USBC Masters Matchplay Determined

The USBC Masters qualifiers , led by Anthony Simonson head into brackets tomorrow. Check out the qualifiers: https://scores.bowl.com/2022Masters/Qualifying3.pdf

USBC AND STORM PRODUCTS ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT OF NATIONAL TOURNAMENT EXCLUSION AND BALL EXCHANGE PROGRAM

 ARLINGTON, Texas - The United States Bowling Congress and Storm Products have agreed on a national tournament exclusion rule and ball exchange program for six Storm Products manufactured ball models. The agreement comes after USBC identified the models having a percentage of balls produced below USBC minimum 73D hardness specification.

USBC's investigation showed a percentage of these ball models measured below the USBC-required hardness level of the approval samples submitted by Storm. Storm collaborated with USBC after being notified of this testing.

The affected models include:

• Storm Phaze 4
• Storm Electrify Solid
• Storm Trend 2
• 900 Global Altered Reality
• 900 Global Wolverine
• Roto Grip UFO Alert

Effective March 30, 2022, these balls models are prohibited from use in USBC national tournaments, including, but not limited to, the USBC Masters, U.S. Open, USBC Open Championships, USBC Women's Championships, all PWBA Tour events, USBC Junior Gold and Youth Open Championships, USBC Intercollegiate Championships, USBC Team USA Trials, USBC Senior Masters and USBC Senior Queens.

These ball models remain USBC approved. Each USBC competition, whether tournament or league, has the option to adopt USBC's national tournament rule prohibiting use of these balls or to continue to allow their use.

USBC has shared this national tournament rule with Storm and has Storm's support. Storm will offer owners of the affected balls the option to exchange their balls for a new product. Information about the exchange program will be published later this week on stormbowling.com.

"USBC thanks Storm for the collaboration and for working together on a solution for our members," USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. "There is no perfect solution to this type of problem, but this agreement strikes a balance in protecting the integrity of USBC national tournaments, while giving members a choice to do what is best for them locally."

As part of the agreement, Storm Products will discontinue sales of the affected balls. USBC has concluded its investigation and will not be taking action on additional balls related to this production issue.

"Storm appreciates USBC working with us on this agreement, so we can put the issue behind us and focus on our customers," Storm Products President Dave Symes said. "Customer satisfaction has always been our top priority, and we will take care of our customers."

This agreement does not change the status of the Storm Spectre. The Spectre remains unapproved and on USBC's non-conforming ball list.

Go to BOWL.com/EquipAndSpecs to learn more about the equipment specifications.

2021 United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Masters Tournament Update

Two legends just retired from regular competition on the National PBA Tour, Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Pete Weber didn't bowl this event. I guess Norm Duke just wanted to remind everybody, he's BOWLING. Last game done for Norm today, he's +216 and leading. A and B block still to bowl.  

With the last block of 5 games happening for A and B Squads, the next hours will determine if C block bowlers that have completed their qualifying will benefit from players that are within the cut (around 28 under shown as -28), or bowlers outside the cut (more then 29 under) can create some magic.  

Bowlers within the cut might get too conservative, play too much to not lose, roll a qualifier killer score, even a 150 game, and drop out of the top 64. The players not yet within the cut line (currently –28), must make up for their under 200 games, with 200 plus games to expunge the red ink.  

A surprize just under the cut number. C block bowlers including Jason Belmonte, (Australia) and Jakob Buttruff (Tempe, AZ) tied at –30.  The World Number One, Belmonte waits for the field to shift around above and below him, hoping the cut drops a few pins to include him. Buttruff, as the last USBC Masters Champion is seeded into the top 64, so he is in.  

Other top players including: Osku Palermaa, (Finland) -33, AJ Chapman (Lewisville, TX) -46, Michael Tang (Pickerington, OH) -49, the Legends with double digit titles, Chris Barnes (Double Oak, TX), -51, and Tommy Jones (Simpsonville, SC) -56 even Chicago area member Gerald (Gerry) Marrs –62, right behind the Legends, will have an opportunity to move up in their last 5 games.  

Chicago area bowlers: Nick Kruml (Downer Grove), +129 in 7th, AJ Johnson  (Oswego) +116 in 11th, former Sandburg High School now Ambrose College bowler and amateur Cameron Crowe (Orland Park) +79 in 17th.  will most likely survive the round. 

