SANCTIONING
1.
The 2016 Motown Invitational Classic (MIC) tournament is a USBC Certified tournament maintaining a
Moral Support status. The tournament is a mixed handicap competition open to Men and Women by
invitation only. ALL participants in the tournament MUST be members of IGBO and provide proof of
membership. If the participant is not a member of IGBO, he/she MUST pay the $25 membership fee and
fill out the online membership application at www.igbo.org.
Due to the Moral Support status, MIC permits the participation of non-certified bowlers who may use a
minimum average of 130. Such bowlers are required to submit ALL league averages and tournament scores
for average adjustment (USBC Rule 319B). Once submitted the tournament will determine the appropriate
average based upon this information. Tournament management has the authority to assign an average
higher than the minimum average prior to participation.
Non USBC certified members who wish to be eligible for USBC awards MUST pay the $21 participant fee.
Non USBC certified members who DO NOT wish to be eligible for USBC awards will not have to pay a
USBC participant fee due to the Moral Support status.
EVENT PARTICIPATION
2. The tournament events shall be handicap events and are as follows: Singles, Doubles and Team.
Optional Individual Scratch and Men's & Women's handicap divisions will also be offered. The Motown
Invitational Classic will also be holding a Scratch Masters competition. See rule 8.
3. Each participant shall bowl three (3) games per event and must enter all three events. Teams will consist
of four (4) members consisting of any combination of men and women. Men and women will compete on
an equal basis. Doubles partners must come from the same team.
4. Each participant may bowl only once in each event.
5. A professional bowler that is not a currently rostered IGBO league or organizational member, with a
minimum of 21 games as of the end of the 2015-2016 season, may not bowl in this tournament. Only one
(1) professional bowler per team will be allowed. A professional bowler is defined as any person who
presently carries or has been a "card-carrying" member of a professional bowling organization within the
past 12 months preceding this Tournament.
6. Employees of Super Bowl Lanes shall not be permitted to participate in this tournament.
OPTIONAL SCRATCH & HANDICAP EVENTS
7. Optional scratch events will be offered to all participants using five (5) divisions as determined by
entering average (see rule 16). The optional handicap events will be offered to all participants using two (2)
divisions as determined by gender. MIC 2016 will be offering an Optional Scratch Event for men and
women, an Optional Men's Handicap Event and an Optional Women's Handicap Event.
A. Optional Scratch events shall use the scratch scores (without handicap) from the handicap portion of the
tournament to determine winners. The optional scratch events shall be divided into three separate categories
within each division: Highest scratch game (from any of the events); Highest scratch three game series
(from any of the events) and highest scratch all events (from the nine game total from all three events).
Men's and Women's handicap events shall use the same criteria but using the handicap scores.
B. Optional Scratch Divisions & Men's and Women's Handicap Division Fees are as follows:
Optional
Optional
Scratch
Men's/Women's Handicap
Division A: 0 to 139
$ 20.00
Division Men
$ 10.00
Division B: 140 to 159
$ 20.00
Division Women $ 10.00
Division C: 160 to 179
$ 20.00
Division D: 180 to 199
$ 20.00
Division E: 200 and above $ 20.00
SCRATCH MASTERS
8. The Scratch Masters competition, in conjunction with the Motown Invitational Classic, is available to all
participants for an additional entry fee based on Division as outlined below. Lineage will be deducted from
this entry fee. Scratch Masters entry fees may be paid at the time of tournament entry or during registration
(before the first ball rolled in competition). All scores will be scratch, no handicap.
The six (6) game scratch totals from the handicap tournament (Singles and Doubles) are used to determine
the six (6) qualifiers and the one (1) alternate per division for competition. If any division gets 20 or more
paid entries for that division, the total amount of qualifiers for that division will be (8) plus (1) alternate. If
a TIE exists for any of the six (6) or (8) qualifying spots, the bowler with the highest three (3) game scratch
series will determine the seeded positions. Once the final ranking or position for the six or eight games is
determined, qualifying scores will not carry over. Scratch Masters Divisions and corresponding entry fees
will be as follows:
Division A: Averages from 0-139
Division B: Averages from 140-159
Division C: Averages from 160-179
Division D: Averages from 180-199
Division E: Averages 200 +
$20.00 entry
$20.00 entry
$30.00 entry
$40.00 entry
$50.00 entry
During preliminary rounds, bowlers will have 10 minutes of practice on any or all of the 6 or 8 lanes
assigned to his/her division, no other practice balls are allowed on subsequent lanes and/or matches. Any
claims of error must be submitted to the Scratch Master's Committee prior to the start of the next match. In
the case of an error in the final match, claims must be made within thirty (30) minutes of the end of the
final match. Scratch Masters Playoff will be a single elimination competition in each division.
