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Author Topic: Bend over and grab your ankles...  (Read 6636 times)

Jerry Weller

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Bend over and grab your ankles...
« on: May 06, 2004, 09:49:56 PM »
Bet that headline got your attention...

Well guys and gals, I was chatting with a buddy who seldom posts here the other day who happens to be pretty savvy about all things ABC related and he was able to direct me to pdf downloads of the proposed changes.

http://www.bowl.com/bowl/BowlDotCom/common/static.html?page=bowl_singlemembership_2003proposal#proposal

Sawbones appears rather prescient when in another thread he anticipates that the reduced costs promised by the new USBC would not be passed on to the bowlers. Indeed... we will probably see a significant dues increase.

In section B of the National Bylaws we found this...

"Section B. Dues
USBC members are required to pay dues to USBC, to local associations, as well as to state associations that assess dues in combined amounts established by USBC.

Annual adult membership dues are:
USBC dues not to exceed $10
State dues not to exceed $1
Local dues not to exceed $ 10"

So your USBC card could potentially cost you as much as $21 this coming season depending on how much your local asks you for. I'd pretty well count on paying the full $11 for the national and state. The worst thing about all this to me is after looking over the financial report I've concluded that the reason the powers that be are in the hole is because they spend too much money telling you how great they are.

There's no good way to insert the books here since they were done in a graphic format inside the relevant PDF file. However here is a link to the download you need. You will find the relevant numbers on page 10 and 11 of the "proposal" section. http://www.bowlingmembership.com/PDF/Section%201_Proposal.pdf

ABC claims to have suffered a net cash flow loss of ($556,338) on income of $27,383,531 (roughly half the income coming from league dues and the other half from tournaments) and expenses of 28,288,245.

The largest expenses were $12.4 million on tournaments and another $3.4 mill on awards. Just a little bit more restraint in the PR department would have saved enough for the organization to break even -- ABC spent $2.6 million on "Publications, PR, Marketing and Industry Partnership".

Of course half of the ABC's "loss" is in the form of $280,046 worth of "depreciation" - a paper loss that may or may not have any bearing on the real world.  

The WIBC claims income of $14,660,362. Roughly $9.6 million comes from membership fees with another $4.6 million from tournaments. Their largest single expense is $4.4 million on tournaments. WIBC expenses total $16,752,008 for a net loss of $1,988,395.

Despite having a smaller membership, the WIBC spent more than twice as much money on their annual meeting as ABC did. $748,327 vs. the ABC's $312,908 and a whopping $2,794,071 on "Publications, PR, Marketing and Industry Partnership". Hardly responsible conduct for an organization that is bleeding money. ABC almost looks like a model of fiscal restraint by way of comparison.

YABA had total income of $4,472,536. $3.7 million coming from membership fees. Total expenses were $4,647,394 for a net loss of $174,858. Again getting the PR spending under control would have solved the financial problem. YABA was the only governing body to spend more money on PR than tournaments - $938,404 went to the infamous "Publications, PR, Marketing and Industry Partnership" category.

On the plus side the USBC does at least anticipate meaningful savings after the transition expenses are paid... Quoting from the report....

"Projections made in this proposal indicate we will be in a better financial position merging than remaining separate.
These projections include:
Ÿ The combined 2003-04 organizational budgets reflect a $2,698,731 deficit cash flow.
Ÿ The proposed USBC budget results in a $289,230 positive cash flow.
Ÿ Transition costs over the three-year period total $5,567,000.
Ÿ The savings generated through the merger in those three years will be $9,199,000. This means transition costs could be recouped within two years."

Edited on 5/7/2004 1:08 PM

Edited on 5/7/2004 1:16 PM

 

MI 2 AZ

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2004, 01:00:39 PM »
quote:
Despite having a smaller membership, the WIBC spent more than twice as much money on their annual meeting as ABC did. $748,327 vs. the ABC's $312,908 and a whopping $2,794,071 on "Publications, PR, Marketing and Industry Partnership".  


Was part of that PR money spent on the womens professional tour?  I mean, werent they in some kind of sponsorship or partnership with them?
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Jerry Weller

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2004, 01:03:24 PM »
That may be the case... I'll be honest here and say I don't know.

Still a little more financial restraint here and there and the ladies wouldn't be nearly as bad off financially. Why does it cost twice as much to have a national meeting? Does the ladies tour really cost more than the men's to support?

Jerry Weller

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2004, 01:06:26 PM »
Bones I love ya, but I'm glad I made you mad.

There won't be any changes till people get mad enough to get involved. Other bowlers need people like you. Quit making excuses, get your friends together and go take over your local association. Then you can send some delegates and raise hell at the National meetings.

michelle

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2004, 02:03:08 PM »
I feel it may be a tad cynical to presume that associations are going to jack their fee up simply because the ceiling was raised.  Even if they were to do so, however, from my standpoint $21 beats the $30 I paid this year for two cards

card79

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2004, 02:26:01 PM »
Due to double standards though Michelle atleast half the bowlers didn't have two cards.  Make the single organization work.  Everyone competes against everyone and streamline the whole thing.  Run it as a business be accountable.  Let everyone be equal.
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Jerry Weller

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2004, 02:49:06 PM »
It's just math Michelle. Even if your local leaves the dues flat the National and state dues are going up so your total payout is going up for most of us.
Congratulations to you that you won't have to pay out for WIBC anymore after this next season. Personally I can't think of any reason to belong to WIBC unless you want to shoot in their tournaments. For a good bowler like you that might be like shooting fish in a barrel.

