The NDBowling.com Player of the Year is determined by points collected at 8 tournaments throughout the season each year. Under the current point structure, players earn points based on total number of entries at each stop. For example, a tournament with 100 entries would award 50 points to the winner and each subsequent position would earn fewer points down to the 40th position. Only the top 40 at each tournament earn points. A tournament with 60 entries would award 30 points to the winner and so on. The point difference between positions 1 through 10 is greater than that of 11 through 40 to reward players for top 10 finishes.
The problem with the current point structure lies within the NDBowling.com Major Championships, but has become a growing concern among 4 non-Majors as well. The 4 Majors have often been viewed as the hardest to win in our region and many would consider them the most prestigious to win as well. With many players placing an added emphasis on these tournaments each year, NDBowling.com wanted to incorporate that into the Player of the Year points structure as well.
Back in 2014-2015 when the NDBowling.com Ranking system was created, the 4 NDBowling.com Majors netted a similar number of entries. This meant each Major carried a similar number of points available and consistency among them resulted in Player of the Year honors since the other 4 non-Majors carried fewer entries. However, over the last couple years, the entries in Winnipeg and Moorhead have settled to around 50-80 each season while the entries in Minot and Mandan are consistently over 100.
Now, one can argue as to which Majors are easier to win over the others, but should the points from one or two Majors double that of the others simply due to entries? Likewise, should any of the other tournaments provide fewer points simply due to entries when the quality of the field is drastically different from tournament to tournament. Under the current point system, the winner of the KFYR TV Bowling Classic (120 entries) would receive 60 points and it would take another bowler winning both the Manitoba Open and the NDBowling.com Classic to obtain a similar amount of points. I don’t think any bowler would argue that winning the KFYR TV Bowling Classic is similar to winning both the Manitoba Open and the NDBowling.com Classic in the same season, so the points should not reflect that as well.
The solution is to adopt a min and a max value to points given at each tournament with the Majors carrying more weight. This concept would make the points given at each event more consistent resulting in the more consistent players receiving more points with an emphasis on performance at the Majors.
Starting this season at the Manitoba Open, points earned at the NDBowling.com Majors will be based on a 70-85 entry structure. All Majors that fall below 70 entries will still provide points based on 70 entries. Likewise, all Majors that draw entries over 85 will only provide points based on 85 entries. Any tournament to draw entries between 70-85 will award points based on actual entries.
Starting NEXT season, the point structure for the 4 non-Majors will be based on a 45-60 point structure. All tournaments falling below 45 entries will award points based on 45, and all tournaments over 60 entries will be based on a max 60 entry structure. Tournaments falling between 45 and 60 entries will be based on actual number of entrants. This will also make total points awarded each season to be more consistent.
Here is an example of the current point system vs the revised point system using last seasons results in the NDBowling.com Major Championships.
While it is true Player A should probably have more points based on finishing better in the events with higher entries along with a Championship final appearance, the point spread should not be as drastic as it was. In the revised structure, Player A still holds the lead, and the consistency of Player B is still rewarded and keeps them in the Player of the Year race.
NDBowling.com Player of the Year Tournament Schedule:
NDBowling.com Kickoff Classic (NDBowlTV event in 2019) | October
Singles portion of the NDBPA State Scratch Doubles | November
Singles portion of the NDBPA State Scratch Team | December
*Manitoba Open | January
*CMA Memorial Shootout | January
*KFYR TV Bowling Classic | February
Sjerven Scratch Tournament | February
*NDBowling.com Classic | March
* – NDBowling.com Major
If you would like to join the NDBowling.com Scratch Players Ranking, please contact Daren Seney (Seney1987@gmail.com). Open to all bowlers.