Author Topic: USBC INTRODUCES RED, WHITE, AND BLUE HOUSE CONDITIONS (Read 9963 times)

revTrex · « **on:** June 08, 2009, 03:44:09 AM »

June 8, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jason Overstreet
International Bowling Campus Communications
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USBC DEVELOPING NEW RED, WHITE AND BLUE CONDITIONS; BPAA TO ASSIST IN TESTING

ARLINGTON, Texas - The United States Bowling Congress plans to introduce a new series of lane conditions for certified competition. The group of patterns is designed to provide bowlers a better description for the difficulty of traditional "house" conditions.

As part of the plan, leagues and tournaments will have the option of using oil patterns falling into USBC Red, White or Blue condition categories. USBC Red pattern will be the most forgiving condition, USBC White will be more challenging and USBC Blue will be the most difficult of the new "house" conditions. USBC Sport Bowling conditions will continue to be the most challenging level of oil patterns.

"We know that lane conditions have a tremendous impact on the sport," USBC Vice President-National Governing Body Neil Stremmel said. "House shots can be very easy or reasonably challenging. Knowing the difficulty of the condition helps build credibility for the sport and adds a new fun element for bowlers."

The new condition categories are scheduled for testing later this year in cooperation with the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America. The conditions should be available for tournament use in spring 2010 and for the fall 2010 league season.

"This program can provide proprietors an excellent marketing tool to attract and maintain league bowlers," BPAA President Jim Sturm said. "Red, White and Blue can be used like stepping stones to progressively increase a bowler's interest in the competitive side of the sport. We are eager to test the program and hear feedback from customers and proprietors."

Use of the USBC Red, White and Blue conditions will be completely optional and the patterns will be available for download at no cost.

"A primary goal of the project is to make the USBC Red, White and Blue conditions easy for bowlers to understand and proprietors to utilize," Stremmel said. "The industry's lane machine manufacturers have been extremely supportive in making sure this program will work for nearly any center wanting to participate."

As part of the effort to gain attention for the new condition categories, USBC is sponsoring a stop on next season's Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour. The Red, White and Blue Open presented by USBC will be held at Northrock Lanes in Wichita, Kan., Dec. 7-13. The finals telecast will air Jan. 3 on ESPN.

United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services to nearly 2.5 million adult and youth members and enhances the bowling experience.

Bowling Proprietors' Association of America
Founded in 1932 and headquartered in Arlington, Texas, BPAA represents the business interests of bowling center owners worldwide. BPAA's mission to enhance the profitability of its member centers and its vision is to be an essential resource to bowling centers and to lead a united, growing, more prosperous and highly regarded bowling industry.

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Atochabsh · « **Reply #1 on:** June 08, 2009, 11:52:40 AM »

Great!! When can I tell my centers' managers that they'll be getting their new $2500 lane tape reader?

EagleHunter · « **Reply #2 on:** June 08, 2009, 12:01:27 PM »

Anyone care to bet how different this program will be from the program Kegel introduced last year? Unless it is markedly different, USBC simply re-invented the wheel (again), while perhaps alienating another industry partner.

I wonder, since the patterns will have varying degrees of difficulty, will these patterns come with an average adjustment chart? What if the most difficult pattern is "tough enough"...will this hurt the Sport Bowling program?

This couldn't possibly be a move to mandated conditions, could it? If not, what is the point?

9andaWiggle · « **Reply #3 on:** June 08, 2009, 12:18:58 PM »

Won't matter. The same 3 guys that show up for Sport and PBA leagues will show up for the "Blue" condition league. Nobody else will support anything other than the "Red" pattern. After all, bowlers don't want a challenge, they just want to relax after work, get drunk, and shoot fish in a barrel.

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9~

Internet Tough Guy

Cyberspace Sheep Lover

n00dlejester · « **Reply #4 on:** June 08, 2009, 12:28:12 PM »

I am very intrigued to try them all! This should make leagues much more dynamic IMO.
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Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren't a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

taylorj99 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2009, 12:30:05 PM »

quote:
Won't matter. The same 3 guys that show up for Sport and PBA leagues will show up for the "Blue" condition league. Nobody else will support anything other than the "Red" pattern. After all, bowlers don't want a challenge, they just want to relax after work, get drunk, and shoot fish in a barrel.

