We Went To USBC HQ… | Ten Pin Life

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In Ohio, I made a choice to shake a very specific hand. That turned into one of the best experiences I have ever had in my time in bowling.
After nationals, Nick and I made our way to Arlington Texas to Meet Chad Murphy, Executive Director of USBC. He gave us a full tour of the facility including the ITRC, Bowling Museum as well as the Testing and Research Facility.
And yes, there is a FULL WALKTHROUGH VIDEO coming from inside the testing room.
I walked in skeptical, but was overwhelming surprised by the quality of this experience, and I learned five big things about USBC that I thought you should know about.
Ten Pin Life exists to tell the story of what it takes to live a life in bowling and to grow the love for the sport. If you want to learn more about the people, skills and equipment it takes to make ten pin bowling the greatest game there is, Ten Pin Life is for you. Thank you so much for your interest, now get out there and bowl!
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01:52 - Introduction
04:02 - #1 - Collaboration Is Happening...
05:32 - #2 - USBC Is Actually Lean...
07:21 - #3 - USBC Is NOT A Dictatorship...
08:39- #4 - Chad Murphy Is A Nice Guy...
10:42 0 #5 - USBC Values Bowling's Past & Future...

[@dijigo1587]

Great stuff. Keep doing the things that nobody else seems to have the imagination or passion to do. It's a unique perspective you bring. Can't wait for the next installment. Thanks!

[@TenPinLife]

I appreciate the kind words. I'll keep doing my best!

[@Codyschmitt900]

Another great video Ben! Personally, I love videos, podcasts, conversations between people with disagreements. I think a lot of people shared in your negative viewpoint of USBC, both at local and national level. I’ll admit, I did a little double take when I saw this video, seeming as you are very vocal about holding the USBC accountable for decisions. However, I loved this video. I loved the fact you went down there, asked questions, and learned a lot more about the organization. My perspective about the organization has changed (slightly) after watching this! Thanks for the content! Only thing I would change is that ugly Cardinals banner on the wall 😉😂 keep it up, Ben!

[@TenPinLife]

I'll have more to follow this one, especially about the Open and the conversation we had about it because it was a really good one. I still disagree with the decision, but I understand much more how and why it was made the way it was. A lot of this comes down to understanding effective conflict. I went there to have what is called task conflict, when most would have interpersonal conflict. In spots like that, if people are willing to engage in that task conflict, I respect them a lot because it is hard to do. At no point was I perceived or looked at as a bad person, just as someone with a difference of opinion and a desire to learn. Also, LET'S GO CARDS

[@kyleb5169]

I agree, this video gave me a different perspective on it as well. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes when people actually know what is going on and are not left to try and figure things out on their own.

[@ricka.wetselphdbowler3526]

I think of a lot of USBC's problems result from a lack of communication with the public. Perhaps they should hire you or someone similar as their spokesperson. The responsiblity of that person would be to communicate to the entire membership how and why they make their decisions. This communication should also be done timely and done before any actual rulel change is implimented. The spokesperson should also be able to handle questions from the bowling public in a diplomatic and sincere fashion. As it stands now the explanation of rule and/or standard operating procedure occurs much later if at all from USBC headquarters. Moreover, any explanation of changes occurs in an impersonal fashion such as an email or writtern document, which causes a lot of mistrust from the public (USBC members). If rule changes were done via a live stream with some time for questions much of the mistrust wwould be aleviated.

[@kyleb5169]

This right here is the USBC's biggest problem and why people are frustrated with them. They are TERRIBLE at communication. They do something and than without explaining why until months later, people are left to use their own imagination to figure out what is going on. USBC should have a communications director sort of like the president's press secretary to inform people of why they are doing what they are doing.

[@TenPinLife]

I'm being dead serious when I say this Rick. Call them & offer your recommendation as a bowler. Have some of the experience I had and see how it goes.

