TBA announcement regarding Melbourne Cup

[GeorgeF]

13-5-07

General Release to all bowlers


In 2006, TBA called for submissions from tournament promoters to have tournaments included in the 2007 TBA Rankings calendar. One of the events submitted was the Melbourne Tenpin Cup. The event was to be the same as previous years, with a Male and Female Division. TBA agreed to apply double Ranking points for the event.

Now the promoter has produced the entry form with no Female Division, stating that he lost money on the 2006 event.

The issue was tabled at the recent TBA Board meeting. TBA are extremely disappointed in the actions of the promoter and his apparent total disregard for the Female participants who have planned leave, travel and accommodation to be able to compete in the Female Division of this event listed on the TBA Rankings calendar as a double Ranked event.

The following actions were agreed to:

At the completion of the event, Females will be removed from the results listing and placed into their own list where they will be Ranked from 200 down. Males will then be moved up to fill the places previously held by Females and will also be Ranked from 200 down.

Neither the tournament promoter nor Ed Fleming Lanes will be awarded any Ranked events in 2008.

John Coxon
For and on behalf of the Board



Interesting

 

[AdrianS]

Ah well, someone will just have to do some 'independent' rankings next yr that include the MTC!!!

 

[rychenroller]

Honestly, the female division had 18 entrants last year...Joe is only making a smart business decision. I'm all for womens divisions in majors, but if you are going to offer thousands of $ in prizemoney and thousands of $ worth of diamonds for 18 bowlers...you are gonna lose bigtime. So are the TBA saying they only agreed to award double rankings points for this event because it had a womens division? Not because its one of the longest lasting and most prestigious tournaments in the country?.....

 

[strop]

You mean to say there are actually people who care what TBA does?

It was said

TBA are extremely disappointed in the actions of the promoter and his apparent total disregard for the Female participants

I dont think it the way it looks. If you cant get the numbers then the balance of women who are bowling will just have to cut it the big boys.
It's hard to cater for the minority. Times are tough.

Anyway TBA ratings mean "jack" to me, there are farce and have been for many years.

cheers

Tony

 

[jedi_bowler]

I think the TBA need to worry less about taking ranked events off organizers and centers and more about promoting bowling. Maybe even try and get some more women only events going.

Maybe the TBA needs to try and organize events and see how easy it is.

Every event I go to seems to have fewer bowlers attending

Where's your head at TBA


Frosty

 

[hamster]

What's going on at TBA?

Firstly, Walter de Veer. A band-aid job that is on life support.

Then this from a board member:-

NT Rolloff this weekend as part of Arafura Classic Singles and there will be no need for draft bowlers for us. June Voukolos

So bugger the rest of the states that don't have enough?

And now this. Its unfortunate what has happened but you can't keep running an event at a loss. You would think TBA would understand that.

So who's interest is TBA actually looking after?

Our sport, Tenpin Bowling, is slowly dying and needs its governing body to help fix it, not punishing those who are making an effort.

hamster

 

[CHIN]

Maybe the organizers of the MTC should have put on there submission that there would be no Female division. Instead of saying it was going to be the same as 2006. After all the 2006 MTC was in early June. And with only 18 entries last i think it would have been a no brainer to cut the Female division this year.

Surprised TBA didnt pull the double ranking points from the whole tournament.
MTC was only given normal ranking points for 2007 until a stink was kicked up.TBA then agreed to give it double points.

 

[GeorgeF]

I'd just like to add that this years prizefund is probable one of the biggest I've ever seen in Australia. Congrats on Ed Fleming for hosting this event and I look forward to participating in a few weeks.

As for the womens division, check out my upcoming article in 'Whats the Score' regarding giving women 8 pins start and amalgamating all the events, makes for some interesting discussions

 

[CSP]

As a business decision, Ed Fleming Lanes and the promoter have made the right decision about the female division based on small entries and a loss of income. Remembering bowling centres are a business not a playground.

As a sports decision, maybe it was the wrong decision to drop the female division as we need promotion of tenpin bowling as a sport. Look at the female division of the 2006 SPC - 22 entries for a world cup qualifier and the most prestigious tournament in Australian Tenpin Bowling history.

