It has been a long 6 months and we are so happy you are now open for business. We realize the financial burden centers have already incurred, and which will continue due to the 50% maximum capacity. Hopefully, NY State will allow bowling centers to open at full capacity soon.
During the pandemic, the LIUSBC Executive Board has been meeting regularly to ensure a smooth rollout for the fall season. We realize this year is going to present some unique challenges and we are here to help. Our ability to communicate the new and constantly changing protocols to league bowlers is one way we can be an asset.
Flooring leagues this season is going to be difficult. The LIUSBC projects up to a 50% decrease in league participation and thus has adjusted the budget accordingly. Due to the hard work of our Board, we are financially able to comfortably survive the projected decrease in sanctions while still offering full services.
Since we do not know the degree at which bowlers will return, the LIUSBC will be suspending the sweepstakes calendar for 2021. However, we are extending the date in which last year’s winners can claim a prize. We will honor all winning numbers until December 31, 2020. The LIUSBC is now distributing calendars from last year for late sanctioning bowlers. Please distribute these calendars to your bowlers. To the centers that purchased calendar ads last year…THANK YOU!
As far as LIUSBC tournaments, we are currently not scheduling any events until we see the number of bowlers that return to leagues. The earliest we would run an event is the first quarter of 2021 with a goal to run both major adult and youth events. Our intentions are not to run events until bowlers are permitted to use a pair of lanes and move pairs after each game.
Normally, the LIUSBC prepares and delivers a sanction kit for each league that bowled the previous season. This year we are only going to create sanction kits for the leagues that floor. While this may delay the sanctioning by a few weeks, it will save a tremendous amount of money. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE WITH A LIST OF THE LEAGUES YOU HAVE FLOORED. You can e-mail your list of leagues, with the number of teams, to assnmgr@liusbc.webdugoutwp.com or call the office at 631.737.0825.
We are still missing final averages for more than 100 leagues. Please make sure you send in your final averages as soon as possible. Also, if you could remind your league secretaries to forward us their final averages that would be greatly appreciated. NOTE: If you or any of your leagues use BLS software please make sure you/they download the latest update. This new update will allow league competition to bowl on a single lane.
If your center is the “owner” of a league we highly suggest you appoint a league officer to collect the sanction money. Too often the LIUSBC has to deal with “issues” when a bowling center takes over the responsibility of collecting sanction cards and money. We cannot emphasize enough that bowling center employees should not handle sanction money.
The LIUSBC is no longer responsible for certifying and inspecting lanes. This has been taken over by USBC and they will not start inspections until at least 2023. We will keep you updated.
The 2020-21 bowling season is going to be unlike any other. The LIUSBC welcomes the opportunity to be present when your center holds a league officer meeting. There are many new rules and questions bowlers will have and we will make ourselves available to you. Please e-mail our association manager at assnmgr@liusbc.webdugoutwp.com if you would like an LIUSBC representative to attend your officers’ meetings.
The LIUSBC wishes you the best of luck this upcoming season. While this will be a difficult year, it also presents an opportunity to have bowlers appreciate how important your center is in their life. Everyone has been stuck in their home for a long time and bowling will prove to be an “escape” like never before.
LIUSBC President LIUSBC Association Manager LIUSBC Executive Director
Anthony Martinez Karl Nystrom Steven Sanders