1
Basics
League identity, location, and schedule skeleton
Bowling Center
Optional
Search for and link your bowling center from the Spareable directory. Linking a center connects your league to the center's page and makes it easier for bowlers to find you. For leagues that travel between centers, toggle "Traveling League" instead.
League Name
Required
The public display name shown to all members and on the center's league board. Make it recognizable — most leagues use the session day and/or a nickname, e.g. Tuesday Night Strikers or Kingpin Classic Spring 2026.
Season
Required
The season label attached to this league instance. Upcoming seasons are pre-filled based on today's date. You can also choose Year Round or enter a custom Season + Year combination.
Options: Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall + Year (e.g. Fall 2026), or Year Round.
Start Date
Required
The date of the first session. Spareable uses this to generate the week-by-week schedule, so accuracy here affects every week date going forward.
Time Zone
Optional
Used to display session dates and times correctly for all bowlers, regardless of where they're accessing the app. Auto-detected from your browser — only change this if your league is in a different zone.
Options: All US and Canadian time zones including Eastern, Central, Mountain (with and without DST), Pacific, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Session Start Time
Required
The time bowlers should arrive at the lanes each week. Displayed on every session card in the app so bowlers always know when to show up.
Total Weeks
Required
The total number of bowling sessions in the season. This drives the schedule generator, segment lengths, and prize eligibility calculations.
Range: 1 – 52 weeks.
2
Format & Scoring
How teams compete, how points are awarded, and whether the season splits into segments
Team Structure
Team Format
Required
How many bowlers make up each team. Controls roster sizes, score entry forms, and bye/forfeit logic.
Options: Singles (1), Doubles (2), 3-person, 4-person, 5-person (most common), 6-person, or Individual (no fixed team).
Games Per Session
Required
How many games each bowler bowls every session. Used to calculate series totals, averages, and points breakdowns.
Range: 1 – 6 games. Most leagues bowl 3.
Session Day(s)
Required
The day(s) of the week your league bowls. The schedule generator uses this to assign a date to each week. Multi-day leagues (which bowl on more than one day per week) require a second confirmation before adding a day, since most leagues bowl on a single day.
Scoring System
Scoring System
Required
How your league determines who wins each weekly matchup and how standings are ranked.
Options:
- Points — Teams earn points for winning individual games and the total series. Most common in USBC leagues. E.g. 1 point per game won + 1 point for highest series = 4 points per match.
- Points + Series — Same as Points but standings track the series point separately.
- Win/Loss % — Teams win or lose the full matchup; standings sorted by winning percentage.
- Total Pins — No matchups; standings are purely by total pinfall across the season.
- Match-Play — Each bowler goes head-to-head against their slot opponent. Includes optional team-game and team-series point components (PBA style).
- Baker — Team bowls as a single unit: 5 bowlers each cover their specific frames in rotation.
Points Breakdown (Per Game Win / Tie, Series Win / Tie)
If Scoring = Points
The number of points awarded for winning or tying each game and the series. Ties auto-fill at half the win value and can be adjusted.
Each value: 0 – 10, in 0.5 increments. Default: 1 per game, 1 for series.
Match-Play Point Values
If Scoring = Match-Play
Points awarded per individual game win, individual series win, team combined game win, and team combined series win. A live total shows how many points are available per match.
Individual: 0 – 10. Team component: 0 – 20.
Sort Standings By
Optional
How teams are ranked in the standings. Defaults to the natural method for your scoring system — only change this if you want rankings to work differently. For example, you might run Points scoring but rank teams by Win/Loss % instead.
Options: Total Points, Win/Loss %, Points % (points/points-series only), Total Pins.
Weekly Matchup Tie Method
Optional
What happens when two teams tie a game or the series in a points or match-play league. Only appears when Scoring = Points, Points+Series, or Match-Play.
- Split Points — Each team earns the configured tie point value (default: half of win value).
- Total Pinfall — Tied game goes to the team with higher session pinfall. No tie points.