Don't discredit the proprietor or management of the host tournament for this latest incident.

Come On Ladies, you want your division's to survive. The word is BOWL!

The way for female only tournaments to start up and survive is for the females to get out there and enter them. The calendar is out at the start of the year, start saving.

Answer this; We get 70 females at Rachuig every year competing against each other for no prize money. Yet we cannot get 70 females to compete in a female only tournament for prize money?

--------------------------------------

TBA have made the right decision is distributing rankings points for this year to all bowlers or maybe take away the double rankings points for this year also. To withdraw the event from the 2008 Rankings Calendar altogether maybe a bit harsh.

NSW lost a whole tournament series several years back. This was due to a lack of entries and a loss of income by AMF. They were not punished.

TBA, Proprietors, and elite players need to discuss a tournament structure plan that involves scheduling, pricing, promotion, pro-ams with local juniors, etc, to keep tenpin bowling alive and well. This needs to be done immediately.

I'am willing to help.

 

[rambo1]

please someone tell me what HAS the TBA done to promote the sport in australia & when

 

[lgt]

The issue in point is when an organised event submits an accredetation application that states one thing, and then changes their entry form to another, it is wrong.

But the comments by TBA resemble decisions made without consultation or mediation. That big stick attitude for a volunteer organisation is inappropriate.

Take off the double ranking points because the tournament no longer adheres to the guidelines. Then have a look at the main problem, encouraging ALL bowlers to compete at ALL levels of the sport, league, zone, state, nationals as well as specific age and gender tournaments.

I think there are many people in this sport who are willing to assist but the organisation/thinking tank process needs to be driven from above. Lets leave behind what "was" and look towards what "can be".

Leanne.

 

[philby]

please someone tell me what HAS the TBA done to promote the sport in australia & when

I do think that this is a whole other topic dont you think

 

[desmondo]

Just for thoughts....
All sporting organisations in Australia are required to comply with discrimination laws.
Our Government has created a website called "play by the rules". Sports clubs need to have at least 3 members certified via the exam on this website to meet certain government requirements (probably as a prelude to getting government assistance).
I wonder what would have happened if the promoters/centre allowed a prize fund based on the number of entries (ie: if 83 men and 17 women, then the female prize pool is 17% of the total and the men's 83%)? Would they be investigated for discrimination, or even sued?
I wonder if this was part of the promoters/centres decision process? I wonder if this was considered by the TBA board?
I also wonder what else might have been happening in the background? I think a reasonable person looking at the facts portrayed in the first post would not consider the actions taken to positive, supportive or well considered (and this is my opinion only).
RANT MODE ON
Where is the visibility/openess this sport needs?
One of our major events has just been smashed by the TBA and no reasonable basis given!!!
PLBs with too much power, making decisions that just damage a sport, without giving sufficient background or reasoning.
What is so !@#$%^& difficult about the two parties clearly stating their reasons (including background information for people who don't know the facts)?
OR HERE IS SOMETHING NEW AND UNUSUAL - HOW ABOUT THE TWO PARTIES RESOLVING THEIR DIFFERENCES BEFORE COMING TO THIS POINT?
In business, if you get an upset customer, you deal with them. You certainly don't just throw them away for one complaint. You certainly don't let your ego get in the way of making money or growing your business. Basic business ethics/practices encourage you to build relationships as that is the best way to deal with conflicts in the long term. That sure doesn't seem to have happened here.
Why do we seem to be trying to destroy this sport?
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH
RANT MODE OFF
Wishing you all a pleasant day
Des

 

[rambo1]

philby, desmondo answered the relevance of my question being in the right thread & in response to george's thread, the TBA are punishing the ladies & the promoter for making a correct commercial decision.

