4 events a year, no more.

[mannah]

Totally agree with Bobba. For those not living in eastern Australia the costs are horrendous. For the SA Cup we had a 17 year old junior bowler from WA who wanted to enter to gain "experience". For the pleasure of bowling his 10 games of qualifying it cost him: airfares $580, excess baggage ($200 each way) = almost $1000 for the weekend plus loss of wages as he could not work his part time job on Friday night. AND he did not have to pay for accommodation, transport or food - we put him up. To travel to the eastern states you would easily add another $600-700 extra flight costs, accommodation and taxis (as he is not old enough to hire a car).

All this for a student with a part time job and no parental support.

He can only afford to enter two tournaments this year - the SA Cup and the Perth (Joondalup) Cup in his home state. Cut these out and you will cut out his only chance of gaining valuable tournament experience. He would only be able to afford 1 tournament for the year - hardly worth while and another loss of a possible future tournament bowler.

Concept of only 1 major tournament in each State/Territory seems great with alternating the Qld tournament between north/south each year.

 

[C.Carney]

I see your point but hears mine if we have more tournaments in each area then each bowler would have more options the their local area. This would be at lower cost then traveling across the country and this would also give people more experience.

This would make the large investment of traveling to tournaments like the Australian open more rewarding.

This is why I would love to see a good tournament circuit in each state like the wide bay circuit in south Queensland and to a lesser extent our tournaments in north Qld.

Correct me if I am wrong as this is only my opinion but if you could bowl in 5 or more local tournaments that where 400km max away and cost approximately $150 entry I know I would bowl most of them.

You would not need time off unless you work weekends.

This is what I think the cost break down would be.

Tournament entry $150.00
Fuel for travel $80.00 to $160.00 based on 400km
Accommodation $150.00
incidental costs $100.00

Would this be affordable for most people ?

This is what I would like to see and then we could have our 4 –6 large national tournaments a year as well.

Like I stated this is only my option but I truly feel this would help tournament bowling in this country.

 

[AdrianS]

We had it in SA and VIC with the ATBA for yrs, somehow it was allowed to die. The 2 sports series down there will hopefully evolve into a semi major circuit again(I'd still like tournament bowling in this country to be under a reborn ATBA's umbrella too which ive stated on here a few times before)

 

[Fitzy]

I see your point but hears mine if we have more tournaments in each area then each bowler would have more options the their local area. This would be at lower cost then traveling across the country and this would also give people more experience.

...

I think there is a little bit of confusion here.

The idea is cutting the number of Ranked events down from the current 15 Open events to 6-8 Ranked Open events.

There can be as many State/Local events as the State and Local Associations can sustain.

Unless you are proposing there be multiple Ranked Open events in each State and Territory (like 3 to 4 - Making 24 - 32 Ranked Open events)? This will open up the can to a plethora of worms. Eek, honestly, I don't really want to think about that one!

 

[C.Carney]

I think all tournaments should be ranked in some way ( just my thoughts )

 

[Fitzy]

I think all tournaments should be ranked in some way ( just my thoughts )

Even the Christmas hamper tournaments at your local centre?

 

[bluey]

If all state tournys are ranked then the guys that travel the most will end up with the highest ranking.

 

[AdrianS]

Not if you do it the way Pin Action magazine did(once more from the cheap seats it was our best ranking system and since its demise at the end of 1990 we havent had REAL rankings since)

 

[jamver]

Adrian,

Don't just mention it.. tell us how it worked!

We're not all old farts!

 

[AdrianS]

It was the points you earned as a percentage of the points for the winner of that event. Different events had different amounts of points depending on field strength, entries and money. If only we could get Bob Cook to get back into the bowling industry and run it!!!

 

[C.Carney]

That sounds fair if it is a local state tournament it would be worth less points then the large national ones.

 

[Shadows Fall]

To me it seems pretty simple;

NATIONAL TOUR

These are the 6 biggest tournaments in the country, lets call them "Majors". Roughly they would consist of the following tournaments;

* SA Cup
* Australian Open
* South Pacific
* K & K
* Australian Masters
* Australian Cup

As these are majors and are the hardest to win, then the winner is allocated 300 rankings points for 1st, 250 for 2nd, 180 for 3rd and so on down the line. Hopefully these tournaments could also have fairly substantial prize funds to reflect their "Major" status.

STATE/REGIONAL TOUR

These ranked tournaments are the next rung down (even though currently some of them attract higher participation than the majors) and would be attractive to everyone from a tournament bowler wanting to gain experience before giving a Major a shot, league bowlers wanting to gain some tournament experience as well as top bowlers looking for an easier payday.

Some of these tournaments would include;

* Cairns Open
* Joondalup Cup
* Arafura Classic
* Melbourne Cup
* NSW Open
* Mackay Open
* Burdekin Open
* Sun City Open
* etc

While a lot these tournaments are well patronised often there is not the same calibre of bowler as the Majors, so as a result the winner is awarded 100 rankings point, 80 for 2nd, 60 for third and so on.

RANKINGS SYSTEM

This would be done as follows;

* Rankings points start at 0 from the 1st of January each year.
* As each bowler participates in tournaments they are allocated the appropriate rankings points in line with their tournament placing
* These points are accumulated throughout the year
* After the last ranked tournament of the year the male and female bowlers with the most rankings points are crowned the National Rankings champions.
* The winners receive a cash prize, a crystal trophy and an automatic spot in the Australian team
* For the next 12 months they are known as the reiging National rankings champions
* This system would make it easy to follow for everyone.

