USBC Communications
The United States Bowling Congress has opened discussions with stakeholders in Reno, Nev., to secure future host sites for USBC’s Championship Tournaments.
The talks include proposals to extend USBC’s agreement with Reno through 2038.
Staff from USBC, Reno Tahoe and City of Reno, Nev., have been collaborating on an extension, which is scheduled to go before city leaders for approval in late October.
The agreement has the Open Championships continuing its historical rotation of visiting Reno every three years, adding dates in 2035 and 2038 while adding the USBC Women’s Championships in 2036.
The move to extend with Reno comes following new initiatives on behalf of the host properties to lower prices, including early booking specials, reduced room rates and food and beverage discounts for bowlers. The National Bowling Stadium completed a $4.5 million renovation project in 2020, and the city now deploys uniformed ambassadors throughout the downtown area to work with Reno Police and improve the downtown experience.
Customer surveys show an overwhelming majority of participants are satisfied with the National Bowling Stadium, with 74 percent reporting satisfaction and only 13 percent saying they are dissatisfied with the venue. Tournament bowling in Reno is growing, too, with more than 55,000 bowlers already registered for the 2026 Open Championships. That will make the 2026 event the largest tournament in Reno since 2011.
These customer trends led the USBC Board of Directors to approve the extension. The extension also includes commitments to continue bringing USBC’s short-duration events to the NBS periodically throughout the agreement.
The USBC staff continues to reach out to cities outside of Nevada to host future USBC Championship Tournaments but have not identified a venue available at this time in a desired location.
With these agreements, the Open Championships still has open dates in 2031, 2034 and 2037 available for bid. The Women’s Championships has dates available for bid in 2030, 2031, 2034 and 2037.
USBC has an ongoing request for proposal process through July 1, 2026, and welcomes bids from any new or previous host cities. USBC will make an announcement when the final contracts for future years are completed.
USBC, KEGEL EXTEND PARTNERSHIP
The USBC has completed an extension to maintain its long-standing agreement with Kegel to serve as the official lane maintenance provider for USBC Championship Tournaments and a USBC Gold Product Partner.
The partnership will celebrate its 20th year during this extension. Kegel has provided lane maintenance equipment and supplies for USBC events since 2006 and will continue to serve roles in technical and on-site support for both short- and long-duration tournaments. Kegel also supports lane maintenance for the Professional Women’s Bowling Association.
“Our partnership with USBC has stood the test of time, built on mutual respect, collaboration and a shared dedication to the integrity of the sport,” said Kegel CEO Chris Chartrand. “We’re proud to continue working alongside USBC to deliver world-class lane conditions for bowling’s most prestigious events.”
At the USBC Open and Women’s Championships, Kegel provides the tournament staff with the latest lane machines, oils and cleaners as well as training and support throughout the duration of the events to maintain the playing environment across several months of competition.
For many of USBC’s short-duration events and on each national stop during the PWBA Tour season, Kegel provides equipment and collaborates with the managing staff to ensure on-site procedures for maintenance are followed and lanes are oiled for competition.
Nick Hoagland, a GlenOak High School graduate who has served as the lead consultant in oil pattern development for USBC Championship Tournaments and the PWBA Tour since 2016, also works alongside the team at Kegel in the preparation and execution of each tournament’s lane maintenance plan and schedule.
“We’re excited to continue our partnership with Kegel and celebrate 20 years of teamwork in conducting national tournaments across the United States,” USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. “We share a passion in providing a great tournament experience for all bowlers, and Kegel has always delivered in creating and maintaining a quality playing environment through its equipment, innovation and team members.”