SURVIVOR
Unique format based on popular television show

The "Survivor" league format is a unique, fun, versatile and competitive USBC Sport Bowling experience originated by Mark Robey at Skore Lanes in Taylor, Mich. The league's name and internal concepts are based on the popular network TV show of the same name.

Survivor bowlers battle in a 14-week league that is comprised of individual match play competition, an individual stepladder tournament, team competition and a team tournament. Bowlers of any average can join Survivor; the league's unique format allows all bowlers to enjoy very competitive matches.

How does Survivor work?

For the first six weeks, individual bowlers battle in a head-to-head, three-game match. Points are awarded for each game won plus totals. Each week bowlers are separated into "tribes" based on their averages. Within each tribe, bowlers are ranked based on their individual winning percentages.

On the seventh week, bowlers compete in a match play tournament. Tribes hold match play competition to determine champions of each division, named for the four suits in a deck of playing cards. These four champions compete for the title of "Ultimate Survivor."

In preparation for the team competition, a draft is held. The leading average bowlers become team captains and draft fellow Survivors to make even teams for the team competitions.

In weeks eight through 13, the focus shifts to team play with Survivor bowlers on these drafted teams bowling for the right to win their portion of the team prize fund, and the title of Survivor Team Champion.

The 14th week is a Baker team tournament. This format calls for head-to-head competition among seeded teams with bowlers from each team alternating frames until the Ultimate Team Survivors are crowned.

Can anyone bowl Survivor?

Absolutely! Here is a world where everyone has a chance to compete with bowlers of their same skill level on a challenging lane condition. All that matters in the first half of the league is how bowlers compare to the other bowlers of their average tribe. Any bowler of any average is welcome!

In the second half, drafted teams compete. Every bowler has a fair and equal chance at the prize fund offered in the second half since these teams are, by their nature, balanced.

I noticed that Sport Bowling is part of this league format. Does that mean Sport conditions will be used?
You bet! This is not your cozy, comfortable soft standard league condition. This is roughing it. What else would you expect from Survivor?

Survivor league format example

Survivor is a short-season (14 weeks) multi-format bowling competition on USBC Sport Bowling conditions. There are no restrictions on averages in Survivor; all bowers are welcome. There will be 10 minutes of warm-up.

1	Survivor will bowl on USBC Sport Bowling conditions, so bowlers will be eligible for all Sport Bowling awards. There can be many different lane conditions used during Survivor or just one. The two tournaments will have one pattern, and each six-week session can have multiple conditions (Three weeks each).
2	Bowlers use a composite entering average of all their leagues bowled last year. This entering average will be used for the first three games bowled, and weighted at 9 games. After bowlers complete their first three games, those series will be used, and six games at their entering averages will constitute their nine-game averages. This continues until bowlers have nine games bowled. This will allow averages to begin to adjust after three games, and not have a sudden move when bowlers have nine games in Survivor.
3	Individual matches are bowled between bowlers in each average tribe. Four points are available each night; one point per game and one point for totals on each individual match.
4	Team Survivor will use a match play points system in which each game is worth two points, team totals three and each individual match and individual totals worth one point. Total points available each match is 21 points.
5	For the first six-week format, bowlers will be divided into four tribes each week based on their current averages in Survivor. These tribes – named for the suits in a deck of playing cards – will have bowlers ranked based on their winning percentages. In the case of a tie in winning percentage, the bowler with the most games bowled will have the higher rank. If a tie still exists, the bowler with the higher average will have the higher position. Matches each week are based on position within tribes.
6	The prize fund for the first six weeks is individual. There is no team prize fund for the first six weeks. Each division has its own prize fund and all divisions have equal prize funds. This will allow fair and even competition among bowlers of all skill levels. Bowlers are only concerned with how their performance is relative to the other bowlers in their average tribe.
7	After the sixth week ends, the winnings of each bowler are tallied based on their position within their average tribe. This concludes the first format of Survivor.
8	The seventh week bowlers in Survivor compete in individual match play championships. This head-to-head match play tournament begins with the four tribes first battling to determine a tournament champion, then the four champions battle for the rights to be the tournament’s Ultimate Survivor.
9	To prepare for the last seven weeks, the Survivor bowlers have a draft and the tribes split. The league-leading average bowlers become team captains and draft the remaining players. The first draft pick goes to the team captain with the lowest average and this process continues until all bowlers have been drafted.
10	Weeks eight through 13 drafted teams compete for a team prize fund, and the title of Survivor Team Champion.
11	The league uses a 21-point system as stated in Rule 5. There is no handicap between drafted teams as they are by their nature very balanced. Teams may use a substitute should one be needed provide the subs average is equal to or less than the bowler they are replacing (Since the teams are drafted). If a bowler is absent, the team can use the absent bowler’s average less 10 pins if no sub is available.
12	One bowler will constitute a legal lineup. If there is no opponent, the team must bowl within 10 pins for the individual matches and 30 pins of team average for the team points. (Bowlers bowl match play against their own average less 10.)
13	In the 14th week, Survivor bowlers start team match play championships. This is a head-to-head, Baker system match play tournament between teams. This format has bowlers from each team bowling alternating frames. Matches are bowled until we crown the Ultimate Team Survivors.
14	Survivor could have cash awards for 300 games and 800 series (i.e. $250 for 300 and $500 for 800). The league will be certified through USBC and will use Sport Bowling compliant lane conditions so that bowlers will be eligible for Sport Bowling awards

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