HARRIS COUNTY-HOUSTON SPORTS AUTHORITY INSIDER
United States Bowling Congress Open coming to Houston in 2022
Dec 14, 2018, 12:53 pm
Bowling will roll into Houston in 2022. Getty Images
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One of the world's largest participation sports events in the world is headed to Houston.
Approximately 50,000 bowlers will converge on the Bayou City for the 2022 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships. The 119th edition of the event will be played at a new mixed-use, state-of-the-art sports facitily that is being developed in North Houston.
Bowling is just the latest in a line of sports that have chosen Houston as a destination for a big event. The five-month run of events is expected to drive an economic impact between $75 million and $100 million.
"What an amazing opportunity for Houston and Harris County,'' said Chris Massey, Harris County – Houston Sports Authority Director of Events. "When you combine ingredients like a world-class sports town, an amazing new venue, and a top-notch event such as the USBC Open Championships, you really can't help but get excited.''
The city will also host the 2020 Men's Basketball Regional, the 2020 U.S. Women's Open, the 2021 World Transplant Games, 2023 Men's Final Four, 2024 College Football Playoff. In addition, the city was named to host one of eight XFL teams and is positioned to possibly become one of the 10 U.S. cities that will host 2026 World Cup games.
The 2020 Open Championships marks the first time bowlers will bring their marquee event to Houston. Since its inception in 1901, the event has been held all across the United States and 2020 will be the tournament's fifth trip to Texas, joining Fort Worth (1957), Corpus Christi (1992, 2006) and El Paso (2015) as hosts.
"We're excited to bring the Open Championships to a new host city in Houston, which has proven itself to be among the nation's elite and top-tier sports destinations," USBC President Karl Kielich said. "The opportunity to be the first major event in a new sports complex demonstrates the success and strength of the USBC Open Championships."
Participants will compete in three average-based divisions and the event will include enough lanes for the Open Championships, the Bowlers Journal Championships presented by USBC and team practice sessions.
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The Houston Rockets face a major test Friday night as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder, who enter the matchup riding an 11-game road winning streak.
Houston (50-27) sits second in the Western Conference and has been dominant on the boards, leading the conference with 48.8 rebounds per game behind Alperen Sengun’s 10.5 per contest. The Rockets have also been red-hot, winning eight of their last ten while averaging 122.1 points per game.
The Thunder (64-12) hold the best record in the West and have been nearly unstoppable, winning 10 straight overall while outscoring opponents by nearly 20 points per game in that stretch. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to play at an MVP level, averaging 32.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Houston will need a big night from Jalen Green, who’s averaging 21.5 points, to keep pace with an OKC team that ranks among the league’s best in efficiency on both ends. The Thunder’s ability to limit turnovers and their defensive pressure could be a deciding factor.
With playoff seeding on the line, expect an intense battle between the top two teams in the West.
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