Greater Iowa Bowling Association
May 1, 2012
Here is the preliminary flyer for our September 14-16 Fusion Realtors Open to this note. As was announced, this will be the first of two major Fusion Realtors Opens scheduled for next season. I currently have about $12,000.00 in added prize money for each of the two tournaments lined up thanks in large part to the Waterloo Convention & Visitors Bureau and Zach Beschorner with Fusion Realtors. In addition, we have already lined up several other sponsors and will be working on others over the next couple of months. With the tournament being held at Cadillac Lanes, we have the opportunity to allow a larger field so this September tournament will be open to the first 192 paid entries. Last September, we had a full field of 128 paid entries more than a month prior to the event with a waiting list that included another 15 bowlers. I will begin accepting paid entries immediately, but no checks will be cashed until approximately 3 weeks prior to the tournament.
Due to the success of last year’s event, not much will change for this tournament. I currently plan on using the same finals format we used last year although with a potentially larger field, I may expand the elimination round by another 4 bowlers. We will also guarantee prize money to at least 1/3 of the senior bowlers who enter as well as to 1/3 of the female bowlers who enter. As an example, if we have 30 senior bowlers and 7 of those players cash in the major prize list, we will pay an additional 3 spots to seniors who did not cash in the major prize list. The women entries will work exactly the same way, and the minimum payback will be $150.00. The final prize list will be dependent on how many additional spots are paid as well as on the amount of bracket proceeds we take in since one half of those proceeds will go back into the prize fund.
Another feature of our two events next season will be the addition of live video coverage being provided by Mike Flanagan with InsideBowling.com. This is something our sponsors would like to add, and I am working with both bowling centers and Brunswick to make it happen. The coverage will be for the entire tournament starting Saturday morning and going on right through the finals on Sunday. We will also be working with the USBC tournament reporting staff to get the final results posted on the Bowl.com website.
Please take a look at the flyer and check out the estimated prize lists shown there. You will see the prize list is not extremely top heavy, and every bowler who makes the cut will have a chance to come back and bowl the second round of qualifying on Sunday morning with the opportunity to move up the list. If you have any questions concerning the flyer, please get back to me and I will do my best to answer them. I will send out updates over the next few months with reports on how many spots are filled and when we tie down additional sponsors.
Thanks to all for your past support of the GIBA, and I look forward to an even better 2012-2013 season!!
April 11, 2012
Good Afternoon GIBA Bowlers,
Due to the great success we had last Fall with the Fusion Realtors Open, we made a decision to approach the Waterloo Convention & Visitors Bureau once again for funding. Rather than settling on just one event to kick off our season, we were able to gain their support to also add an event in late February 2013. Both tournaments have been approved for funding support of approximately $10,000.00. In addition, Zach Beschorner with Fusion Realtors has also pledged his support again next season as the title sponsor.
I will be able to provide more details as we go along and line up further sponsorship, but the September tournament will be held at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo the weekend of September 14-16 with a similar format to last year’s Fusion Realtors Open. One difference will be that we can handle more entries due to more lanes being available. The field should be open to the first 192 paid entries with the entry fee again being $120.00 and a final prize fund that should be in excess of $30,000.00. We will again use a pay ratio of at least 1:3 and everyone who cashes will make the cut to Sunday’s second round of qualifying. Some of the money will be earmarked for senior (over 50) prizes as well.
The February event will be held the weekend of February 22-24 at Maple Lanes in Waterloo. This field will be limited to the first 128 paid entries. It will also feature a separate prize fund for only those GIBA members who have bowled at least 4 of our previous tournaments during the 2012-2103 season. The regular prize fund should be at least $25,000.00 and the pay ratio will be at least 1:3 for that one as well. All cashers will make the cut to Sunday’s second round of qualifying and there will be senior prizes available as well.
These are both events you will not want to miss. We will be using oil patterns other than the normal ‘house’ shot for both tournaments. Mark your calendars, and join us for what should prove to be two very exciting events. For those of you who bowled last September these tournaments should be even bigger and better. Those who missed the fun last year, get your entries in early and come join the fun. I will get flyers put together very soon for both events with more details. Those will be sent out and posted on our GIBA website at www.giba-bowling.com. You can view last year’s flyer and event details on that website as well in case this all sounds too good to be true!!
If you have any questions, thoughts, or helpful hints, please feel free to contact me.
March 21, 2012
The Family of Blake Lobdell would like to thank the Greater Iowa Bowling Association for your generous donation to the Blake Lobdell Memorial Scholarship Fund. Blake had many passions in his life - education being one of them -- and we cannot think of a more appropriate way to honor him then by awarding a scholarship in his name on an annual basis. Blake had many life-long friends that he made through the Greater Iowa Bowling Association and thoroughly enjoyed bowling with all of you. Our family would especially like to thank you for your support, thoughts and prayers these past months. Thank you all very much.
Jane, Bryce and Colin Lobdell
Brett, Sonja, Tina, Ryan and Reese Lobdell & Family