A Pro that now lives in the area, Kris Prather (Romeoville) +84 is 15th and likely to move on also. Sean Rash (Montgomery) rolled his first block, but illness and an abundance of caution, to protect himself and the other competitors, withdrew with yet undetermined buy hopefully not COVID symptoms. 

A couple other Chicago area bowlers I recognized bubbling around 150th: Joe Lichner an amateur from Warrenville at 147th and –211 was a customer, as a high schooler, of my Revolutions-Wheaton store, inside the now defunct Wheaton Bowl. Matt Kuba (Tinley Park) is 151st and –216, I worked with the current pro early in his bowling career at Revolutions-Tinley Park, inside Centennial Lanes. 

Congratulations to all the bowlers testing themselves in one of the most challenging bowling events on the planet.  

The 2021 USBC Masters and US Open Will Move to Reno

 ARLINGTON, Texas - With COVID-19 still impacting event operations, the United States Bowling Congress has decided to adjust the competition locations for the 2021 USBC Masters and U.S. Open.

The two events, both considered majors on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour, now will be held in consecutive weeks at the 78-lane National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada, allowing competitors planning to bowl in both tournaments to make just one trip, rather than journey to two destinations at different times.

The Masters will be held first, taking place on its original dates from March 29-April 4, now with room for an additional 55 competitors. The field had been limited to 245 entries, but the move to the NBS allows for a capacity of 300 entries.

The U.S. Open will follow, with the 108-competitor field taking to the iconic lanes April 4-11. 

Qualifying and match play for both tournaments will be livestreamed on BowlTV, before the action shifts to Fox Sports' FS1 as part of the PBA Tour television schedule. The live TV finals of each event will air from 2-4 p.m. Eastern on April 4 and April 11, respectively. 

Prior to the move, the U.S. Open was scheduled to be held at The Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley in Green Bay, Wisconsin, from Feb. 21-28, and the Masters was slated to return to the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

"We are committed to running these events in 2021," USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. "By moving the tournaments to Reno and back in the calendar, we are better positioned to receive approval from health officials to conduct the events, while also adding additional lanes for more competitors."

The Masters traditionally attracts hundreds of bowlers from all over the world and has sold out for the last seven years. The 2019 event at the Gold Coast Bowling Center, won by left-hander Jakob Butturff, featured 450 competitors.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions and best-practice recommendations, however, the Masters field in 2021 initially had to be limited. The event sold out in just a few days, and the waiting list quickly grew to more than 150 eager competitors. USBC will continue to monitor the restrictions and social-distancing recommendations in Nevada and expand the field again, if appropriate.

Masters bowlers will join Butturff on the lanes at the NBS for 15 games of qualifying, before the top 63, plus Butturff, advance to the double-elimination match-play portion of the event.

The 2021 U.S. Open will be a collaborative effort between USBC and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, featuring a limited field of the world's best bowlers, most of whom earned their spots in the event based on their recent on-lane performances. The list includes leaders on the PBA Tour points list and top performers at USBC events and PBA majors.

The U.S. Open format features qualifying across multiple oil patterns and round-robin match play, before the top five competitors advance to the TV stepladder, based on their 56-game pinfall totals. 

Bowlers who did not receive invitations to compete in the 2021 event can earn spots through an on-site pre-tournament qualifier, which will take place April 4.

The 2020 U.S. Open was held in Lincoln, Nebraska, in February and won by Australia's Jason Belmonte for the 12th of his record 13 major titles. 

For more information about the U.S. Open and USBC Masters, visit BOWL.com/Tournaments.

USBC MODIFIES RULES TO HELP ALLOW A RETURN TO COMPETITIVE BOWLING

ARLINGTON, Texas – The United States Bowling Congress Board of Directors approved waivers and modifications to USBC Playing Rules to allow certified leagues and tournaments more flexibility to return to bowling while adhering to local health guidelines related to COVID-19.  

The modifications allow certified competition to take place on one lane for the entirety of a game. Additionally, bowlers will be allowed to use isopropyl alcohol, more commonly known as rubbing alcohol, to clean their bowling ball during competition. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists isopropyl alcohol as an approved disinfectant for use against COVID-19.