- Roll-Off — Manager manually selects the winner after a roll-off is bowled.
Season Standings Tie Method
Optional
Used when two or more teams finish the season with identical records. Per USBC rules, total pinfall alone cannot break a first-place segment tie — a roll-off is required in that case.
- Total Pinfall — Team with more season pins ranks higher.
- Roll-Off — Manager manually selects winner.
Season Segments (Optional)
Split Season into Segments
Optional
Divide the season into halves, thirds, or quarters. Each segment has its own standings and a declared winner. Common in USBC adult leagues (First Half / Second Half). Segment winners feed into the end-of-season playoff.
Number of Segments
If Segments Enabled
Options: 2 (Halves), 3 (Thirds), 4 (Quarters).
Weeks per Segment
If Segments Enabled
How many bowling weeks belong to each segment. Leave blank for equal division. If totals don't add up exactly to Total Weeks, you'll be asked what to do with the leftover weeks.
Position Rounds
If Segments Enabled
When enabled, the last week of each segment is automatically marked as a Position Round — no preset matchups are generated; the manager assigns matchups based on current standings. Standard on most USBC adult schedules.
Averages Across Segments
If Segments Enabled
Controls how bowler averages (and therefore handicap) are handled when a new segment begins.
- Continue — Averages carry forward from segment to segment through the full season. The running season average is always used for handicap. USBC recommended.
- Re-establish each segment — Handicap resets at the start of each segment and is calculated only from games bowled in that segment. A bowler who shoots low in Segment 1 gets a fresh slate in Segment 2.
Championship Playoff
If Segments Enabled
Adds an end-of-season playoff after the final regular-season week. Spareable generates the playoff week schedule automatically on the chosen start date.
Playoff Format
If Playoff Enabled
- Stepladder Finals — Lowest seed vs. next-lowest; winner advances up the ladder. Most common bowling format.
- Single Elimination — Traditional bracket; one loss is out.
- Double Elimination — Winners and Losers brackets; must lose twice.
- Round Robin — Every team plays every other team.
- Total Pinfall Series — Highest combined pinfall wins.
- Match Play — Round-robin match play with bonus points + stepladder finals (PBA style).
- Baker Team Format — 5 bowlers cover their assigned frames in rotation.
Teams Qualifying
If Playoff Enabled
How many teams advance to the playoff. Must not exceed your league's team count.
Range: 2 – league team count. For double elimination, 4, 8, or 16 is cleanest (byes fill to the nearest power of 2).
Seeding Method
If Playoff Enabled
- Overall season standings — Top N teams by final regular-season record.
- Segment winners only — Only the winner of each segment qualifies. If one team won multiple segments, remaining playoff spots are filled from season standings (or the multi-winner team bowls multiple series, depending on the Multi-Win Policy below).
Multi-Segment Win Policy
If Seeding = Segment Winners
What happens when one team wins more than one segment and therefore occupies multiple playoff "slots."
- Next in line — The multi-winner team counts once; remaining slots are filled by the next-highest teams in season standings.
- Multiple series — The team bowls one series per segment won, as separate seeds in the bracket.
- All bowl again — All segment winners re-bowl an additional playoff.
- Stepladder finals — Standard stepladder among all qualifying teams.
Allow Co-Champions
If Segments Enabled
If one team wins every segment, they are declared champion immediately — no playoff is held. When the manager clicks "Generate Playoffs," Spareable detects this condition and marks the champion instead of creating playoff weeks.
Playoff Scoring
If Playoff Enabled
Options: Handicap (pins + handicap), Scratch (actual pins only).
Games Per Match / Series
If Playoff Enabled
Range: 1 – 7 games. Default: 3.
Match Winner Decided By
If Playoff Enabled
Options: Total pinfall across all games, or Best-of-games (most games won).
Grand Finals Format (Double Elim)
If Format = Double Elimination
- Bracket reset — Losers bracket winner must beat the undefeated Winners bracket champion twice. (USBC Masters standard.)
