Who can bowl NEBA?
Any bowler with a USBC membership in good standing may bowl NEBA, with the following exceptions:
- Any PBA or PWBA member who has won a PBA, PWBA, or PBA50 national tournament in the past five (5) years (US Open and USBC Masters are exempt)
- Any PBA member currently in the top 40 on the national PBA points list for the prior season
Any NEBA member in good standing who wins a national title and maintains their NEBA membership can continue to compete in NEBA. Example: Anthony Pepe was a NEBA member before winning his national PBA title, maintains his membership, and therefore continues to compete in NEBA.
How is NEBA run?
NEBA is run by and for its members. Day-to-day operations are handled by a board of directors including a President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, NEBA Manager, Tournament Director, Past Presidents in Good Standing, and Members-at-Large.
Day-of-tournament operations are executed by the NEBA Manager and Tournament Director. By-law decisions are discussed and voted on by the full membership. Quarterly meetings are held to discuss NEBA operations, with a full, open-to-all meeting held in the 4th quarter of each calendar year.
I have an idea for improving NEBA. Who should I talk to?
New ideas are proposed and discussed at board meetings, which are open to all NEBA members. Board meetings are held once per quarter, typically on Zoom, with the annual meeting held at the end of the year.
You can also discuss any idea with anyone on the Executive Committee or Board of Directors.
What is the format for a typical NEBA tournament?
A typical NEBA tournament consists of a five-game qualifying squad followed by bracket-style, one-game elimination finals. There are typically three squads: Saturday at 6 PM, Sunday at 9:00 AM, and Sunday at 12:30 PM. Re-entries are permitted. There is typically no re-oil for the 12:30 PM squad, but there is a re-oil for the finals.
Variations include eliminator finals and special formats for majors — for example, round-robin match play for the Cambridge Credit Invitational, or double-elimination finals for the NEBA Masters.
What is NEBA's dress code?
NEBA requires a shirt with a polo-type collar, mock neck collar, or crew neck collar with the bowler's name visible on the back. Only previous NEBA champions are permitted to wear white shirts. Women may wear capris and skirts. Shorts and jeans are allowed if they present a neat appearance, but there are restrictions on gym/athletic wear, leggings, and yoga pants.
The Tournament Director has complete discretion over acceptable dress for NEBA. New bowlers have until their 3rd tournament to obtain a proper jersey/shirt with their name on the back.
What balls are legal for use in NEBA?
Any ball approved by USBC that has reached its worldwide release date can be used in NEBA. The worldwide release date rule ensures that all NEBA bowlers have access to the same equipment. Bowlers using equipment that has not yet reached its worldwide release date will have their scores for that squad disqualified.
How are NEBA lane patterns chosen?
The schedule committee partners with representation from each bowling center in advance of their event to collectively select a pattern. Lane patterns are announced at least 7 days before the tournament.
Who can bowl NEBA doubles together?
For regular doubles tournaments, only one previous champion is permitted per team unless that person has not won a NEBA, PBA, or PWBA title within the last ten (10) years.
For over/under 50 doubles tournaments, only one previous NEBA champion is permitted per team unless the person has not won a NEBA, PBA, or PWBA title within the last five (5) years.
Who can bowl NEBA trios together?
Trios teams must consist of a minimum of one (1) non-champion and a maximum of one (1) multi-time champion.
How is sponsorship money used to benefit NEBA members?
The large majority of sponsorship money each year is distributed directly to prize funds at each event, while the remaining amount is used to offset NEBA operating expenses. At each board meeting, a complete financial analysis of the prior quarter is reviewed.
How are NEBA's finances tracked and published?
NEBA uses QuickBooks to track all of its finances. A full tournament accounting is provided after each NEBA event. More generalized financial statements — such as profit and loss statements and balance sheets — are reviewed at each board meeting and are available to NEBA members upon request.
How do I make a reservation or make changes to a reservation?
Reservations can be made online from the Tournaments page — select the upcoming event and choose your squad.
To change or cancel a reservation, contact the Tournament Director directly:
- Email: neba.tdjustin@gmail.com
- Phone: (413) 531-9508
Cancellation deadline is Friday at 10:00 PM before the tournament. Failure to cancel may result in a $10 fine.
How can I get more involved with NEBA?
The best way to engage with NEBA is to attend a quarterly board meeting, which is open to all NEBA members. Look for public announcements on Facebook.
There is also a Board of Directors that takes new applications each year. Additionally, several committees help NEBA run — including the tournament committee, social media, sponsorship, and Hall of Fame — and you can apply to assist with any of them.
There are many non-paid volunteers who contribute to NEBA's success, and new volunteers are always welcome.