Summer Bowling League Is Over

 

1. Your seasons are WAAAY too long. Round here, bowling leagues usually start after Labor Day, even those in the Big City (Boise). And they usually end in early- to mid- April. Many of our bowlers get anxious when the weather starts warming in mid-March - they want to get outdoors.

   My Thursday league used to go 34 weeks, starting earlier; 3 years ago they got sensible and cut it to 31 - 3 rounds of 10 weeks each, plus a league roll-off. What a joy! Before the change, there was one year I just didn’t want to bowl, yet. It was still 85 degrees outside. So that first week, I bowled a snappy 465, with handicap based on my previous year’s average of 214. And I actually got a point off my opponent! (We have 1 pt per man, plus 2 for the team game. Great system.)

   And summer leagues should be 10 weeks long - 12 weeks, max. I want a few weeks off before the fall leagues start.

   I know what’s happening, of course. The proprietors offer a sliding scale of lineage rates, based on how many weeks you bowl. The longer the season, the lower the lineage. That way, they get the same total revenue per bowler for the season, regardless.

   Posted by KGrupa       08/20/2008  at  12:09 PM  



2. I agree, the seasons are too long. Heck, if it was up to me, I’d make the leagues follow something like the college semester schedule. 18 weeks for the fall and spring seasons, 10 weeks for the summer season. Even if you bowl all year long that’s still only 46 weeks, which allows folks some time off. The leagues would have to be smaller for a good round robin schedule; the 35-36 week season thing might be a carryover from when leagues were huge, 18 or more teams. Except for the big money hardcore leagues it can be hard to make a group that size.

   Same goes for Position Rounds. They aren’t needed if (Length of Season/# of teams)>2
   Finals rounds are not needed either, since positions are determined by both points won and total pins bowled.

   18 weeks fall bowling. League is 10 teams. Play each team 2 times, no finals.
   2 weeks off
   18 weeks spring bowling
   2 weeks off
   10 weeks summer bowling. League is 6 teams. Play each team 2 times, no finals.
   2 weeks off
   ----
   52 weeks

   If you have a very large league then try to limit it to 20 teams. Follow the fall and spring schedule for a 36 week season. You still get two breaks, or you could take the last 2 weeks for finals.

   The very long season is the #1 reason that leagues have suffered membership. People need a break. They want some vacation time. Priorities have changed too. Why not make it easier on people and let them commit to a shorter season?

   Posted by Drew458       08/20/2008  at  12:51 PM  

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