USBC Open Championships - it's all about the numbers
March 03, 2016
USBC Championships - it's all about the numbers
The USBC Open Championships kicks off Saturday at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada, marking the 113th edition of the event.
Did you know the first Open Championships took place in 1901, two years before the Boston Americans beat the Pittsburgh Pirates to win baseball's first World Series?
Yes, the Open Championships has that type of history.
It all started when six lanes were installed in the Welsbach Building in downtown Chicago for a tournament featuring 41 teams from nine states. That first event ran for four days and offered a $1,592 prize fund.
The storied history of the Open Championships is something every USBC member can take pride in as we continue to build a future for the sport. And simply by being a USBC member, you can take part in the event.
What could be more exciting than competing in a national tournament with that kind of history?
In 2016, more than 40,000 bowlers will become part of the tournament's history. This year's event will run for 129 days and will have a prize pool that will run into the millions.
For most tournament bowlers, the Open Championships experience lasts 3-4 days, but USBC starts planning for the event years in advance. On-site preparation often begins in December or early January for a late February or early March tournament opening.
By the time the first bowlers arrive, the transformation of the venue is complete, staff is in place and the daily routine has been perfected. Because bowlers are arriving and departing each day, technically every day is Opening Day for a new group of competitors.
Here are some interesting numbers, both from on-site and from the support staff at USBC Headquarters in Arlington, Texas, which also supports the Women's Championships:
* 100 people USBC will hire, including approximately 50 traveling employees, who move to the host city each year and lead each department with many years of experience and expertise. USBC also hires between 50 and 75 people locally to help operate the tournament. Staff arrives around 7 a.m. for the first squad of the day (9 a.m.) and bowling usually concludes around 1 a.m.
* 30 years of experience in working with the Open and Women's Championships for the HQ-based support staff
* 50 or more calls handled by tournament support on a daily basis with the numbers even higher closer to deadline dates and at the start of registration for a future tournament
* 5 minutes or less to register a team online using the online reservation system
* 1 number, the bowler's USBC membership number, needed to retrieve bowlers who have bowled in the tournaments in the last couple of years, a major enhancement from the way information was entered in the past, and just one upgrade in an ongoing series of enhancements and improvements
* 45,000 coupon books printed to provide 2016 Open Championships bowlers with special deals from businesses throughout the city
* A hosting community can expect to realize an economic impact of between $75-$100 million, a conservative estimate that only includes bowlers and not additional visitors.
But, of course, the action on the lanes is the real reason to take part in USBC national tournaments. Some numbers to note once the balls get rolling:
* 75,000-100,000 people, when looking at bowlers, friends and family members, who will visit the host city during the run of the tournament.
* 400,000 or more games will be bowled during the Open Championships with an expected total pinfall of nearly 100 million.
* 125,000 bowling balls will be weighed and checked for competition during the 2016 tournament, based on an average of three bowling balls per bowler.
* 20 bowlers have competed 60 times in USBC Open Championships. This year, Sylvester Thiel is expected to tie the record for appearances held by USBC Hall of Famers Bill Doehrman and Joe Norris, who each competed 71 times.
* 17 bowlers have knocked down more than 100,000 pins in their Open Championships tournament careers. USBC Hall of Famer Bill Lillard Sr. tops the career pinfall list with 124,087, and in 2016, two bowlers are expected to join the club.
The 2016 Open Championships will run from March 5 until July 11. Follow the event on BOWL.com or on social media. And when you're in town to bowl, remember to add a #USBCOpen or #USBCTradition to all your own photos and memories.
The USBC Open Championships kicks off Saturday at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada, marking the 113th edition of the event.
Did you know the first Open Championships took place in 1901, two years before the Boston Americans beat the Pittsburgh Pirates to win baseball's first World Series?
Yes, the Open Championships has that type of history.
It all started when six lanes were installed in the Welsbach Building in downtown Chicago for a tournament featuring 41 teams from nine states. That first event ran for four days and offered a $1,592 prize fund.The storied history of the Open Championships is something every USBC member can take pride in as we continue to build a future for the sport. And simply by being a USBC member, you can take part in the event.
What could be more exciting than competing in a national tournament with that kind of history?
In 2016, more than 40,000 bowlers will become part of the tournament's history. This year's event will run for 129 days and will have a prize pool that will run into the millions.
For most tournament bowlers, the Open Championships experience lasts 3-4 days, but USBC starts planning for the event years in advance. On-site preparation often begins in December or early January for a late February or early March tournament opening.
By the time the first bowlers arrive, the transformation of the venue is complete, staff is in place and the daily routine has been perfected. Because bowlers are arriving and departing each day, technically every day is Opening Day for a new group of competitors.
Here are some interesting numbers, both from on-site and from the support staff at USBC Headquarters in Arlington, Texas, which also supports the Women's Championships:
* 100 people USBC will hire, including approximately 50 traveling employees, who move to the host city each year and lead each department with many years of experience and expertise. USBC also hires between 50 and 75 people locally to help operate the tournament. Staff arrives around 7 a.m. for the first squad of the day (9 a.m.) and bowling usually concludes around 1 a.m.
* 30 years of experience in working with the Open and Women's Championships for the HQ-based support staff
* 50 or more calls handled by tournament support on a daily basis with the numbers even higher closer to deadline dates and at the start of registration for a future tournament
* 5 minutes or less to register a team online using the online reservation system
* 1 number, the bowler's USBC membership number, needed to retrieve bowlers who have bowled in the tournaments in the last couple of years, a major enhancement from the way information was entered in the past, and just one upgrade in an ongoing series of enhancements and improvements
* 45,000 coupon books printed to provide 2016 Open Championships bowlers with special deals from businesses throughout the city
* A hosting community can expect to realize an economic impact of between $75-$100 million, a conservative estimate that only includes bowlers and not additional visitors.
But, of course, the action on the lanes is the real reason to take part in USBC national tournaments. Some numbers to note once the balls get rolling:
* 75,000-100,000 people, when looking at bowlers, friends and family members, who will visit the host city during the run of the tournament.
* 400,000 or more games will be bowled during the Open Championships with an expected total pinfall of nearly 100 million.
* 125,000 bowling balls will be weighed and checked for competition during the 2016 tournament, based on an average of three bowling balls per bowler.
* 20 bowlers have competed 60 times in USBC Open Championships. This year, Sylvester Thiel is expected to tie the record for appearances held by USBC Hall of Famers Bill Doehrman and Joe Norris, who each competed 71 times.
* 17 bowlers have knocked down more than 100,000 pins in their Open Championships tournament careers. USBC Hall of Famer Bill Lillard Sr. tops the career pinfall list with 124,087, and in 2016, two bowlers are expected to join the club.
The 2016 Open Championships will run from March 5 until July 11. Follow the event on BOWL.com or on social media. And when you're in town to bowl, remember to add a #USBCOpen or #USBCTradition to all your own photos and memories.