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Author Topic: trying to figure out finances for usbc's  (Read 1969 times)

benjonesonbass

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trying to figure out finances for usbc's
« on: April 01, 2009, 07:19:05 PM »
ok...so i see all of this cool stuff to do during nationals. just wondering...is this stuff (brackets, side tourneys, ball company booths) hella spendy @ this tourney or pretty reasonable? this will be my 1st trip to nationals and i'm trying to figure out how much $$$ to expect to spend. keep in mind, i'm only talking about bowling related stuff...my room/food/travel expenses aren't a factor. any info is helpful. thanks.
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shipper50

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Re: trying to figure out finances for usbc's
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2009, 07:33:13 AM »
My suggestion is take into account how many brackets you want to get into. There are $5 and $10. Then if your really good, there is the clean stuff, like 30,90 clean. Then if you want a shirt then figure say $35? Towels, other stuff figure say $25-50?

You can spend $25 all the way up to $1000's if you want to play the big time in brackets.

Hope this helps,
Shipper

DanH78

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Re: trying to figure out finances for usbc's
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2009, 09:37:50 AM »
You can spend as much or as little on brackets and side pots as you want.  They do put maximums on how many brackets you can enter, I think I figured out that if you were to max out the $5 and $10 brackets and then enter all the side pots it would run you around $3,000, that's for all three events.  But, you don't need to do that, in total I spent less than $200.
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mjames1229

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Re: trying to figure out finances for usbc's
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2009, 12:36:41 PM »
I usually budget $200 for brackets (all scratch, and mostly the $10 brackets) in team, and about $60 to $80 each for brackets in both singles and doubles.  The rational behind lowering my outlay in minors is that my lifetime ABC/USBC average is about 190, and while that is very profitable in team event, I've bowled some decent minors sets and been skunked.  With only 40% of the bowlers in minors, those 180s have a higher chance of getting beaten.

I usually don't play the other pots because I think there are too many.  This is my personal opinion, but my chances of going 30-clean, 1-5-9, or throwing a big score for sidepots is quite low.  And if I donate to each of those prizes every year and the hopes that one time I'll get lucky... well, I'd rather keep that money each year and take the Mrs. to a nice restaurant when all the bowling is done.

With that said, I have been getting into the Century Doubles ($10 per person, per team), as a couple of the older guys on our squad are pretty good and for some reason, this sidepot is not very heavily entered.  I have cashed every year that I have entered it.

I've always felt that the stuff in the equipment booths are a bit pricey, especially now as bowling season is ending and everyone knows the "new' products will be coming out soon.  The thought of spending two bills on a ball - laid out by someone who does not know your game - so it can sit in your bowling bag during the summer so you can wait for fall leagues to start doesn't entice me.  As for the shirts, some look pretty cool.  I am one that will happily wear any sponsor shirt, but I'm not crazy about spending $50 to wear Storm on my chest.  If Storm (or any other) want me to advertise for them, let them give me the shirt.

I do enjoy going into the "official" USBC store, and I always make sure I buy a polo shirt there to add to my collection (usually about $35 or $40).  My wife has also gotten T-shirts for the kids there (about $15 ea) and she's gotten a couple of jackets for herself over the years.  The USBC store has all the chotchkies (golf balls, spoons, bells, postcards, shotglasses, etc.) that you could ever want from a souvineer shop.

Nationals is always a vacation for my wife and I (we really can't afford two vacations - one for bowling and one not.  We tried last year and felt the hurt in the fall).  Although I believe in my bowling, I have to balance the time and cost of bowling with what my lovely bride wants to do when we are on vacation.  This year especially, I am positive that she will want to do something like a Vegas Mob History tour ($46/person http://vegas4locals.com/couponvegasmobtour.html) instead of watching me bowl the BJI or something.  Once I accepted that this is HER vacation, too, I was able to cut back my bowling spending and not feel bad about it.

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Phoneman

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Re: trying to figure out finances for usbc's
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2009, 12:44:49 PM »
I usually heavy up in team brackets.  Around $150. In minors i spend no more than $80 per event.  I do get in all of the other pots just in case.  Last year I hit the 30 clean pot during doubles and it paid $220 per person so it was worth the roughly $1.11 per game to get in ($10 for all 9 games)

JMORRIS

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Re: trying to figure out finances for usbc's
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2009, 04:42:40 PM »
All-in during team is about $2300.00 this year, since they added the reverse brackets.  

The bowlers I went with that went all in, got some refunds because they didn't fill all the brackets.
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benjonesonbass

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Re: trying to figure out finances for usbc's
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2009, 11:06:01 PM »
thanks to all that replied. this information is very helpful. this is about what i budgeted so i think i'll be ok. as it is my first nationals i don't think i can afford to go 'all in' as i don't plan on spending that much for the whole trip much less brackets only! i have been a pba member since 2000 so i have just about every bowling shirt i can use ever. to pick up some souvenier type stuff for my first time is where i'll spend money. hope to see some of you there.
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jhutch769

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Re: trying to figure out finances for usbc's
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2009, 02:09:58 PM »
I am saving 50 per week, should have around 950 when I go, plus if I have anything left from my income tax return, and then whatever we get back from State Tournament and my leagues..  So could be close to 2000...  I think I could get by out there with about 500 though...

MuncieBowler

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Re: trying to figure out finances for usbc's
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2009, 11:47:05 PM »
Team event brackets are $5 but singles and doubles are $10.  High game cost $25 which is a waist of time in my opinion.  I've never bowled anything but Rotogrip tourney last year so I don't know about the other tourneys.  The booths sometimes will have pretty good deals, but the closer to the end of the tourney the better the deal will be.
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Bigmike

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Re: trying to figure out finances for usbc's
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2009, 11:29:57 AM »
quote:
Team event brackets are $5 but singles and doubles are $10.


Actually they are $10/bracket during all of the events. They also offer optional $5 brackets during the team event only.

Someone posted earlier that the "all-in" button is $2300. That is correct as there were about 4-5 guys on our squad who "pushed" that button.

You can leave yourself broke in a hurry out there.
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jhutch769

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