I agree. Nobody wants to get better. They just want to score easier.

triggerman · « **Reply #6 on:** June 08, 2009, 12:45:14 PM »

if I owned an alley, Id put the white out and not tell anyone
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Triggerman

F.O.S Loud, F.O.S. Proud

Lane #1 Baby

Uncle Crusty · « **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2009, 12:50:05 PM »

quote:
After all, bowlers don't want a challenge, they just want to relax after work, get drunk, and shoot fish in a barrel.

Two things:

A). This is a bit of a blanket statement, yes? At least in my area, participation in sport leagues seems to be steadily climbing, albeit slowly.

B). Is there really anything wrong with this? I bowl sport leagues, so please don't judge me, but I also enjoy my cake and ice cream leagues where I can shoot some huge scores on occasion, have a good time, and relax with the guys. Does that make me a bad guy or a wall baby or something? I think it's gotten to the point where the critics think that if you don't bowl sport leagues exclusively, you're a hack. Meantime, they choose to neglect the fact that there have always -- and I mean *always* -- been easy lane conditions and tough lane conditions.
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"Nobody in the game of football should be called a genius. A genius is somebody like Norman Einstein."

-Broadcasting Extraordinaire and Mensa Member Joe Theismann

taylorj99 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 08, 2009, 12:56:10 PM »

I see your point Crusty. But,there are some guys who continually pump themselves on the fact they're averaging 205 on a THS. Those same guys are griping at the house when they can't score over 150 on PBAX. Some people just don't get it.

Uncle Crusty · « **Reply #9 on:** June 08, 2009, 01:04:04 PM »

quote:
I see your point Crusty. But,there are some guys who continually pump themselves on the fact they're averaging 205 on a THS. Those same guys are griping at the house when they can't score over 150 on PBAX. Some people just don't get it.

I agree. If you're bowling 9 leages a season, all on a wall, your low average is like 228, and you consistently brag about the number of honor scores you have when you struggle to shoot 500 on anything without a bump at the gutter, that's a problem. However, if you hold your own on sport conditions and enjoy crowbarring them once or twice a week on china, I don't think that makes you a bad guy, especially when a lot of the guys who insist on bowling PBAX exclusively do it entirely for the wrong reasons (i.e. to make a statement).
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"Nobody in the game of football should be called a genius. A genius is somebody like Norman Einstein."

-Broadcasting Extraordinaire and Mensa Member Joe Theismann

n00dlejester · « **Reply #10 on:** June 08, 2009, 04:59:59 PM »

Some people want to have fun, some people want a challenge - that's all. While I agree arrogance is a poor trait, I'm very proud of my 205 on house china, lol. I know I'm not the best, but I've worked very hard to get where I am, and I hope to hit 210 soon. I think clumping all bowlers like those who have the nose in the air is a bit rash.
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Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren't a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

JessN16 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 08, 2009, 05:41:39 PM »

quote:
Anyone care to bet how different this program will be from the program Kegel introduced last year? Unless it is markedly different, USBC simply re-invented the wheel (again), while perhaps alienating another industry partner.

I wonder, since the patterns will have varying degrees of difficulty, will these patterns come with an average adjustment chart? What if the most difficult pattern is "tough enough"...will this hurt the Sport Bowling program?

This couldn't possibly be a move to mandated conditions, could it? If not, what is the point?

Maybe I'm missing the point you're trying to make, but the way I read it, they're not going to be competing with Kegel. Rather, they'll test each of the Kegel patterns and assign them Red, White or Blue status according to their level of difficulty (and do the same with any other pattern currently out there).

On the PBA.com forums, some guy claiming to be with the USBC mentioned last week that there is going to be some kind of slope rating system coming out soon, measuring not lane conditions but house characteristics (age, strength of the side kick panels, gutter depth, etc.), in other words the stuff that's currently found on an annual inspection form. Add that slope to the Red, White or Blue condition and you have the means to perform an average calculation, similar to golf.