The Scratch Masters shall be a low man out format. All qualifiers will bowl a round (a single game) after
which the lowest scratch score will be eliminated. On each pair of lanes within the bowlers division, each
bowler will be designated bowler A and bowler B and will stay consistent with the bowler. After each game
bowled, bowlers will move one pair of lanes within their division. This format will continue until the final
two bowlers are determined for the final match. In the event of a tie, a ninth and tenth frame roll-off will
take place to determine the winner of each match, including the final match if needed. If the two bowlers in
the game prior to the final match are bowling on the same pair, the final match will be bowled moving one
pair to the right. If the bowlers are on different lanes, the higher seed will determine which pair of lanes
within their divisions allotted lanes the final match will be bowled on.
A list of the 6 or 8 qualifiers and the alternates for their divisions will be made available in the hospitality
room later Saturday evening, and on the MIC website at MICTOURNAMENT.ORG.
AWARDS and PRIZES
9. All cash awards shall be based on the total pins PLUS assigned handicap for each event.
(With the exception of the Optional Scratch Divisions, and Scratch Masters).
10. Awards will be given, in the Handicap Division, for the best Singles, Doubles, Team, Individual All
Events and Team All Events. Individual All Events is defined as the nine game total plus handicap of an
individual bowler. Team All Events is defined as the nine game total plus handicap of the (4) four members
of the same team who actually bowled the team event. In the event that any member of the team does not
bowl the nine games, that team will be ineligible for the Team All Event recognition.
11. The award ratio for Singles, Doubles and Team in the handicap division shall be 1:10. The Individual
All Events ratio shall be 1:20. 100% of the prize monies collected for Singles, Doubles, Team and
Individual All Events shall be returned to the bowlers as stated by the previous ratios. A trophy only shall
be awarded to the Team All Events winner.
12. Awards in the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be given for the Best Single Game (from any of the
events), Best Three (3) Game Series (from any of the events) and Best All Events (nine games total).
13.
The award ratio for the Optional Scratch Event shall be 1:10 per division.
14. Prizes will be distributed in US currency the night of the awards banquet at the completion of the
tournament barring any protest. A tie in any position will result in the sum of the prizes being aggregated
for the tie positions and divided equally by the number of ties for that placing. Prize funds will be based on
100% participation.
15. 100% of the entry fees from each division in the Optional Scratch Divisions as well as the optional
Men’s and Women’s Handicap Divisions shall be returned to that division.
ENTERING AVERAGES
16. Any bowler entering the 2016 MIC tournament must establish a ten-pin average acceptable to USBC.
Bowlers must also report if they have won $300 or more in any single event in the past twelve (12) months.
The following rules shall be used to determine the entering average:
a) The highest 2015-2016 season book average with a minimum of twenty one (21) games
games. If competing in more than one league, the bowler must submit the highest average
of all leagues bowled.
b) If no book average is available, a bowler must use their 2014-2015 season highest book
average with a minimum of twenty one (21) games.
c) If none of the above is available, use the highest final summer league average for the 2016
season, minimum 21 games, providing the summer league meets the USBC criteria.
d) If none of the above is available, a current season average (minimum 21 games) as of
the deadline for accepting entries may be used.
e) If a bowler has a minimum twenty-one (21) game IGBO tournament average that is one (1) or
more pins higher than their other averages, the IGBO tournament average must be
used.
f)
17.
If none of the above is available, then the entering average shall be 225.
The above averages MUST be verified by the use of:
a)
League standing sheet, signed and dated by League Secretary, or
b)
Photocopy of book average with year noted, signed, and dated by league officer.
c)
Verifiable by use of IGBO database (TAD) or USBC database
(Bowl.com).
d)
Average from sports condition leagues are not acceptable at any time.
18. The handicap for this tournament shall be based on 90% of the difference between a bowler’s average
and either the highest entering average or at minimum 225. Negative handicaps shall NOT apply.
19. As of October 7th, 2016, any bowler who has qualified for a cash prize of $300 or more (US) in any
single event MUST report all positions, amounts won, and all scores for the previous 12-month period to
the tournament secretary no later than the time of registration for possible re-rating.