[@Thatdudeteej]

Keep up the videos loved the podcasts on spotify

[@TysBowlingRevolution]

While having a committee does provide the outside perception that you have multiple eyes\thoughts weighing in on a subject we have no idea if this committee is stuck in a bubble or group thought. We've seen plenty of times with, Board of Directors where they are suppose to provide an independent oversight yet tend to protect the CEO or knowledge employees going against their expertise in concern of their job and agreeing with higher level staff. Not saying this is the case but just pointing out that having a committee doesn't provide an automatic check for success.

[@TenPinLife]

With how Independent these committees are though, I’m a lot less skeptical to be honest. You’re right that there can be group think and defense, but know some of the people who have been in the room, I see it as a better process than I did before my visit.

[@TysBowlingRevolution]

@@TenPinLife I'll trust you on this. I'm very new to USBC and bowling. My experiences with USBC have been minimal, this being my first Junior Gold. Everything else has been completely organized and managed by individuals, like Billy Gasn and Will Clark, hosting leagues, tournaments, and clinics.

[@thebigeasy8609]

Thank you so much for this video. This hopefully opened some eyes. Thanks again.

[@TenPinLife]

My pleasure. Be well bud.

[@sb632]

I'm sure Chad as a person is a good dude, and very approachable. But that doesn't change the perspective on the USBC and how poorly they've governed bowling for many years now. This year they have really made themselves look bad with the ball testing that any other tester showed to be false, and no other major bowling governing body is following suit. They've just got to make changes in how they conduct themselves, how they enforce things and be MUCH more transparent.

[@TenPinLife]

So, what would you change then?

[@PinoyBowlerGS92]

I gotta hate when they approve Strings. I get that it saves Bowling Centers but here’s the thing, most places had Strings are for entertainment and not for the sport. Those places wanted to stay open just for more profit and not helping the sport. Not only that, other countries can run Bowling Centers with Free Fall Pinsetters much better than the US does and my home country Philippines is an example of that. Just like our shopping malls here, Bowling Centers aren’t declining and there are centers recently opened and still running free falls.

[@jimmerrell3035]

Sooo if USBC doesn’t care if any lane conditioner is applied to the outside 10 boards, why would the topography of the lane surface have any importance in recreational bowling?

[@TenPinLife]

1 - there’s rules on that. The issue is in enforcement. 2 - less volume actually makes topography more important.

[@Slimzyjoe]

Chad's personal relationships have nothing to do with the way he conducts business at USBC. There has been plenty written about Chad, and the USBC. It's not some massive misunderstanding about the way the USBC operates. For instance, Belmo and the testing of those balls. Zero transparency, zero accountability. That's just one example, and that same things repeats itself over and over about decisions made by USBC. That's Chad's face that takes the beating for that. That's the perception people get, it isn't unjustified - the USBC could do a much better job at protecting it's image. With that said, the organization itself, I don't agree with things they do either. But overall, my experience with the things I've been involved in such as Team USA and the Open Championships all those things have been great.

[@notonyourlife7939]

Yup... they've made their bed, now they get to lay in it. Shady doings or not, gathering "evidence" behind closed doors, then meting out punishment for the sporting equivalent of denying the accused the right to confront his accuser is $h*t awful optics. They deserve all the skepticism they're getting. No sympathy for the USBC at all.

[@TenPinLife]

I'm curious... Why do you think it's important for USBC to protect it's image?? It's not that I am disagreeing with you, I'm genuinely curious on your opinion on the matter.