Jerry Weller

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2004, 03:06:24 PM »
Bones I know that's a big windmill and nobody can change it by themselves and you're right I haven't dealt with the national organization just my fellow association directors on the local level. Of course when you get down to it, that's where most of the real work gets done anyway isn't it?

A lot of guys who never shoot a national will go to a city or state tournament. Your awards come on time because the local secretaries are either on the ball or their not. That's an area where the national organization actually does their part pretty well.

As for the integrity of the game - let's be honest. The proprietors are in the driver's seat. They shell out the millions to set up the center, so do you think they are going to let ANYBODY else tell them they can't put out an easy shot to fill their houses? They have steadily eroded the power of the ABC since the early 1960s to where our influence over proprietors is almost nil.

Consider the example of Crest Bowl in St. Louis. The ABC would not sanction their illegally blocked shot. Crest's reaction? They gave away their own gold house 300 ring that was nicer than what ABC gave away and quit sanctioning any of their leagues.

Result? Packed house every night full of some of the best players in the area. Now Crest is sanctioning with ABC again. Why? Because the ABC standards have eroded to where the Crest Bowl block is perfectly legal.

We still have some leverage on the ball and pin manufacturers, but I'm thoroughly convinced that the blocked lane conditions are what drives the higher scores more than any other factor.

LuvThatWhiteDot

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2004, 07:23:53 PM »
quote:
Congratulations to you that you won't have to pay out for WIBC anymore after this next season. Personally I can't think of any reason to belong to WIBC unless you want to shoot in their tournaments. For a good bowler like you that might be like shooting fish in a barrel.


Correct me if I'm wrong, but locals have until 2005 to decide if they wish to merge with USBC, so Michelle (and I) will be buying two cards for one more season (my two run me $31).
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a_ak57

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2004, 08:17:29 PM »
quote:
For some time now, I have felt this board should be changed to a golf board. Then every post would be a positive.
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Bones

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
  *breathes*
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
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AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Okay.
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JOE FALCO

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2004, 08:39:11 PM »
Somehow I'm missing the point here. I'm trying my best to understand. Since this EXCHANGE is on an open forum I would imagine I can ask questions without ruffling feathers.

The three organizations ON THEIR OWN lost money this (or should I say LAST) year. Evidently we now see where they MADE MISTAKES (Monday morning quaterbacks). I GUESS THIS MEANS WE ARE IN FAVOR OF THE USBC? We certainly AREN'T in a position to say the COMBINED GROUPS will NOT SAVE MONEY!

It was mentioned that DUES will go UP. Since the discussions started there was talk about DUES GOING UP .. is that a SURPRISE? Does ANYONE feel that the dues would have STAYED THE SAME or GO DOWN if the organizations WERE NOT COMBINED?

I never voiced an opinion on being FOR or AGAINST the merger .. but I'm glad some changes were made .. especially since you pointed out HOW BADLY things were MANAGED in prior years!

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michelle

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2004, 09:40:47 PM »
quote:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but locals have until 2005 to decide if they wish to merge with USBC, so Michelle (and I) will be buying two cards for one more season (my two run me $31).



Actually, the only reason I had purchased an ABC card was to compete in a particular event last month.  Of course, in order to compete in any LCT events after the end of August, I would have to also re-sanction with WIBC next season.  

It remains to be seen what I do in the fall...I'm actually tempted to just get an unattached sanction if they are still available and simply skip leagues in favor of extended practice blocks.

Jerry Weller

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2004, 05:44:58 AM »
Joe my viewpoint is that we were all sold the idea that having a combined organization would allow our bowling governing bodies to operate more efficiently due to elimination of duplicated efforts, etc.

If this is indeed the case, that expenses will be reduced and new efficiencies realized, then why should a dues increase be necessary? Personally I find that odd...

Just reducing the number of times you spend $2.5 mill on PR to one time instead of 2 and a half times might be a great start on those new efficiencies...
 


JOE FALCO

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2004, 08:48:22 AM »

Jerry .. I agree that costs will be cut .. however I think the FEES to the bowler would have gone up with or with out the merger. I think we give the new organization the benefit of doubt and hopefully when things settle down .. the cost to bowlers will also settle down to a LOWER amount!

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Edited on 5/8/2004 8:43 AM
RIP Thongprincess/Sawbones!

Jerry Weller

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Re: Bend over and grab your ankles...
« Reply #14 on: May 08, 2004, 01:28:17 PM »
Why should the fees go up Joe? What justifies it? That our leadership managed to spend more than they collected?

Well, I like the idea of one bowling voice - but I have to say that I'm not sold that the powers that be are operating as good stewards. I believe our bowling leadership should operate within their budgets.