Unsanctioned league...

[Ryster]

Joined my first unsanctioned league this summer. Well, it was basically the only league available that fit my schedule, and it so happens to be unsanctioned. It is, however, certified under that new Bowlero PBA League Certification mess which will be mentioned shortly.

First off, the league officers on this league are very hands on and attentive. That's great and I appreciate their efforts. No issues there.

My issues are with the way that rules are flat out ignored. Just because the league isn't USBC sanctioned doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. The league is a PBA certified league, and the PBA League Certification program has its own set of rules. Some of those mirror the USBC. However, Bowlero bungled the roll out of that program so poorly that 99% of bowlers in a PBA certified league don't know they are in one and don't know there are actually rules.

I know that people want to have "fun" when they bowl. I'm all about having fun bowling, too. Part of that is making sure the experience is organized and consistent for everyone. When everyone does their own thing and makes up their own rules, that's not fun.

And finally, can people simply be courteous and respectful of other people and their time? If you want to smoke outside or go to the bar between games, that's fine. But keep it under 5 minutes. When it stretches 10+ minutes that's a bit much. If you just want to smoke and drink with your friends, don't join a bowling league and make others wait while you smoke and drink.

Hopefully I can make it through this summer league and leave it far behind when it's over.

[boomer]

So - it's sanctioned, just not USBC sanctioned. It's PBA Certified - wouldn't that be equivalent?

I've bowled in unsanctioned leagues and they were not sanctioned by anyone; not certified by anyone. We had a rule-set that was voted on at the beginning of the season, and we stuck by them. We were a long-running league (called "Just-For-Fun") that started as a company league and . . . just outlasted the company, LOL. But it was cheap, sweeps were local and no-tap so that was fun . . . but it still wasn't the chaos you describe.

[Ryster]

Yes, since it isn't USBC sanctioned the PBA League Certification rules would govern. The league has 5 pages of by-laws, with the final by-law stating that any issues not addressed in the by-laws will be governed by the USBC and league officers. Yes, it's a real head scratcher to invoke the USBC in an unsanctioned league when it should be referencing the PBA League Certification rules.

Part of me wants to blow up the president and secretary's worlds and demand the by-laws be revised and PBA League rules be referenced. But then half the league would leave because their equipment wouldn't comply with the no balance hole rule which also exists under PBA league certification rules. That's not a fight I even want to start. Plus, with this being my first (and most likely only) year on the league, it isn't my place to do that when most of the other teams are returning from last season and prior seasons.

Chaos is the best overall way to describe the league. I literally almost threw 2 weeks dues at the treasurer the other night and walked out after game 1. Cooler heads prevailed and I realized the problems were more Bowlero's fault and the specific team we were bowling against more than the league as a whole. The funny thing is, I mentioned to my team how I was ready to walk out and their response was "Oooh! Let us know if you decide to do that, we will be right behind you! Paying the 2 weeks wouldn't bother us at all to get away from this league!" 🤣

[boomer]

LOL - take it as experience

[J Anderson]

Yes, since it isn't USBC sanctioned the PBA League Certification rules would govern. The league has 5 pages of by-laws, with the final by-law stating that any issues not addressed in the by-laws will be governed by the USBC and league officers. Yes, it's a real head scratcher to invoke the USBC in an unsanctioned league when it should be referencing the PBA League Certification rules.

Part of me wants to blow up the president and secretary's worlds and demand the by-laws be revised and PBA League rules be referenced. But then half the league would leave because their equipment wouldn't comply with the no balance hole rule which also exists under PBA league certification rules. That's not a fight I even want to start. Plus, with this being my first (and most likely only) year on the league, it isn't my place to do that when most of the other teams are returning from last season and prior seasons.

Chaos is the best overall way to describe the league. I literally almost threw 2 weeks dues at the treasurer the other night and walked out after game 1. Cooler heads prevailed and I realized the problems were more Bowlero's fault and the specific team we were bowling against more than the league as a whole. The funny thing is, I mentioned to my team how I was ready to walk out and their response was "Oooh! Let us know if you decide to do that, we will be right behind you! Paying the 2 weeks wouldn't bother us at all to get away from this league!" 🤣

In my experience most unsanctioned leagues derive most of their rules from USBC, or its predecessor’s rules. I’ve never been in own that would actually make it that blatant that they would include that last rule

[Ryster]

This is where Bowlero has failed with their PBA League Certification. Any league bowling in a Bowlero center is automatically certified under the PBA League Certification. A league at Bowlero may choose to be USBC sanctioned, at which point the USBC takes precedence over the PBA. If a league at Bowlero chooses not to be USBC sanctioned, then the PBA League rules take precedence.

I've had discussions with other bowlers in unsanctioned leagues at the same Bowlero where I bowl, and when it comes to rules they will make comments such as "not USBC sanctioned, no rules.". When I mention the PBA League rules, they respond "show me where this mysterious PBA League thing you talk about has rules.". I show them the rules, and they are mystified as to why the PBA League Certification exists if the rules are never presented at the league meeting. It's literally a total mess. Bowlero created this as a knee jerk reaction to the USBC, but all it has done is just create needless confusion.

And now the PBA League Certification is currently having their inaugural national tournament. You can about imagine what kind of disaster that is!

[Ryster]

Well, only four weeks left on this unsanctioned league. The experience has been just "ok". Last week it took us 2.5 hours to bowl 3 games, and there were only 6 bowlers on the pair. We were the last team finished by a good 20 minutes after everyone else and there were other pairs with 8 bowlers on their pair. It was aggravating.

In 30yrs of league bowling, this is the only league where I have contemplated leaving after the second game because of the behavior of the other team. However I stuck it out and finished the night

If asked today if I plan to return next season, I would probably say "not sure".

[boomer]

honestly, that happens on sanctioned leagues as well.

We have one team that, for some WEIRD reason, always finishes 20 minutes after everyone else, which is really strange considering how MANY strikes they throw. I mean. . . they are GOOD. Scary good. One of them (Dustin) had two 300's in the same night (finished with a 185 or something) and they don't stall. . .

We've had rambunctious teams, we've had rude teams (one just left mid-season to go to college in Iowa, which itself is weird. Only their son is attending, but mom and dad want to go too . . . which I wouldn't want but hey, different strokes, right? And the team that wanted to take up where they left off are rude as well - quit after one week when we told them they wouldn't get the previous team's point money. . .)

We learn to take teams as we get them.

Last night was one of our favorite teams to bowl against, even though Mike is a MONSTER.

[Ryster]

Yeah, the team we bowled is notorious for their disruptive behavior, leaving to smoke in between each game, not being ready when it is their turn, etc. You know it's bad when 8 on a pair can bowl their 3 games 20-30 minutes faster than a pair with fewer bowlers.

At least with sanctioned leagues there is the option of being able to fall back on "delay of game" rules if things get really bad. But there will be teams that are slow. We had a team on a sanctioned league that was always slow. The board approached them because they were impacting both the league and the actual center. The team responded with "We pay good money to bowl, and we are good bar customers. We will take as long as we want!" And they did just that for the rest of the season, typically finishing 45+ minutes after everyone else.

[boomer]

LOL - this team actually got letters from USBC when they went to the Open Nats about how slow they were! LOL