[@notonyourlife7939]

@@TenPinLife Are you seriously asking why an organization should be concerned with it's public image? In today's world?!?!? Where one's every thought, word, and deed is scrutinized and dissected by any and every armchair quarterback on earth with an internet connection? Not to mention the fact that we're talking about an organization dependent on membership fees for its very existence... the Chadster just might want to consider not pi$$ing off the folks who pay his enormous salary. Of course they should be concerned about the optics of how they carry out their mandate... because if they don't, eventually that mandate will go away. The world at large is getting increasingly tired of ineffective, do-nothing "leadership", particularly when they make vast amounts of money in exchange for comical failures, solutions desperately in search of a problem, and the overly aggressive flexing of regulatory muscles. When trust in any governing body erodes to the point that nobody believes that the organization is capable of doing what they're supposed to do fairly, objectively, and without bias, then everything crumbles. The stench of impropriety is difficult to wash off, whether it's justified or not. Just look at the state of the world...nobody trusts the powers that be anymore, and for good reasons too numerous to list, but I digress. The only difference here is the scale of the organization in question, but the (unfortunately predictable) absurdities are exactly the same: A problem that the organization itself created and essentially chose to have, because no one bothered to engage in 11 seconds of critical forethought. Wilfully secretive rule enforcement practices that give the appearance of either incompetence, and/or some undisclosed agenda... even if neither actually exists...are just plain stupid in today's world. If for no other reason than the fact that nothing can be kept under wraps for very long anymore. Everything gets leaked, practically in real time, because the whole world is walking around with a video camera in their pocket and instant access to a digital soapbox with global reach. Did the USBC really think nobody outside that bowling center was gonna see the black curtains? Gimme a break...anyone with an IQ bigger than their shoe size could have seen the backlash coming, and probably would have planned better logistics.

[@Slimzyjoe]

@@notonyourlife7939 you literally cannot say it any better than this.

[@Slimzyjoe]

@@TenPinLife because they are the governing body. Chad and the USBC set the mandates for the ENTIRE sport of bowling in this country. And, when you hide behind a curtain and refuse access to the information collected leading to a decision that could potentially affect thousands of your members it creates a poor perception about the way you do business. Unfortunately, even if the USBC operates under no agenda and has your best interests in mind, that in a nutshell is the calling card of the USBC and Chad Murphy's reign over the sport of bowling.

[@bowlnow824]

Didn't know you were a fellow Cardinal fan!!!!

[@TenPinLife]

Let’s go Cards! #FtheCubs

[@bowlnow824]

@@TenPinLife great video we need more positivity in the USBC. The reason why people are quitting bowling in because they don't see any positive side or hear anything positive.

[@mikemoats2519]

Great video Ben!! I have no grudge with USBC, either nationally or at the local level. However, I do believe that the immediate ban of the Storm balls was wrong. I have heard the arguments, for and against, about the ban at the OC. I believe a solution could have been worked out between Storm and USBC that would allow the OC to be completed with those Storm balls. Why couldn't Storm pay USBC employees to test the hardness of those banned balls at the OC? There would be no cost to USBC and also a great amount of data would have been gathered for the USBC to examine. If the ball met the hardness standard then it could be used in the OC. All the other tournaments that had not started would not allow the banned balls.

[@TenPinLife]

I don't hate the idea, but the check-in process is already way too long and the guys doing it didn't even know how to use the weighing machines when they used them up until a couple years ago. There was unfortunately just no 'right' decision.

[@patrickfischer1980]

So why do they not give out the pattern for Open Championship?

[@TenPinLife]

Simple answer - data. Long answer - incoming so subscribe

[@WoodrowBoudreaux]

Read all the comments below. Like it or not, perception is 9/10's of reality anymore. You can tell folks one thing but when their eyes and life see and experience something different then it's hard to convince them otherwise. I had an old Little League baseball coach tell me one time, "in the eyes of the fans, it takes 3 atta-boys to make up for an oh-no". Funny how some anecdotal comments from your elders actually turn into life lessons that stick with you forever.

[@TenPinLife]

Hey Eric. I appreciate the comment. The one thing I would say is that I’m not really interested in “convincing” people, more just providing an atta-boy based on my experience. There’s so many of the oh-no’s that I felt it necessary to provide an accurate depiction of what is saw and learned. It’s easy to be a critic. It takes work to collaborate.