Such re-rating must be done before the entrant bowls (USBC Rules). Failure to report information shall
result in AUTOMATIC disqualification and loss of all winnings.
20. Tournament management has the authority to adjust the entering average of any bowler. Average
adjustments will be applied as set forth under USBC rules. All average adjustments will be completed prior
to the start of the tournament. A bowler unwilling to accept an average adjustment is entitled to a full
refund.
21. USBC rules regarding the bowler's responsibility to verify the accuracy of his/her submitted average,
whether submitted by the bowler, the team captain or other applies to all bowlers. Failure to use proper
average shall disqualify scores if the submitted average is lower than the actual average, thereby resulting
in a lower classification and more handicap. Prize winnings shall be based on the higher average if it is
higher than the entering average.
RE-RATE POLICY
22. If a bowler has a minimum twenty-one (21) game IGBO tournament average in the past 12 months that
is one (1) or more pins higher than their entering average for this tournament, they must use the higher
tournament average.
ATTENDANCE AND SUBSTITUTES
23. It is solely and entirely the bowler's responsibility to be present at the assigned lanes at the time of
bowling. Each bowler shall have the total responsibility to arrive on time to bowl. Mechanical failures,
transportation irregularities, improper directions, and other related reasons DO NOT alter the application of
Rules 24 and 25 below. (USBC rules will apply).
24. Complete doubles/team entrants must be present for bowling each event. If a team member is not
present, the team may use an authorized substitute (Rule 26). If no substitute is available, a zero score will
be used for the missing bowler or bowlers.
25. Late bowlers will begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready, with prior frames being scored
as zero. No practice balls will be allowed late bowlers.
26. Substitutes may bowl at the discretion of the tournament directors. Their entering averages must
comply with rules previously stated. Substitutes must complete an entry form.
27. Bowlers will be allowed 10 minutes of practice prior to the start of the singles and doubles events on
Saturday and team event on Sunday.
ENTRY FEE REQUIREMENTS
28. Registration for the tournament is completed on-line. The entry fee is payable in U.S. funds ONLY.
Payment may be paid on-line via credit card. Additional fees are required to enter Optional Scratch and
Handicap divisions as well as Scratch Masters.
Participants are encouraged to register on-line if at all possible, however, if a paper entry is to be sent in by
mail, payment must be BY MONEY ORDER or CERTIFIED CHECK made payable to Motown
Invitational Classic. To ensure delivery, entries should be mailed “CERTIFIED RETURN RECEIPT
REQUESTED or comparable international postal regulations. Entries are to be mailed to: M.I.C., 1160
Norvell Rd Grass Lake Mi 49240. All entries must be postmarked no later than September 23, 2016.
Entries shall be limited to a maximum of 236 bowlers. Entrant's acceptance will be based on the order in
which received. Once entry is accepted, NO REFUNDS will be issued except as stated in Rule 20, and at
the discretion of the tournament directors.
29. Partial team entries will be accepted and tournament directors will make every effort to fill vacancies.
SCORING ERRORS
30. After a score has been recorded it cannot be changed unless there has been an obvious error in scoring
or calculation. Obvious errors must be corrected by a tournament official immediately upon discovery.
Questionable errors must be reported to a tournament official within two (2) hours of the error and will be
decided by tournament management (USBC Rule 327b).
PROTESTS
31. A protest or appeal involving eligibility or playing rules must be filed with the tournament
management, the local association or USBC before tournament prizes are paid. The protest or appeal must
be in writing and the grounds for protest or appeal briefly stated. An appeal regarding the decision of the
tournament management or local association may be made to USBC. The decision of USBC is final and
binding on all involved parties. Prizes for the positions affected cannot be distributed until the protest or
appeal is resolved (USBC rule 329).
32. All other USBC rules will apply.
33. Any person attending and requiring special needs must notify directors in writing.
34. The team captain MUST sign entry form acknowledging he/she has read the rules.
35. Bowling balls should be USBC approved and drilled, meeting all USBC requirements. Balls should
also be released and available to the public for purchase by October 7, 2016; pre-release and test bowling
equipment is not allowed.
36. A rule may be changed or suspended at any time prior to the start of registration. If such action is
taken, notification will be posted at registration.
37. Any incident of harassment, unsportsmanlike conduct or fighting during tournament events gives the
MIC executive committee the right to disqualify and ban the offending party or parties from subsequent
events and any prize money without a refund of registration fees.