- Single match — One final match regardless of how each team got there.
Match-Play Options
If Format = Match Play
Additional settings for the PBA-style match-play format: lane pairs per match (1–4), bonus points per match win (default: 30, per PBA standard), and how many teams advance from the round-robin phase to the stepladder finals (top 2–8).
3
Handicap & Averages
How handicap is calculated and how averages are tracked
USBC-Certified League
USBC
Optional
Checking this box applies USBC default settings all at once: vacant score → 120, absent policy → average minus 10 (Rule 112), prize eligibility → 2/3 of games (Rule 108c), average establishment → 21 games (Rule 106b), entering average → highest prior USBC average, pre/post-bowl → team only, and 10-pin drop rule enabled. You can still adjust individual settings below after enabling it.
Handicap System
Required
The formula used to award extra pins to lower-average bowlers. Handicap = floor((Basis − Bowler Avg) × Percentage%). Most USBC adult leagues use 90% of 230.
Presets: Scratch (no handicap), 90% of 230 (USBC adult default), 80% of 200, 100% of 200, 90% of 220, or Custom (enter your own percentage and basis).
Percentage: 1 – 100% | Basis Score: 100 – 300 | Max Handicap Cap: optional ceiling (e.g. 75 pins/game).
Percentage: 1 – 100% | Basis Score: 100 – 300 | Max Handicap Cap: optional ceiling (e.g. 75 pins/game).
Team Handicap Calculation
If Handicap ≠ Scratch
- Sum of individual handicaps (default) — Each bowler's handicap is added to their game score; team total = sum of all bowler handicap totals.
- Team-vs-team (head-to-head) — The lower-average team's lineup average is compared to the opponent's; the difference times the league percentage is applied as a flat team handicap per game. Individual handicaps are not used.
Entering Average
How is a bowler's entering average determined?
Required
Sets the policy for what average new bowlers use for handicap before they've established one in this league.
- Highest prior USBC average, any league — 21+ games — Manager enters each bowler's prior USBC book average when adding them. Handicap is calculated from that number from Week 1. (USBC adult standard.)
- Prior season average from this league — 21+ games — Uses the average from the bowler's last season in this specific league.
- Establish average in current season — Bowler uses a default/blind average until they've bowled enough games to establish one in-season.
Average Established After X Games
If Method = Establish in Season
Bowler uses their entering (blind) average for handicap until this many non-blind, non-absent games have been bowled.
Range: 1 – 99 games. USBC standard is 21 (approx. 7 weeks of 3-game sessions).
Lock Entering Average for First N Games (Anti-Sandbag)
Optional
Prevents a hot or cold early week from immediately distorting handicap. While locked, every bowler's handicap stays based on their entering (carry-forward) average, regardless of how they're bowling this season. Typically set to 9 games (3 weeks) or 21 games. Set to 0 to disable.
Range: 0 – 99 games. Default: 0 (disabled).
USBC 10-Pin Drop Rule (Rule 100c)
USBC
Optional
Caps how much a bowler's entering average can drop from one season to the next. A bowler with a 180 prior-season average cannot enter with less than 170, even if their recent stats compute lower. Auto-enabled when USBC Mode is checked.
Default Entering Average
Optional
The average assigned to bowlers who are added without a prior average on file. Used as both their handicap basis and their absent/blind score base until they establish.
Range: 50 – 300. Defaults to 135 if left blank.
Recalculate Averages
Optional
How often a bowler's running season average becomes their new handicap basis. The running average itself always updates after every finalized week — this setting only controls when that new number kicks in for handicap.
Options: Weekly (default), Every 2 weeks, Every 4 weeks, End of season only.
Rerate Alerts
Optional
When On, shows a banner on the Members tab whenever a bowler's running average is 15+ pins above their entering average. Tapping a bowler in the alert opens their profile so you can update the entering average inline. Default is Off — most leagues use entering averages from a prior book and never mid-season rerate, so the banner would just be noise. Turn it on only if your league actually rerates bowlers during the season.