[@WoodrowBoudreaux]

@@TenPinLife Agreed! And an ATTA-BOY for yourself, Ben! 😉 You're doing a good thing here with this channel. It's quite unique! 🤘🤘🤘

[@bobjanicki9045]

Also the whole Belmonte behind the curtain not allowed to watch them check his bowling balls Chad Murphy has to go maybe go back to brunswick

[@TenPinLife]

Sure. Whatever.

[@bowl300ify]

Myers!!

[@TenPinLife]

Briggs! Wait…

[@kyleb5169]

I've said this on your other videos and others have said it and I'll say it again. COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION. It's the NUMBER 1 most IMPORTANT piece in any relationship. What the USBC fails to do is COMMUNICATE. When the whole USBC/Belmo/Storm fiasco hit, what did USBC say about it? NOTHING. They sat on it for months and let people speculate rather than give all the facts right then and there. If you give people the facts immediately, guess what, they don't have to speculate and wonder why the decision was made. When a decision is made by USBC, they should have a communications person IMMEDIATELY explain to the public in a press conference (much like what the President does with the press secretary) and tell people what's going on. If I wasn't in Darren Tang's bowling discord/twitch community, I would have never known the USBC banned weight holes. USBC left people to try and figure out what was going on instead of just giving the facts right then and there. If I could make 1 change at the USBC, it would be to have a communications director explain decisions to the public. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I also had a separate idea that I think would benefit the bowling world immensely. 2 separate fees depending on what you want to bowl. I'm going to use numbers arbitrarily for my point. Fee option 1: Pay $10 and that allows you to bowl your sanctioned leagues and establish a USBC average. Fee option 2: Pay $20 and that allows you to bowl your sanctioned leagues, tourneys and any other event across the country. The people who are casual league bowlers that don't care about Team USA or Open Championships or other major USBC events, can pay a lower fee because those types of bowlers don't get as much value out of USBC as the competitive tournament bowlers. If you just want to bowl your local association leagues, you can pay $10. If you want to bowl the leagues AND tourneys, etc... you can pay $20. Just speaking from my area, there are a lot of bowlers that want to bowl league but they aren't interested in paying $20 sanction fees as casual league bowlers. They really don't get that much value for $20. If they could only pay $10, they would feel its more worthwhile to bowl.

[@TenPinLife]

I would say I half agree with your first point. Communication is key, and they could do a better job. However, to say they said 'nothing' is false. When the decision came out on the Storm stuff, there was the decision press release, FAQ & statement directly from Chad. Would I have preferred it to be verbal, sure, but that doesn't mean nothing happen. On your second idea, the more we think a nominal change in sanction fees is going to get people to show up to leagues, the more we miss the real problem. A one time $20 sanction fee is not the problem keeping people out of leagues. A lack of a creativity from proprietors, options in league offerings and the length of commitment to a traditional league keeps a multitude of more people out of them than a sanction fee, regardless of the perceived return.

[@kyleb5169]

Good point there and as I said in my post I can only speak for my area which I know only represents a very small portion of the bowling community but I'm just speaking from my experience in my area and that's been the BIGGEST complaint from people here. It was just an idea though so thanks for reading into it and giving your thoughts. I appreciate it. You are the first youtuber to actually respond to my comment which is really nice.

[@notonyourlife7939]

So you think the barrier to entry for league bowlers is a $10 bill? That'll barely get you 2 gallons of gas at this point. The cheap, no prize fund summer mixed league I bowl in costs $20/week, and it's full...36 three- person teams.... nobody's squawking about sanctioning fees.

[@kyleb5169]

@@notonyourlife7939 Again I"M SPEAKING TO MY AREA AND MY AREA ONLY! I doubt you live in my area or know anything about it . Thanks for the response but don't make statements about the people in my area when you don't know anything about them. I specifically keep referring to MY AREA because that's the people I know and I know what's going on in my associations. So thanks again for your comment but is horribly built on a lack of information about my area. What goes on in your area does not happen everywhere and that's what a lot of these comments I read seem to think.