“As bowling centers around the country are reopening, USBC intends to give operators the most flexibility possible to resume bowling within their local guidelines,” USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. “We have been listening to proprietors and members as they prepare to resume certified play and made these changes based on that input. Our goal is to facilitate bowling again in a way that meets the need locally and USBC is ready to quickly consider and activate additional changes based on feedback from centers and associations.”

The USBC Board has the authority to temporarily amend or suspend league and tournament rules in emergency cases. With the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, USBC reviewed its rules and policies to identify areas of concern relating to player safety and to determine how it could promote efforts while centers adjust operations to meet local guidelines.

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.

USBC will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and can rescind the waiver of Rules 106a,106b, 320a and 320b at any time.

USBC also created an exception for Rule 18, which restricts the use of liquid cleaners to clean the outer surface of the bowling ball during USBC certified competition. The exception for Rule 18 applies only to isopropyl alcohol – no other USBC-approved cleaners will be allowed during competition.

The USBC Board, which has the authority over General Playing Rules, was able to make the rules waivers following the adoption of General Playing Rule 14 - Emergency Authorizations. Rule 14 states USBC may authorize temporary modifications to the General Playing Rules, Award, League and Tournament Rules in cases of emergency and that such authorizations will be for a specified period.

Visit BOWL.com/Rules for more information on USBC Rules.

USBC Suspending or Postponing National Events

ARLINGTON, Texas – The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) is postponing or suspending nationally conducted USBC events until May 1, 2020, due to COVID-19 safety concerns.

This includes the USBC Open Championships, USBC Women’s Championships, USBC Convention, USBC Masters and USBC Senior Queens. USBC made this difficult decision out of concern for the health and safety of our members, their families and local communities.

• The 2020 USBC Open Championships and 2020 USBC Women’s Championships are suspended until May 1, 2020. All teams registered from March 21 through April 30 will have the option to reschedule for new added dates in the summer. USBC customer service will contact team captains directly with more details.
     
• The USBC Masters, USBC Senior Queens and USBC Convention are postponed indefinitely. USBC intends to reschedule these events later in 2020, as public health conditions allow.

USBC will announce any changes to the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour schedule no later than April 2, 2020.

We realize our stakeholders will have many questions related the changes. USBC staff is working on additional communications and guidance for our bowlers and association leaders. We appreciate everyone’s patience as our staff works to provide more information as soon as possible.

BOWLING INDUSTRY TAPS LINK STRATEGY GROUP AS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGENCY

ARLINGTON, Texas – Bowling’s major entities – the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) and Strike Ten Entertainment (STE) – have contracted with Link Strategy Group to develop sponsorship partners for the industry.

Combined, the USBC, BPAA and STE provide access to the more than 67 million consumers who bowl each year and more than 5,000 bowling centers across the U.S. Link Strategy Group will serve as the strategic partnership agency to introduce the bowling platform to potential non-endemic corporations interested in access to the sport of bowling.

“After an in-depth search for a partner in this area, the consensus was that Link Strategy Group was a great fit for bowling,” said John Harbuck, President of Strike Ten Entertainment, the marketing arm of the bowling industry. “They immediately grasped the significant power that our organizations collectively offer and have the contacts to get bowling front-and-center with potential sponsors.

“Bowling is the number one participatory sport in the U.S. and, to date, is really untapped when it comes to non-endemic partnerships,” he added.

In addition to providing companies with access to consumers through bowling centers, Link Strategy Group will be able to offer exclusive naming rights for the recently relaunched Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour and tour events. Current PWBA sponsors include Pepsi, Nationwide, Smithfield and Go Bowling.

Link Strategy Group will also be able to provide partners with unparalleled access to the USBC membership, which is larger than the combined memberships of similar organizations in golf and tennis. Opportunities also exist around the USBC’s national events, which draw participation from thousands of bowlers around the country. These include the Open Championships, Women’s Championships, USBC Masters, USBC Queens, U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open, Junior Gold Championships, Team USA and others.

“Bowling is the original social network. It’s a game that’s been enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels for literally centuries,” said Jeff Benton, CEO of Link Strategy Group. “We are excited that for the first time a company can own the sport of bowling through the collective assets of the major bowling organizations.  We can deliver this platform, truly unique in the world of sports, to companies who want to reach a very loyal, expansive audience. And, with the PWBA, we have a new platform and women’s sports property that is perfectly suited for companies wanting to connect with the female consumer.”