Options: Off (default), On.
Absent / Blind Score
Absent/Blind Score Policy
Required
The score recorded for a bowler who is absent (no sub available) or bowling blind. This score is used in the team's total for matchup calculations.
- Average minus X pins — USBC Rule 112 default. Most leagues use average minus 10. The deducted amount is configurable.
- Full average — Absent bowler's score = their current average, no deduction.
- Fixed score — A flat number per game (e.g. 120) regardless of the bowler's average.
Team Average Cap
Optional
A maximum combined entering average for all bowlers on a single team's roster. If adding a bowler would push a team over this cap, a warning is displayed during roster assignment. No bowlers are blocked — the warning is advisory.
Range: 100 – 9999. Example: 700 for a 5-person team.
4
Rules & Policies
BYE weeks, forfeits, substitutes, score verification, and gameplay rules
BYE Week Policy
When a team has a BYE week
Required
What happens when a team has no opponent for the week (odd number of teams, position round, etc.). Only visible for multi-bowler team formats.
- Beat their team average by X pins — Team must bowl above their average by the configured margin to earn points that week.
- Full points — Team automatically earns the maximum weekly points for bowling.
- Half points — Team earns half the weekly points.
- No points — BYE week counts as a loss; zero points awarded.
Forfeit Policy
When a team forfeits (fails to bowl)
Required
What the present team must do to earn points when their opponent doesn't show up.
- Opponent automatically earns full points — The present team wins the full match with no conditions.
- Must bowl average minus X pins — Each bowler on the present team must shoot within X pins below their average per game to earn each individual point.
Substitutes
Allow Substitutes
Optional
Enables the substitute roster system. When a bowler is marked absent, a sub can be assigned to bowl in their place. Subs can be rostered to a specific team or added to a league-wide pool.
Sub Assignment Model
If Substitutes Enabled
Required
- Team Alternates (USBC: Assigned Subs) — Each team has their own named subs. A sub can only bowl for the team they're rostered to.
- League Sub Pool (USBC: Roving Subs) — Floating subs available to any team in the league each week.
- Both — Teams have dedicated alternates AND a shared league pool for gaps.
Sub Pool Size Cap
If Model = Sub Pool or Both
Optional
Maximum number of bowlers allowed in the league sub pool. Once the cap is reached, adding another pool sub is blocked with a message. Leave blank for no limit.
Range: 1 – 99.
Substitute Gender Rule
If Substitutes Enabled
Optional
- Any gender — No restriction (default).
- Same gender as absent bowler — A sub must match the gender of the bowler they're replacing.
Score Verification
Require Team Captains
Optional
When enabled (default), each team designates a captain. The Scores screen shows one matchup verification card per matchup; each captain taps ✓ Verify Matchup once to sign off both teams together. The matchup finalizes when both captains have verified. ⚠ Report an Error flags specific rows; flagged rows get an inline ✏️ Fix button so any matchup participant — either captain, the flagged bowler, or any teammate — can correct the score without leaving the screen. Saving a fix resets verification so both captains re-sign on the next pass. When disabled, the league manager approves all submitted scores directly.
Gameplay
Vacant Spot Score (per game)
Required
The score recorded for a roster position that has no assigned bowler at all — not an absent bowler (who uses the absent policy), but a slot that literally has nobody in it. Common when a team is short a member mid-season. USBC default is 120. The quick-set "Apply USBC Defaults" button fills this automatically.
Range: 0 – 300 pins. USBC standard: 120.
Lane Format
Optional
How bowlers use the lanes each session. Affects score entry layout and lane assignment display.
- Dual Lane (default) — Teams alternate frames between two adjacent lanes, the standard format for almost all leagues.
- Single Lane — All 10 frames are bowled on one lane. Used in some youth or non-standard formats.