[@TenPinLife]

@@notonyourlife7939 Bowling (as of today) doesn't actually have a growth problem. 13-15% of all sanctioned bowlers every year are first time sanctions. Bowling has a retention problem.

[@joehoenig7596]

Here's the thing: if everything you've said is true, two very disturbing facts emerge: First, that for an organization that is member-driven, precious little effort is made to change our perceptions--both about USBC and Murphy. If USBC and Murphy want our buy-in, as bowlers, especially since many of us cannot simply go to Arlington to see what's "really going on", then let them make some efforts to educate us and change our minds. If USBC and Murphy remain silent, the bowling public's perception won't change. Second, the implication from your video, is that much of the blame for negative feelings toward USBC and Murphy, originate with the local USBC chapters and the folks who hold office in those chapters. Again, either bowlers need to take ownership of their local chapters to make things better, or USBC needs to develop a closer connection and more frequent interaction with those chapters. Again, we are member-driven, so any possible cause of member dissatisfaction needs to be scrutinized--whether it occurs locally or nationally.

[@BowlingWithTheFef]

Ok, gotta ask…what’s up with the hashtag in the upper right corner at about 6:37? Did I miss something?

[@TenPinLife]

Oh that’s a nugget for those that need to know 🤣🤣

[@samlofquist2477]

I think I know what the F stands for just not the B or K 😆

[@emerald3331]

I do remember when they pushed to merge ABC, WIBC and YABA together and it became very political and lot of infighting took place. But, I'm not sure in the end it was good for bowling. A lot of things get worse after a merger. Do you know why the Hall of Fame got moved from St. Louis?

[@TenPinLife]

The Hall/Museum move was based in multiple reasons. 1, that building was old, outdated and needed to go. 2, it was agreed upon by all the merging & collaborating entities that it made the most sense to have everything in one place as that collaboration & efficiency becomes much more accessible that way.

[@acescience4562]

Insert the thumb, the competition is to see who can do better in each link. It is not to directly remove the thumb and change it to 2 hands. This is one less item and has a big advantage. This is what USBC should pay attention to. This makes bowling a leisure and leisure game. It's not a sports game anymore.

[@ktzn]

Tim Mack once said, "One-handed bowling and two-handed bowling are different, but what they do have in common is there are 10 pins down there at 60 feet, and you got to find a way to knock over the pins. That's the bottom line"

[@TenPinLife]

here's a solution for you Jason. Start a sanctioning & governance body that ONLY allows one handed bowling. Unless you're ready, willing and able to make the change you want to see, don't be a critic.

[@acescience4562]

This is not a criticism but a fact. 2 hands are indeed the future but have you thought about why? Thanks for responding to the discussion. We all love bowling

[@mavwag]

love that you're a cards fan lol

[@TenPinLife]

I mean, I do have pretty good taste :)

[@arthurguillaume5977]

So why all the secrecy and behind the scenes action with testing those storm bowling balls? The way it was all handled was bullshit, enough to get the best bowler out there fined? Belmo is not a jerk... what you said in this video sounds like a different organization then the one that handled the Storm ball situation. Or the organization that allowed things to get out of hand at the PBA 50 tournament last week. You can't have the wife of an opponent antagonizing and harassing a live wire like Pete Webber. They should have told her to behave or else get out, before Pete did what Pete and al lot of people would do... put her in her place. What I hear in your video and what I see the USBC doing are very different. So until their actions catch up with your opinion of the organization, I'm going to say that your are wrong, and your "tour" of the USBC was all window dressing and and a successful smoke screen directed at you.

[@TenPinLife]

1. Pete was wrong in his actions and I will not defend them. "He's a live wire" is a bullshit excuse. 2. Don't like how USBC operates? Call them. If you're a sanctioned bowler, it's their job to listen. 1-800-514-2695

[@TenPinLife]

Also, what if you're the one with the 'smoke screen?' Maybe your opinion has been coerced by outside forces to the point that you can't take my information without thinking I'm inherently wrong, even though I was there. It's real easy to be a critic.

