Nice idea, David.

I wonder how many people you'd get in any state to participate?

Too many people will not check their ego in at the door but will drag it in with them to whine about some portion of this type of tourney. I can see some giving up after 8 or 10 games, when the lanes begin to get very dry, Then you'll hear the complaints.Maybe you should require every one to use urethane?? 

 

In York County, PA we have a tournament call the York County Match Game which is open to USBC Bowlers who are members in York County and is held at 4 different bowling alleys over 2 weekends.  There are 2, 6 game qualifying blocks at 2 different houses, which are held on a Saturday and Sunday.  Then, the field is cut to the top 12 or 16 depending on number of entries who move onto the next Saturday and Sunday at 2 other houses where you bowl match play with a 30 pin bonus for winning.  They get multiple sponsors to add some extra money as well as an entry fee under $90.  The tournament committee works with the proprietors in order to get different houses involved from year to year.

 

In my opinion, it does seem like tournament entries are down the past few years, and the million dollar question is how do you get more entries in tournaments.  I personally like to bowl on the tougher lane conditions because it levels the playing field a little.

 

Using your calculations of 1 in 3 cash, there wouldn't be a bigger prize for finishing first or second from the rest of the field.  Most tournaments in my area have 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 cashing.

 

Good luck on getting a tournament together.

We have the Kentucky Open which is 4 houses in 3 days.  6 game blocks Friday night and Saturday morning, cut to the top 48, another 6 game block, and then cut to the top 12 for round robin match play on Sunday.  All patterns are sport patterns.

 

Edited by BigB20 on 2/4/2011 at 7:17 AM

Got to www.jaymarfec.com and you will see there is an 8 game marathon tournament in Franklin, TN just outside of Nashville Sunday at 10 am. Bowling on the USBC White Pattern.

 

The problem with bowling tournaments is that they have always been expensive pot games. Whether its a scratch tournament or one designed for the below 200 average bowler. 

 

The participant should not have to pay the prize fund. There is no reason that the tournament director should not have enough sponsors to cover everything except the lineage. Bowling proprietors for the most part are lazy. They want lineage and they want birthday parties, but they don't want to work to get corporate sponsorships.

 

Many years ago here in Nashville we had the Metro Corporate Challenge. Local corporations PAID for a sports championship consisting of running, softball, golf etc...all the participant had to do was pay a small $10 fee to get in. It's where corporations then had bragging rights for the next year. They usually had between 5000 and 10000 participants!

 

I don't bowl tournaments anymore. What do you get for your $100? NOTHING! You get four qualifying games and 5 people out of 100 actually get any money back. Maybe 10 and most don't get what they paid in but the tournament promoter walks away with $5000+ for doing nothing!

 

This is why bowling is in trouble. Tournaments are too expensive. When you take in time, travel, gas, lodging, etc...you lose money. National unemployment is over 9%. 17,000,000 Americans are either unemployed or under employed. Just ask someone in hard up cities like Detroit, Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, Buffalo, Syracuse, St. Louis, Louisville, Nashville, Memphis etc... if they have $100-$125 to blow on a tournament!

 

Its not the lane conditions, its the expense.

 

Just my .02

 

MT

 

 

 

 

 

 

They have a monthly/bi monthly 9 game tournament in the OKC area that gets a good turn out. 9 games and depending on the turnout determines how many make the cut and go to a step ladder event. It is a great tournament with eliminators and brackets each 3 game set.