* It would also stop the ridiculous current situation of rolling points where in 2007 you bowl a tournament and finish 2nd and then in 2008 you finish 3rd so you lose points - yet someone else who missed the cut in 2007 and then finished 12th in 2008 actually gains points. Besides it is so bloody confusing to keep track of.

OTHER INITIATIVES

* A special award be awarded to bowlers who collect a career "Grand Slam" (i.e win all 6 majors over their career)

* A special $10,000 prize be made available to any bowler who completes a "Grand Slam" in the same year. Imagine going to the Australian Cup having won the first 5 Majors and knowing that if you win in Canberra, not only do you get $6000 1st prize but also an extra $10,000 (Now that's pressure!!)

* Annual Rachuig All-Stars are awarded rankings points as follows;
150 - 1st, 130 - 2nd, 120 - 3rd, 110 - 4th and 100 - 5th

I think this would breathe new life into the National tournament circuit, the rankings would have 100% more credibility, people would be duly rewarded for their achievements as well as having extra things to strive for, and hopefully and most importantly get heaps more people out on the lanes.


Feel free to rip and tear

Cheers

Steve

 

[AdrianS]

I quite like this idea, although Melbourne Cup belongs in the top bracket if it ever gets back to its 100+ entry days.

 

[C.Carney]

Sounds like a good idea

 

[MR HOLD3M]

Melbourne Cup definately belongs in top bracket. I would like to see a re-enties format used in tournaments like in Aust Open a few years ago.

 

[bluey]

Best and fairest idea so far. Melbourne Cup top bracket also.

 

[Shadows Fall]

To me it seems pretty simple;

NATIONAL TOUR

These are the 7 biggest tournaments in the country, lets call them "Majors". Roughly they would consist of the following tournaments;

* SA Cup
* Australian Open
* Melbourne Cup
* South Pacific
* K & K
* Australian Masters
* Australian Cup

As these are majors and are the hardest to win, then the winner is allocated 300 rankings points for 1st, 250 for 2nd, 180 for 3rd and so on down the line. Hopefully these tournaments could also have fairly substantial prize funds to reflect their "Major" status.

STATE/REGIONAL TOUR

These ranked tournaments are the next rung down (even though currently some of them attract higher participation than the majors) and would be attractive to everyone from a tournament bowler wanting to gain experience before giving a Major a shot, league bowlers wanting to gain some tournament experience as well as top bowlers looking for an easier payday.

Some of these tournaments would include;

* Cairns Open
* Joondalup Cup
* Arafura Classic
* NSW Open
* Mackay Open
* Burdekin Open
* Sun City Open
* etc

While a lot these tournaments are well patronised often there is not the same calibre of bowler as the Majors, so as a result the winner is awarded 100 rankings point, 80 for 2nd, 60 for third and so on.

RANKINGS SYSTEM

This would be done as follows;

* Rankings points start at 0 from the 1st of January each year.
* As each bowler participates in tournaments they are allocated the appropriate rankings points in line with their tournament placing
* These points are accumulated throughout the year
* After the last ranked tournament of the year the male and female bowlers with the most rankings points are crowned the National Rankings champions.
* The winners receive a cash prize, a crystal trophy and an automatic spot in the Australian team
* For the next 12 months they are known as the reiging National rankings champions
* This system would make it easy to follow for everyone.

* It would also stop the ridiculous current situation of rolling points where in 2007 you bowl a tournament and finish 2nd and then in 2008 you finish 3rd so you lose points - yet someone else who missed the cut in 2007 and then finished 12th in 2008 actually gains points. Besides it is so bloody confusing to keep track of.

OTHER INITIATIVES

* A special award be awarded to bowlers who collect a career "Grand Slam" (i.e win all 6 majors over their career)

* A special $10,000 prize be made available to any bowler who completes a "Grand Slam" in the same year. Imagine going to the Australian Cup having won the first 5 Majors and knowing that if you win in Canberra, not only do you get $6000 1st prize but also an extra $10,000 (Now that's pressure!!)

* Annual Rachuig All-Stars are awarded rankings points as follows;
150 - 1st, 130 - 2nd, 120 - 3rd, 110 - 4th and 100 - 5th

I think this would breathe new life into the National tournament circuit, the rankings would have 100% more credibility, people would be duly rewarded for their achievements as well as having extra things to strive for, and hopefully and most importantly get heaps more people out on the lanes.



Ask and though shalt receive


Cheers

Steve

 

[Nebster]

Completely agree with Shadows Fall. But does that mean that the house tournaments get no ranking points??? I mean, something small like 10 points for a win, 5 for 2nd and 1 for 3rd would do, just to keep league bowlers happy and give them more incentives to bowl in state tournaments and eventually the majors. Whether or not they are good enough for these events is irrelevant, at the moment our sport is suffering from lack of money and lack of entries. If these people can come in to these tournaments, because they already have ranking points, they add valuable money and entries to our tournaments, which in turn helps our sport. Just an idea.

 

[AdrianS]

Yeah!! I'd love to get 10 points for winning the scratch division of a Twin Tour stop (truly, i really would!!)