[@rngerfanbaby]

There was no data it has never been released. I was at the convention and I asked 11 questions and all of them were whitewashed and told me to look at the FAQ they released. No data was ever released!! Do you know that when they do the lane certifications finally after over 3 years they will not share the data with the local association that the center is in? They are no where near transparent and change needs to be made at the top. Mike Aulby was the main reason the ball and ring are in the hall of fame not Chad. If they want the best for the youth why do they not call the coaches certified anymore why did they take down the website so parents and kids could find coaches find coaches?? Why do local associations not have youth directors anymore?? PS. I was in Texas for a week and loved what they did there but the decisions that have come down lately are not for the betterment of bowling!

[@TenPinLife]

usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/equipandspecs/pdfs/AnnouncementFAQ.pdf

[@bobjanicki9045]

Drink the kool-aid

[@TenPinLife]

Think I’m brainwashed all you want. I couldn’t care less.

[@bobjanicki9045]

Me to but i like your videos

[@Tenpindoctors]

What exactly does this “kool-aid” entail?

[@bobjanicki9045]

Basically jr listen to there shit and believing it

[@aaronarganda403]

Regardless, the USBC still made a terrible mistake

[@TenPinLife]

Care to elaborate?

[@TenPinLife]

@@SirJoelsuf1 then don’t sanction.

[@aaronarganda403]

@@TenPinLife its just my opinion but after watching storms video on testing hardness, i feel the usbc were not efficient in their testing. Storm’s video suggests that there can be many things that could alter or contaminate the testing procedure of the bowling balls. I just felt that this was unnecessary. I could be wrong but there is a possibility that all brand’s balls could have specs that are “off” or “not viable”

[@internetidiotreloaded9233]

@@aaronarganda403 "there can be many things that could alter or contaminate the testing procedure of the bowling balls" if Storm was concerned about this then why did they come to the agreement with the USBC regarding the 6 balls and why does no other manufacturer seem to have this issue? Storm is not going to create a video that is not favorable to them. There are many variables to those balls that Storm tested that we do not know (such as surface and whether or not the balls shown were cherry-picked for the video or not).

[@notonyourlife7939]

@@SirJoelsuf1 What problems will multiple sanctioning bodies manage to solve? Two organizations issuing separate dictates will only create more confusion/pi$$ing contests over the rules than we already have...

[@herblyons2720]

in my opinion usbc hurt bowling by allowing all these reactive balls with all these weight blocks into the game. bowling is about having the right ball instead of how good the bowler is nowadays. I wonder how much money usbc is getting from the ball companies to allow all these cheater balls into the game?

[@notonyourlife7939]

"Cheater balls"? So you're still throwing 30 year old urethane, then?

[@TenPinLife]

You mean the balls that were brought into play in the 90's when USBC was founded in 2005?... Your timeline is off.

[@donkeydiehard879]

"cheater balls."😂 Sounds like you got left behind because you have a negative ideology toward technology. If "bowling is about having the right ball instead of how good the bowler is nowadays," why aren't you bowling for $100,000 tournaments on tv?🤔 Should hockey players go back to wooden sticks? Should golfers go back to wood clubs on stiff shafts? Should tennis players go back to heavy steel or wood rackets? Runners go back to heavy shoes? Football players using giant pads? Or should they go back to the roots of no pads and leather "helmets?" Literally EVERY sport advances with technology. That's the way it is and the way it will always be. I'd argue that the change in technology has only widened the gap between an average and elite bowler. It introduces MORE variables in a sport where consistency is everything. PBA bowlers can identify what cover has the needed shape. What core had the right moment of inertia (rg) and differential to work with the cover. Lastly the right drilling to dial it in. Why are there exponentially more handicap lifetime bowlers than scratch, even with these "cheater balls?" It takes real skill to be able to see exactly what shape and friction response is needed for a given situation. If you think otherwise, I'd challenge you to educate yourself and get out of your negative mindset. It's literally the most annoying and most toxic thing in the bowling community.