The USBC Open Championships (formerly the ABC Championships Tournament) is widely recognized as the world’s largest participatory sporting event. The event consists of team, doubles, singles and an optional all-events competition, and is conducted in an arena or convention center setting in a different city each year. The USBC Open Championships allows the grassroots USBC members to experience competition in a stadium-like atmosphere, while combining their bowling experience with a vacation to the tournament city.
The first ABC Championships Tournament was held in 1901 when six lanes were installed in the Welsbach Building in downtown Chicago. The event ran for four days, hosting 41 teams from nine states, while offering a prize fund of $1,592. Today, it takes a team of more than 30 carpenters and laborers a month to transform a venue into a state of the art 48-lane bowling center before the Open Championships begin its 140-day run. The event attracts 60,000 to 90,000 participants from all 50 states and several foreign countries and features a prize fund that exceeds $6 million. Every third year, the Open Championships is conducted at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nev.
Open to all bowlers who hold a USBC adult membership (except PBA national touring professionals), the Open Championships has two divisions - Classified for bowlers who average 180 or less (360 combined doubles average; 900 combined team average) and a Regular Division for those who average 181 and higher.
As one of the most prestigious events in the sport, which was established in 1901, the USBC Open Championships is the national championships for grassroots USBC members. It is an opportunity for every USBC member to compete for a national title while also being able to bowl in a one-of-a-kind bowling stadium and to cash in on a huge prize fund.
Since the event is held in different cities each year, it also provides members with an opportunity to see the country. Most entrants combine their competition experience in the event by also taking in all the attractions that all host cities have to offer. For the thousands of loyal Open Championships participants, the event is the highlight of the bowling season.
There are three ways to verify your average. However only the bowlers who qualify for the classified division in any event have to verify.
*The easiest way to verify your average is to use the Find a Member search on bowl.com. You can search by name or member ID and once you locate your record, you can pull up your averages from past seasons. Print out the page that lists your 2006-07 average and either send it with your entry or bring it with you to Detroit.
*If you are unable to print out your record from bowl.com, you can also bring a copy of your local association yearbook that lists your highest average.
*Have your local association manager verify it for you. If you don’t know already, you can ask your league secretary how to get in touch with your association manager.
When you think about it, the cost to enter one of the world’s largest and most prestigious bowling tournaments is really quite inexpensive.
Entry fee is $45 per event per bowler: (Breakdown per event: $25 for prizes and $20 for expenses); All-Events - optional $15. ($14 for prizes and $1 to Team USA) $150 PER BOWLER total for team, doubles, singles and all-events.
Doubles and Singles are scheduled after full fees are received.
The prize money goes to the sub. The sub is the person who bowled the games therefore the sub gets the money.
All events is a combination of team, doubles, and singles scores. It takes all nine games and combines then into a extra prize fund.
That is determined between the captain and the substitute bowler.
You may only bowl each event once.
Many teams travel to the Open Championships together. That way they get scheduled on the same squads and double and singles scheduled together as well.
You can bowl team without bowling doubles and singles or vice-verse, however if you sign up for doubles then you have to also bowl singles.
We recommend two hours in case of changes that need to be made for team. For doubles and singles we recommend one hour if there are no changes or need for a sub.
It has often been said that looking your best helps instill a sense of pride that can assist you in competing at your very best.
Increasingly, Open Championships bowlers are showing their pride by participating in the Pride Award program, which recognizes teams that dress alike. All teams that dress in matching shirts and pants (no jeans) will receive a special lapel pin.
But whether or not your team participates in the Pride program, the Open Championships requires that you abide by its dress code which is as follows:
All participants must wear a shirt with a butterfly-type (polo shirt) or mock collar and casual slacks, trousers or jeans. Women may wear Capri pants provided the length is below the knees and at least mid-calf or longer.
*Please note that shirts with mock collars are now allowed by individual bowlers in any event, provided they are wearing casual slacks or trousers (no jeans allowed with “mock” collar shirts).
During competition in any event, bowlers are not permitted to wear hats, sweats, shorts, skirts, skorts, culottes or zubas (pants with elastic cuffs). If you are wearing any of these items you will be asked to change into more appropriate attire.
All apparel must be neat, clean and in good condition.
Any questionable items or special circumstances will be addressed by the Manager on Duty.
Bowlers will be asked to change their attire if deemed inappropriate by tournament management or designee. Tournament management or designee decision shall be final.
Since you have the opportunity to win prize money the social security number is needed for tax purposes.
The social security number is required before you begin competition.
Through a service provided called Bowling Ball Express (BBE) you can ship your bowling balls directly to the Cashmen Convention Center in Las Vegas.
You can ship them to the hotel if they except them however they may not be responsible for them. It saves you the hassle of carrying them from hotel to convention. You can also ship the balls home when you are finished with your bowling.
