The following is an exert from the unanswered petition lodged with TBA in January 2007:
During the course of the 2006 Australian National Championship in Hobart a total of 12385 games were bowled.
• 997 were bowled by Seniors (ATBSO members) who stayed on and bowled an All Event and the TBA Seniors Cup.
• 6280 games were bowled during the DeVeer week through All Events, Intercentre Cup, the 3 days of Deveer and then Restricted Cup. Immediately after the final of Restricted Cup, at the conclusion of DeVeer week, the game count was 618 ahead of the 2005 tally.
• 5108 games were bowled during the week of Rachuig including All Events, 3 days of Rachuig, Classic and Masters.
Fact : The DeVeer groups bowl the lion’s share of the games at the Adult National Championships.
A significant number of the 2006 DeVeer bowlers, and their supporters, will not come to the 2007 National Championship. This will lead to a major downturn in the lineage returned to the host centre. This downturn will result in this event running at a significant financial loss.
Looking now at the actual numbers the expected loss to TBA will be in the vicinity of $8400.00. This is largely due to lack of entries but also the professional volunteers eating into the expenses component of each entry.
Of course if TBA had marketed the new De Veer format more effectively they may have got a better result. They should take a leaf out of the Holt and ATBSO book on this one.
It’s interesting that TBA have a policy in place which states that if any national championship is likely to run at a loss then that event will be cancelled. TBA has known for many months of the entry levels at the 2007 Australian National Championship and the likely loss. I’m sure that the Board were well aware.
Knowing of this eminent loss is an obvious total lack of financial responsibility.
TBA abandoned the awards program a few years ago only because it was not turning a profit and handed it in total to an outside supplier. TBA should now do the same with national championships. Hand over the running and control of Nationals to an organisation that do it for the bowler’s best interest. I’m sure that the Holt Challenge committee would have no problems adding Rachuig to their program, re-instate 13000 games into the event and conduct an event the way it is supposed to be run.
Cheers
Joe T
