turned off by their non-sanctioned/anti-league approach. They focus on the less serious bowlers that need some "gimmick" in order to consider bowling at all. And to the center, it's all about getting people in the center, especially at non-peak times, and getting them ordering overpriced food/drink.

The only time I've ever heard the actual bowlers complain...is when someone bowls a 300 or 800 and they start asking about their "ring" or some type of award. Then they find out, not only are there no awards, but, technically their honor scores don't really "count". They might as well have bowled their 300 or 800 during a birthday party on a weekend or bowled it on a Nintendo Wii. Bowlers then quickly feel "jipped" as they finally have an honor score...but it doesn't "count". But, it's hard for even a good bowler to stand up during the league meeting and say, "I'd like to go sanctioned because I'm one of the few bowlers here that might shoot a perfect game this season (#mebrag), and I want accolades when it happens."

[Ryster]

Usually it's not the center promoting unsanctioned leagues. The members of the league vote to be unsanctioned because they see no value in the USBC. It's hard to fault the bowlers. Why would they pay $22-$25 for a USBC membership when the rewards are non-existent. Most bowlers have either already had a sanctioned 300, or don't think it will ever happen and don't care about the "once per lifetime" award.

We all know how thrifty bowlers tend to be. They don't want to pay even $1 more for their weekly league dues, let alone pay for a USBC membership that they see as worthless.

It isn't the USBC's place to tell proprietors how to run their business. Sure the USBC would love a more robust membership, but they can't force it. The proprietors are doing what they feel they need to do to fill lanes. If that means no-tap leagues, merchandise leagues, practice leagues, etc. More power to them if it keeps the doors open.

My center let all of their scratch leagues whither away. Now all leagues are handicap leagues. Fortunately we still have plenty of sanctioned leagues (I am bowling on two this fall; first time in well over a decade I am on two leagues).

The only way the USBC could demonstrate value would be to reinstitute all awards (all spare game, triplicate, 7-10, 250 game, 298/299/300 rings, etc.) In order to do that, sanctioning would have to go up to $100/yr (which is still a bargain at $2/wk) and that would spell the end of the USBC. Bowlers want more, but they don't want to pay for it. It's a Catch 22.

[Aslan]

The real conundrum is not, why bowlers should pay more for less...thats a symptom of the underlying conundrum...which is, how far can the USBC go to support the "sport", so that it becomes "legitimate". Legitimacy will drive the sport as a sport. Scores will come down...making honor awards possible. Granted, legitimacy would involve terribly unpopular (with casual bowlers) changes. Oil patterns would have to be standardized and spot checked. Bowling ball technology would have to move backwards...hurting the already struggling bowling ball manufacturers. Many casual bowlers will be lost...because bowling just isn't as fun if you can't strike as often and are a good bowler averaging 170. Even more centers could close or become high-priced "entertainment venues".

The 'sport' has lost letimacy. And, an organization (like the USBC) can't afford to give out exponentially more things/awards while making less than 50 cents/bowler/night in dues. The USBC was able to deal with the uptick in scores due to the oil patterns and ball technology, initially; by limiting the quality of the awards and limiting how many you could get in a lifetime...but that was a temporary fix as patterns got easier and ball technology keeps evolving.

It is what it is. I think the 2-handed bowling was a roulette bet...50/50 chance that it will even bring in more youth and reinvigorate the game...OR...be the final blow that empties leagues, closes centers, and reduces USBC sanctioning. Right now, I think the 2-handed conversion is going "okay". More youth bowling, more high school teams, uptick in college bowling popularity, etc... But, how much of that translates into the future of leagues? Still too early to tell.

[RobLV1]

In my 40 years of bowling, after moving to a different state, I am bowling in two unsanctioned leagues, for the first time ever. There are pluses and minuses. The biggest plus is that I am not supporting an organization that has totally failed to protect the integrity of the sport. On the minus side, while the league rules state that all USBC Rules should be followed unless superceeded by specific league rules (there are non), the fact is that most of the bowlers are totally unaware of USBC rules. I asked if there is a limit on the number of re-racks allowed, and I was told that they didn't know because no-one ever repacks. I'm sure glad I don't take this game seriously anymore! LOL