Lane Numbers
Optional
The specific lane pairs your league uses at the center. Used in the schedule generator and displayed on each session card so bowlers know where to go. Leave blank and Spareable auto-assigns starting at lane 1.
Enter one pair per matchup. E.g. for a 4-team league: 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–8.
Make-Up Bowling
Allow Pre-Bowling
Optional
Lets bowlers submit scores before the scheduled session date — e.g. bowling on Monday for a Tuesday league. Pre-bowl scores are flagged for manager review.
Pre-Bowl Mode
If Pre-Bowling Allowed
- Team only — The whole team must pre-bowl together. USBC adult default.
- Individuals allowed — Any bowler can pre-bowl alone. USBC youth default.
Allow Post-Bowling
Optional
Allows bowlers to make up a missed session within a defined window after the session date. Post-bowl scores are submitted separately and require manager approval.
Post-Bowl Window (days)
If Post-Bowling Allowed
Required
How many calendar days after a session bowlers may submit a makeup score.
Range: 1 – 30 days.
Post-Bowl Mode
If Post-Bowling Allowed
Same options as Pre-Bowl Mode: Team only or Individuals allowed.
Administrative Rules
Legal Lineup Minimum
Optional
The minimum number of active (non-absent, non-vacant) bowlers a team must have to field a legal lineup. A warning appears during score entry when a team bowls short. Does not automatically award points — the manager decides how to handle it.
Range: 1 – 10. Leave blank to not enforce.
Max Weeks in Arrears Before Warning
Optional
Shows a warning banner when a bowler is this many weeks behind on dues payments. Purely advisory — no automatic penalties are applied.
Range: 1 – 52 weeks. Default: 2 weeks (USBC standard).
Protest Window
Optional
The official time window in which a protest against a score or ruling may be filed. Informational — no automated enforcement.
- PBA — 72 hours from the end of the event.
- USBC — 15 days (72 hours in the final 2 weeks of the season).
5
Payments
Dues structure and how card processing fees are handled
Note: Payment settings depend on your subscription tier. Tier 1 (Manual Tracking) records dues manually. Tier 2 (Payments + Tracking) enables online card collection via Stripe and unlocks the fee breakdown.
Stripe Connect is per-league. Each league has its own Stripe Connect account and its own destination bank. Dues collected for this league only land in this league's bank account — even if the manager runs other leagues. Set this up on Payments → Set Up for each league individually. Managers who onboarded under the older shared-account model continue to work; a banner on the wallet offers a one-click way to split any league off onto its own bank.
Card Processing Fee Responsibility
Tier 2+
Optional
Card transactions incur a 3.5% + $0.30 processing fee. This setting controls who pays it.
- Pass to Bowlers — The fee is added on top of dues at checkout. Bowlers pay e.g. $20.00 + $1.00 fee. The league receives the full $20.00.
- League Absorbs — Bowlers pay the flat dues amount. Stripe deducts the fee from the payment before it reaches your Connect account. The league nets e.g. $19.00 on a $20.00 payment. A preview in the wizard shows exactly what each breakdown category will net.
Dues Structure
Required
How often bowlers are charged for the season.
- Weekly — Charged each session. Most common for standard bowling leagues.
- Monthly — Charged once per month.
- Full Season — One charge for the entire season upfront.
- No dues — No payment collection (cash only, sponsor-paid, etc.).
Fee Breakdown
Tier 2+
If Weekly or Monthly Dues
Breaks the per-bowler dues amount into named categories: Lineage/Lane Fees (goes to the bowling center), Prize Pool (into the season prize pot), and any number of custom categories (admin fee, secretary fee, etc.). Entering amounts here auto-fills the Total field. All categories must sum to exactly the total weekly/monthly amount.
Total Amount Per Week / Month / Season
Required
The total dues amount charged per bowler per billing period. Auto-filled from the breakdown on Tier 2. On Tier 1, enter the amount manually. This is the number bowlers see on their payment requests.
Minimum: $0.00. Increments: $0.50.