USBC Communications
LAS VEGAS – Delegates elected three board members and voted on four legislative proposals at the 2025 United States Bowling Congress Convention and Annual Meeting, which concluded Thursday at the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa.
But USBC executive director Chad Murphy doesn’t see a dues increase being needed until at least 2030.
That is the year USBC’s cash reserves are expected to fall to the six months of operating spending that the USBC Board of Directors requires, according to reports.
USBC has been burning down its cash reserves and it shouldn’t hit the six months level until 2029-30 or 2030-31 seasons, Murphy told convention delegates.
“We’re just going to keep pushing it (a dues increase) off and keep pushing it off until we have to have it, and at that point in time, we hope you’ll be there for us,” Murphy told the delegates.
Murphy also reported that USBC membership fell about 1.5% in 2024-25 to an estimated 1,077,698 members. Membership was 1,207,561 in 2019-20, fell to 850,669 in 2020-21 during the COVID-19 pandemic, then rebounded to 1,093,909 in 2022-23.
The ballot for the USBC Board election had four candidates slated by the USBC Nominating Committee – Cindy Akin of Placerville, Calif.; Zachary Boulanger of Green Bay, Wis.; Chrissie Kent of Newark, N.Y.; and Nathan Shock of Brighton, Colo. – for three open board positions.
On the first ballot, incumbent Kent (564 votes) was re-elected, with Boulanger (472 votes) and Shock (436 votes) also gaining election. Akin received 313 votes. A candidate had to receive a majority of the 611 votes cast to be elected.
Additionally, Team USA athletes elected Mark Van Meter of Albuquerque, New Mexico, to the USBC Board.
The newly elected board members begin their three-year terms Aug. 1, 2025.
Congratulations also are in order for Christopher Floyd of Lockport, La.; Brooke Johnson of Olympia, Wash.; and Angel Metsch of Statesville, N.C., who have been appointed to serve three-years terms on the USBC Youth Advisory Group beginning Aug. 1, 2025.
In addition to the board elections, delegates voted on four proposed bylaw amendments (one national, two state and one local). Voting results for all the proposals are noted at the end of this press release.
In other news, in what is annually a surprise announcement, Chicagoland USBC was awarded the USBC Association Excellence Award. The presentation of national and youth awards also took place and featured seven more recipients, including the Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow Award to Gianna Brandolino of Channahon, Ill., and the Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow Award to Rylan Edwards of DeWitt, Iowa.
Murphy also introduced a new tiered certification structure for bowling centers and updates to its certification program. The changes aim to provide greater clarity, reduce costs and streamline the inspection process for centers nationwide.
Murphy also introduced a new era for one of the most successful grassroots youth events. Beginning with the 2025-2026 season, the tournament previously known as the Pepsi Youth Championships will be rebranded as the USBC Youth Scratch Championships presented by SMART.
This rebranding represents more than just a name change; it reflects a new increase in scholarship funding at the grassroots level driven by SMART. The foundational structure of the event remains unchanged, continuing to connect youth bowlers through league-level qualifying into regional or state-level competition with age- and gender-based state champions being awarded an entry to the Junior Gold Championships.
USBC President Dennis Hacker and Murphy presented their annual reports, and delegates also heard reports and updates from a number of USBC committees, including the Strategic Planning Committee and USBC Youth Advisory Group.
Murphy said the 2025 USBC Open Championship in Baton Rouge would have 11,684 teams, and next year Reno, Nev., is projected to draw 10,000 to 10,500, up from 8,063 in 2016 and 9,565 in 2023, the last two times the tournament was held there.
Murphy was asked about interest in hosting the Open Championships in 2031, the next open year.
Murphy said he had met recently with officials in Baton Rouge, Reno, and at South Point.
Billings, Mont., also is interested, Houston still is “on the docket” and “Obviously, Greenville (S.C.) (2028 host) would like another tournament,” Murphy said.
“Is Indianapolis interested?” Murphy asked. “They are not. Is Chicago interested? They are not. Is Orlando interested? They are not.
“We’d like to lock Baton Rouge in as it’s the biggest tournament we’ve had since 2012. And then from there, we’ll fill in the rest.”
In 2026, the USBC Convention will head to the Silver Legacy Resort, Hotel and Casino in Reno, in conjunction with the USBC Open Championships, with the event scheduled to run from April 27-30.
Visit BOWL.com/Convention to learn more about the USBC Convention and Annual Meeting.
RESULTS OF 2025 USBC ANNUAL MEETING LEGISLATIVE SESSION
2025 LEGISLATION
Bylaws (two-third votes needed)
Bylaws Proposal No. NB 1 – Rejected (38 approve, 563 reject)
USBC National Bylaws
Article III, Membership and Dues.
Section B. Dues.
Makes the payment of state dues optional.
Bylaws Proposal No. SB 1 – Rejected (38 approve, 553 reject)
USBC State Bylaws
Article V, Board of Directors – Management.
Section E. Resignation, Removal and Vacancies.
Removes the ability to reappoint an individual to a state board who has been removed due to a lapse in their RVP status.
Bylaws Proposal No. SB 2 – Approved (564 approve, 29 reject)
USBC State Bylaws
Article VII, Meetings.
Section A. Annual Meeting.
Allows states to host a virtual Annual Meeting.
Bylaws Proposal No. LB 1 – Rejected (31 approve, 563 reject)
USBC Local Bylaws
Article V, Board of Directors – Management.
Section E. Resignation, Removal and Vacancies.
Removes the ability to reappoint an individual to a local board who has been removed due to a lapse in their RVP status.