For more information on how to partner with the bowling industry, contact Stephen Grecsek at sgrescek@linkstrategygroup.com.

US Open Not Cancelled

The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) have joined forces to secure the future of one of bowling's most important brands - Bowling's U.S. Open.

In an agreement announced Friday, USBC and BPAA have agreed to a three-year deal that will see USBC operate and conduct the U.S. Open for men and women in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

"USBC as the national governing body for bowling is committed to supporting competitive bowling and the U.S. Open brand plays an important role," USBC President Andrew Cain said. "We are proud to work alongside our partners at BPAA to secure a certain future for the U.S. Open."

As part of the agreement, USBC and BPAA each will contribute at least $100,000 annually toward operating the events; further details will be announced at a later date.

"BPAA and USBC are dedicated to working together to better the sport of bowling and this partnership is just another example of that cooperation," BPAA President Cathy DeSocio said. "BPAA is proud the U.S. Open brand can continue for years to come and that the sport's greatest athletes will have an opportunity to compete for this prestigious title."

The agreement does not include a broadcast television partner for the events. If a sponsor for television is not secured, live streaming coverage of the events will be provided.

"A television package is certainly not out of the question and something we will work to acquire moving forward," Cain said. "We will be re-engaging partners and other sponsors in an effort develop a model that will benefit the entire industry."

USBC Women's and Open Championships in Las Vegas, Baby

United States Bowling Congress News: South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa, the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), Las Vegas Events (LVE) and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) have announced a 12-year deal to host several annual USBC events, including the USBC Open Championships and USBC Women's Championships, both citywide, and inside a new, $30 million bowling tournament facility at South Point starting in 2013.

Over the course of the agreement, USBC will host seven Championship events inside South Point's new bowling tournament facility, including the USBC Women's Championships in 2016, 2020 and 2022 and the USBC Open Championships in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023.

There also will be more than 40 additional tournaments, conventions and short-duration events held throughout Las Vegas during the agreement, including events such as the USBC Masters, USBC Queens, USBC Senior Masters and USBC Team USA Trials. "Las Vegas is excited to continue a partnership with the United States Bowling Congress that began four decades ago when we hosted the USBC Women's Championships," said Rossi Ralenkotter, president/CEO for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

"We look forward to strengthening the partnership over the next decade and becoming the premier destination for USBC events."

The USBC, LVE and LVCVA are partnering with South Point to enhance this new agreement by building a permanent, world-class bowling tournament facility at one of Las Vegas' premier bowling destinations.

Construction of the new arena at South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa will commence in May 2013. South Point's current bowling center, which will still continue operations, is already a world-renowned facility that annually hosts top professional and amateur events, including the Professional Bowlers Association's World Series of Bowling.
The new tournament facility will include more than 60 lanes featuring the latest bowling technology, tournament registration area, squad room, locker area and more.

With participation estimates for the seven Championship events taken into account, event organizers estimate that 27 percent of attendees will have the ability to stay at the South Point, while the remaining 73 percent will occupy rooms throughout the city during events held for the duration of this agreement.

"We are extremely excited about our partnership with the USBC and South Point Hotel and Casino," said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events.

"This would not have been possible without the commitment from Michael Gaughan to build a state-of-the-art bowling venue and the USBC's commitment to host an unprecedented number of its events in Las Vegas."

In 2009, the 106th USBC Open Championships, held at Cashman Center in Las Vegas, ran for a record 154 consecutive days with a capacity total of 17,200 teams competing from Feb. 21 to July 24, 2009.

The total estimated attendance for bowling participants and their travel parties was 292,750 with an average room stay of 4.3 nights and a non-gaming economic impact of more than $120 million.

Las Vegas also hosted the USBC Open Championships in 1986. The USBC Women's Championships previously was held in Las Vegas in 1973 and 1983, attracting 9,644 and 14,430 teams, respectively.

"The creation of a new bowling arena as part of a Las Vegas casino will be an amazing experience for our bowlers to enjoy," USBC Executive Director Stu Upson said.

"This agreement required tremendous public and private support in order to come together. We look forward to seeing the construction of a great venue that will be a source of pride for the entire bowling industry."