 

[June Voukolos]

For Hamster,
The post in regard to draft players was in response to other states waiting to ask for draft players. All of the states must finalise their rolloffs before draft players can be applied for from TBA. I was simply stating that there was no need to wait as we already know we will not need draft picks. It is very easy to cause problems by taking comments out of context. I have not been a TBA Board member for over 3 years and am not involved in any decision making for the NSO. I am also a tournament promoter like many others and have the same problems finding sponsorship, running an event sensibly to cover costs and finding people to participate. We know that ladies numbers are down and there are many reasons why -cost, families, work commitments and a belief that some of the bowlers are not skilled enough to compete against the ladies who travel to ranked events. We just have to keep on trying and in some cases running events knowing that the ladies division will have low numbers because of the bowler base and finding new ways to attract them to the event or in most cases just lots of one on one conversations.
June Voukolos

 

[rowds]

This is just a thought.
Years ago i bowled in the VLC (Victorian Ladies circuit) where we competed at different centres on a bi-monthly basis. This was supported by some of the top female bowlers in the country but it also gave some of the less skilled bowlers like myself on say a 140-170 average the chance to bowl against some of the top females. I not sure this is the way to go but maybe the sports series starting up is the equivalent in todays climate. I would urge those fringe bowlers who don't think they are good enough to have a go in the sport series in NSW, QLD, VIC and see where it takes them. I know cost is going to be a factor with some bowlers but even if only go it one event you may just surprise yourself and get the belief that you can compete against the top bowlers. That maybe all it takes to help improve numbers at some of the top events. I personally will be going across to the MTC because even by watching the top bowlers you learn.

 

[aok1]

Well maybe MTC promoters in the future might not host events if theyre expected to lose money, but then i guess TBA have got an abundance of new tournaments to give the ranking points too! (Not!!!) Its all about the power!! Ed fleming lanes have been good to the bowling community and made a mistake, maybe an agreement to the point of a warning. Gee if the AFL can do it cant see why the sport of tenpin cant be any different.

Just me two cents worth from a washed up haz been (lol)

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Wal Brooker]

Wasn't it only a few short weeks ago that the promoters of MTC were asking (on the TBA section of the Forum) week after week what the average bowler gets for his/her TBA membership dues?
Does this hint of a 'payback'. Probably not but this action does appear somewhat heavy handed.

 

[edfleminglanes]

To all our Australian & New Zealand bowlers who have the supported the Melbourne Tenpin Cup over the last 35 years, your comments have been encouraging and the 2008 Melbourne Tenpin Cup will be held at the same time next year at our new home in Kilsyth, regardless if TBA rank this event or not. In the end it is you the bowlers that will keep the MTC going or it will fold. Ed Fleming Lanes owns the Melbourne Tenpin Cup and this event has been run to provide the bowlers with a great tournament, great prize money and fair scoring conditions. In other words this event has been run for you the bowlers.
We do apologise for not holding a Female division this year, however we can not justify holding a major event with a possible 20 bowlers.

However, here is a challenge to TBA, if you were so concerned about Female Tournaments, why did TBA not offer to sponsor the female division for this years Melbourne Tenpin Cup ??? It would have only cost you $3000 - $5000.00, but then was it not TBA who would not send a National Female team overseas because in TBA eyes our Females were not competitive enough.

Let us all be fair dinkum, Ed Fleming Lanes and myself have always tried to support the female bowlers, and all those people who have known me over the years will agree with me. However, it is TBA who do not support female bowling in this country and never have. WHY......because it is not cost effective.

As several comments were made on Total Bowling why does TBA not sit dowm and try and mediate with the Tournament orgnaisers or centres I tell you why, because that is not in their make up to do so, these people play GOD and there is no "lets sit down and talk this thru" there is just, you do as we say,we are TBA and we have the final say.
Bull****....
This is all about working together for the promotion of Tenpin Bowling as a "SPORT". And Centres being forced to lose monies on some events is not working together in the right direction.

In finishing, We need a TBA as a national body, what we dont need is a dictatorship, we need the whole bolwing industry to work towards a common goal...........Promoting ,"Tenpin Bowling as a SPORT". In the end you the bowlers will make the right decision.

 

[Easy Tiger]

In finishing, We need a TBA as a national body, what we dont need is a dictatorship, we need the whole bolwing industry to work towards a common goal...........Promoting ,"Tenpin Bowling as a SPORT". In the end you the bowlers will make the right decision.

Preach it Joe.

Great post.