So we got paid out last night in our mostly high average competitive scratch league. 14 teams, 3 member, 20 dollar a night, only 7.50 out of that is lineage. We have a nightly 3 game Eliminator, we also have random match play and a match play standings list. Teams get paid by position and individuals for match play position per third, and for overall Eliminator take. My team was in 2nd the entire year, it's a 30 point per night system, and overall we took 703 points on the year out of a possible 990. In years past, teams got paid for total points, but apparently that's not how it works anymore. Out of 42 people, I finished 4th, 9th and 4th in the match play standings, did well in the Eliminator, split the hi 10 hi 30 pot, got 2nd place hi 10 for team, had the 4th high average in the league, and I got a grand total of 525 bucks back (total league fees for the year was 660) . .
Now to put this in perspective, the team that was in first the entire year, took nearly 800 points on the year, I made more than 2 of them. The top guy on their team who reset our house average record at 240 didn't even break even on the year. The difference between being in 1st and 14th? 30 per person per third. The difference between being 1st and 42nd in the match play standings? 31 per third.
To put this in more perspective, I had a bad year last year. Not terrible, but it wasn't good at all. Our team finished 8th out of 11 teams, did ok in the Eliminator, finished around the 20 spot in the match play standings every third, and I took home 450.
More perspective. My wife ended up bowling on a team at the last minute because they needed somebody. Their team finished dead last every third, took only 180 points on the year, she made exactly 20 bucks on the eliminator for the year, and finished either last or next to last in the match play standings every third and her envelope contained 250.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm happy she got a decent chunk of change back . . and I got more out of the prize fund than I paid into it, but not by much. Matter of fact, overall I had the 4th highest payday in the league, but the 2 directly ahead of me were only ahead of me by a few bucks apiece.
This seems to me to be absolutely ridiculous. If you're in a handicap league, cool, spread the wealth, it's supposed to be just for fun. But when you're in a high average competitive scratch league with a dress code and 2 lane courtesy written into the league rules, fines for unbecoming or unsportsmanlike conduct or not meeting the dress code, and very strict sub and absentee rules, how does this all add up to a spread the wealth payout? Where's the incentive to bowl well? I put in way too much effort and lost way too much sleep just to lose 150 bucks on the year. Because of this, instead of my team returning next year, both my teammates changed their minds, because they only got back about 425 apiece. One works an hour drive away, and the other works from 5am-9pm 4 days out of the week. The league starts at 9pm and is usually over around 1130pm. We put the team together with the expectation of winning money or at least breaking even.
The tournament I bowled Sunday? 43 entrants, 75 dollar entry fee. Got second, walked out with 470, that's tournament payout alone, didn't include any side action. This league? 42 bowlers, 660 dollar "entry" over 9 MONTHS, 525. What am I missing here? Yes I realize tournaments are different, but come on . .
