USBC to make adjustments to Open Championships starting in 2026
October 02, 2024
FAQ | Rule No. 21 for the 2026 Open Championships
ARLINGTON, Texas – The United States Bowling Congress Open Championships has shown continued growth in participation, and the 2025 event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is trending toward posting the largest team count at the tournament since 2012.
This growth stems from continually evaluating tournament data and reviewing participant feedback, going back to the addition of a third division in 2017. External working groups also have provided valuable feedback and recommendations to continue to build for the future of the tournament.
This process has helped identify some areas to improve at the USBC Open Championships, and several adjustments to the tournament structure will be introduced at the 2026 event in Reno, Nevada. Those key changes include:
The new average ranges at the Open Championships are based on a bowler’s Championships Average (based on the most recent 27 games at the tournament over a specific time frame) or league/composite average (highest from the previous three seasons based on 21 or more games) converted down to a Sport average.
The Championships Average is listed first below, followed with a comparison to a bowler’s average on a typical league condition. To view the conversion chart for Sport, Challenge and Standard averages, click here.
At the 2026 Open Championships, the average-based divisions will be:
A recent goal for USBC has been to increase the amount going into the prize fund at the Open Championships, and this adjustment in 2026 (62.5% to the prize fund and 37.5% to expenses) will improve the prize fund-to-expense ratio by more than 5% compared to the current structure (57.1%/42.9%) and nearly 10% compared to 2012 (53.4%/46.6%). This also will allow for higher payouts on average for cashing spots.
Team, doubles and singles will each cost $80 to enter, and all-events will be $20. Along with a $5 processing fee for each participant, the overall cost will be $265 per bowler.
In 2024, the prize fund for the Open Championships eclipsed $7.3 million with 11,012 teams. With the additional fees going to the prize fund in 2026, a similar team count would produce a prize fund of more than $9.2 million.
The rules in place for team and doubles composition at the Open Championships will have a new look in 2026 with an update to the designations for those who have represented their country, collegiate bowlers and professionals age 60 and older (Rule No. 21).
For past adult national team members, a bowler no longer will fall under the designation of Rule No. 21 once they have been out of the program for 10 consecutive years. Those who represented their country as part of a junior team will have no restrictions starting in 2026.
Collegiate bowlers will not fall under this designation in 2026 and will be encouraged to compete as a full team or doubles pairing. There still will be limitations for competing with professionals, adult national team members and past national tour titlists, however.
Bowlers age 60 and older will be free of any designation under Rule No. 21 in 2026, regardless if they have applied for or hold membership in a professional bowling organization.
The addition of Team All-Events at the Women’s Championships in 2025 will recognize the top overall performance by a four-player team over the course of 36 combined games of team, doubles and singles competition during the event.
Similar to the Open Championships, Team All-Events will not be contested by division. All teams entered will have the opportunity to compete for the title without paying any additional entry fees. There will not be a prize fund for Team All-Events.
The new category at the Women’s Championships was added based on feedback from participant surveys. The USBC Hall of Fame Committee also pushed for the inclusion of Team All-Events to mirror the Open Championships and recognize additional champions at the event.
ARLINGTON, Texas – The United States Bowling Congress Open Championships has shown continued growth in participation, and the 2025 event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is trending toward posting the largest team count at the tournament since 2012.
This growth stems from continually evaluating tournament data and reviewing participant feedback, going back to the addition of a third division in 2017. External working groups also have provided valuable feedback and recommendations to continue to build for the future of the tournament.
This process has helped identify some areas to improve at the USBC Open Championships, and several adjustments to the tournament structure will be introduced at the 2026 event in Reno, Nevada. Those key changes include:
- An adjustment to the average ranges for each of the tournament’s three divisions.
- An increase in the entry fee, which goes solely to the prize fund.
- An adjustment to the rules for team/doubles composition impacting past national team members, collegiate athletes and professional bowlers age 60 and older.
The new average ranges at the Open Championships are based on a bowler’s Championships Average (based on the most recent 27 games at the tournament over a specific time frame) or league/composite average (highest from the previous three seasons based on 21 or more games) converted down to a Sport average.
The Championships Average is listed first below, followed with a comparison to a bowler’s average on a typical league condition. To view the conversion chart for Sport, Challenge and Standard averages, click here.
At the 2026 Open Championships, the average-based divisions will be:
- Classified – 160 and below (185 and below on a typical league condition)
- Standard – 161-181 (186-210 on a typical league condition)
- Regular – 182 and above (211 and above on a typical league condition)
A recent goal for USBC has been to increase the amount going into the prize fund at the Open Championships, and this adjustment in 2026 (62.5% to the prize fund and 37.5% to expenses) will improve the prize fund-to-expense ratio by more than 5% compared to the current structure (57.1%/42.9%) and nearly 10% compared to 2012 (53.4%/46.6%). This also will allow for higher payouts on average for cashing spots.
Team, doubles and singles will each cost $80 to enter, and all-events will be $20. Along with a $5 processing fee for each participant, the overall cost will be $265 per bowler.
In 2024, the prize fund for the Open Championships eclipsed $7.3 million with 11,012 teams. With the additional fees going to the prize fund in 2026, a similar team count would produce a prize fund of more than $9.2 million.
The rules in place for team and doubles composition at the Open Championships will have a new look in 2026 with an update to the designations for those who have represented their country, collegiate bowlers and professionals age 60 and older (Rule No. 21).
For past adult national team members, a bowler no longer will fall under the designation of Rule No. 21 once they have been out of the program for 10 consecutive years. Those who represented their country as part of a junior team will have no restrictions starting in 2026.
Collegiate bowlers will not fall under this designation in 2026 and will be encouraged to compete as a full team or doubles pairing. There still will be limitations for competing with professionals, adult national team members and past national tour titlists, however.
Bowlers age 60 and older will be free of any designation under Rule No. 21 in 2026, regardless if they have applied for or hold membership in a professional bowling organization.
The addition of Team All-Events at the Women’s Championships in 2025 will recognize the top overall performance by a four-player team over the course of 36 combined games of team, doubles and singles competition during the event.
Similar to the Open Championships, Team All-Events will not be contested by division. All teams entered will have the opportunity to compete for the title without paying any additional entry fees. There will not be a prize fund for Team All-Events.
The new category at the Women’s Championships was added based on feedback from participant surveys. The USBC Hall of Fame Committee also pushed for the inclusion of Team All-Events to mirror the Open Championships and recognize additional champions at the event.