And it also sounds like Sport and PBAX conditions will be on top of RWB, not part of the Blue category.

I'm hoping to bowl on two leagues this fall. I expect the mixed league my wife and I bowl on will stay Red (and it should, given the general skill level of the folks who bowl on it), but I hope our draft scratch league opts for White or Blue.

Jess

EagleHunter · « **Reply #12 on:** June 08, 2009, 07:12:40 PM »

http://www.kegel.net/patternlibrary/kegel-navigation-patterns.htm

Jess,
If you read the information in the link above, you'll see that USBC has essentially duplicated this effort. Considering the amount of time, work, and money that Kegel put into their program, I highly doubt that they would let USBC categorize their patterns (which Kegel already did) for free. How can coming out with the same program (and format) not be considered competition?

Which begs the question...how much MEMBERSHIP MONEY did USBC use to recreate what Kegel already did? Unless this has been in the works for YEARS, why wouldn't USBC simply partner with Kegel?

Don't get me wrong, I'm in favor of the idea. Hopefully it will lead to some type of mandating of lane conditions in the future. I just don't see the need for duplication given USBC's limited (and decreasing) resources.

JessN16 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 08, 2009, 07:26:04 PM »

quote:
http://www.kegel.net/patternlibrary/kegel-navigation-patterns.htm

Jess,
If you read the information in the link above, you'll see that USBC has essentially duplicated this effort. Considering the amount of time, work, and money that Kegel put into their program, I highly doubt that they would let USBC categorize their patterns (which Kegel already did) for free. How can coming out with the same program (and format) not be considered competition?

Which begs the question...how much MEMBERSHIP MONEY did USBC use to recreate what Kegel already did? Unless this has been in the works for YEARS, why wouldn't USBC simply partner with Kegel?

Don't get me wrong, I'm in favor of the idea. Hopefully it will lead to some type of mandating of lane conditions in the future. I just don't see the need for duplication given USBC's limited (and decreasing) resources.

Well, a few things:

1) The USBC isn't in competition with Kegel. Kegel is not a sanctioning body. What Kegel wants to do with lane patterns, as a private business, is its own business. I guess you could ask the same questions about the training centers (why do we need the KTC and another one at the new USBC headquarters in Arlington). The answer is the USBC is under no obligation to consult Kegel in its decisions. However, Kegel does have to abide by USBC regulations in order to be involved in the sport of organized bowling (unless it forms its own sanctioning body). That's just the way it is.

2) I don't think Kegel can stop the USBC from classifying its patterns, any more than a golf club manufacturer can keep the USGA from ruling its clubs in or out of play, or bowling ball manufacturers can keep the USBC from finding a certain model of ball out-of-spec. It goes back to the relationship between manufacturer and sanctioning body.

3) I would think Kegel would welcome this, since the USBC could publish a list of criteria for Red/White/Blue and Kegel could market itself to bowling centers under the following plan: "Hey, if you want some pre-programmed patterns that comply with the White standard, we've already developed X, Y and Z and will be happy to sell you the program license."

4) Why didn't the USBC just cede this responsibility to Kegel? Probably because it wanted to keep internal regulatory control over the patterns, and/or because Brunswick is also involved with the USBC and is a competitor to Kegel.

I doubt a lot of member money was spent on this, anyway, in regards to testing. I think Red/White/Blue will probably mimic the Kegel system but the USBC had to have its own system in order to assert a position of fairness in regards to the market.

Jess

justinmill14 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 08, 2009, 07:33:58 PM »

So which of the three is going to be the easiest? And which the hardest?

Author Topic: USBC INTRODUCES RED, WHITE, AND BLUE HOUSE CONDITIONS (Read 9963 times)

revTrex

USBC INTRODUCES RED, WHITE, AND BLUE HOUSE CONDITIONS

Atochabsh

Re: USBC INTRODUCES RED, WHITE, AND BLUE HOUSE CONDITIONS

EagleHunter

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9andaWiggle

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n00dlejester

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taylorj99

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triggerman

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Uncle Crusty

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taylorj99

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Uncle Crusty

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n00dlejester

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JessN16

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EagleHunter

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JessN16

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justinmill14

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