Category

ACO News (from the ACO)

American Cornhole Organization Brings Cornhole to National Senior Games

By ACO News (from the ACO)

Cincinnati (For Immediate Release)—The American Cornhole Organization (ACO) is partnering with the National Senior Games to add an open cornhole competition for 2022, with no qualifying needed to compete.

The National Senior Games presented by Humana will be held May 10-23 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. More than 13,000 athletes from ages 50 to 100+ are expected to compete.

While most of the 22 sports offered at the National Senior Games require athletes to qualify through one of the National Senior Games Association’s 52 member games, qualifying is not required when new sports are added.

“We’re excited to add the sport of cornhole to the impressive lineup already offered by the National Senior Games,” said Frank Geers, president and CEO of ACO. “It shows that the sport of cornhole is made for athletes of all ages.”

Cornhole competition is scheduled from Friday, May 20 through Sunday, May 22 at the Broward County Convention Center. Competition will be in Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles.

 

About the ACO

The American Cornhole Organization (ACO) is the governing body for the sport of cornhole.

Established in 2005 and headquartered in Milford, Ohio, the ACO offers official cornhole rules, sanctioned products, tournament listings, and comprehensive information about cornhole events. Find out more at www.americancornhole.com.

 

About the National Senior Games

Begun in 1987 and held every other year, The National Senior Games became the largest qualified multisport event in the world when a record number of 13,712 athletes age 50 to 100+ competed at the 2019 Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana are coming to Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida from May 10-23, 2022. Learn more at https://nsga.com.

Contact: Jackie Reau/Betsy Ross

Game Day Communications

513-708-5822

jreau@gamedaypr.com

American Cornhole Organization Names Top 10 Cities to Play Cornhole

By ACO News (from the ACO)

CINCINNATI (December 6, 2021) —The American Cornhole Organization (ACO), the official governing body of the sport of cornhole, names Branson, Missouri as the top place in the nation to play cornhole, according to ACO membership and major tournament participation.

Frank Geers, Founder and President of the ACO, the worldwide governing body of the sport of professional cornhole since 2005, said “As bags fly from hundreds of thousands of hands coast to coast, and likely millions worldwide, the ACO travels city to city to find the best players and the best people out there. These are just the cities where we find them all. The sport and its players continue to amaze us all.”

The top 10 cities in order include:

  1. Branson, Missouri, the site of this season’s ACO Worlds Championship in July, 2022 and the Branson Major May 27-28, 2022
  2. Bradenton, Florida, the site of ACO Worlds Championship season 16 and the ACO Bradenton Area Major January 28-29, 2022
  3. Las Vegas, Nevada, the site of the ACO Las Vegas Major March 25-26, 2022
  4. Cincinnati, Ohio, the site of the ACO Cincinnati Major May 20-21, 2022
  5. Knoxville, Tennessee, the site of the ACO Knoxville Major January 21-22, 2022
  6. Detroit/Ann Arbor, Michigan, the site of the ACO Ann Arbor Major March 18-19, 2022
  7. Kearney, Nebraska, the site of the ACO Kearney Major February 25-26, 2022
  8. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the site of the ACO Cedar Rapids Major April 22-23, 2022
  9. Bentonville, Arkansas, the site of the ACO Bentonville Major March 11-12, 2022
  10. Owensboro, Kentucky, the site of the ACO Owensboro Major January 7-8, 2022

The Official Launch of the ACO Digital Network

By ACO in the Media (coverage in news), ACO News (from the ACO)

 The ACO continues to lead the fastest growing sports industry in America.

Milford, Ohio- July 17, 2018 – Since the first American Cornhole World Championships held in 2005, there have been eleven more held in places all around the United States including Las Vegas, Nevada, Knoxville, Tennessee and Charleston, West Virginia. This year ACO World Championship XIII is taking place this month (24-28) from Montgomery, Alabama with a record purse of $68,000 and will be broadcast live through the recently launched ACO Digital Network at WeAreCornhole.com. The first complete digital broadcast network in the history of the industry that has become the fastest growing sport in the United States.

Frank Geers, president, and owner of the American Cornhole Organization, or ACO, has been pushing for more television coverage and took a step in that direction by teaming with ViewLift and launching the ACO Digital Network on July 18th. Initially, live broadcasts were mostly viewed through the thirteen-year-old organization’s live streams on Facebook, but once viewership began surpassing the million-view mark during a weekend tournament on a consistent basis, the ACO team knew it was time to take the next logical step with ViewLift. View Lift and the ACO’s partnership will leverage the NYC outfit’s technology to power the ACO’s digital platforms and bring professional cornhole action and original programming to fans worldwide. This partnership between the ACO and ViewLift will enable the ACO to share OTT content through devices such as Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV, past world championships and classic matches, streaming live broadcasts from Majors, and comprehensive coverage across all digital platforms, including mobile devices through both an Android and iOS app found in the Google Play and iTunes stores respectively. With a client roster that includes the Stanley Cup-winning Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Arena Football, and Major League Lacrosse the ACO will be in great company partnered with ViewLift.

“We are incredibly honored to be the American Cornhole Organization’s digital channel partner. Our goal through this partnership is to grow the ACO into the globally recognized leader for cornhole, and to encourage everyone to participate in this fun- loving sport and community.” Offered Manik Bambha, Co-founder & President at ViewLift.

This strategy sets a precedence for the direction of the organization’s marketing efforts. In addition it provides an organic way for players to build a fanbase as the ACO plans to broadcast over 15 Majors next year, a new series called ACO Fight Club that pits the best of the best against each other in a made for TV single elimination match, and Hole Nation which is cornhole’s official news show. These shows are part of a programming lineup that gives fans an exceptional amount of access to the sports top players. Heading up the new network is C.S. Alexander who was recently promoted from Director of Marketing to Executive Director of the network.

“While partnering with a network for our Major and World Championships is our top priority, we have a vision of building onto the online cornhole culture we helped to foster starting over a decade ago. We are repackaging some of our older content and bringing it a little more up-to-date by adding motion graphics and personal player information, new intros, and sponsors. There is thirteen years’ worth of material, so we will be adding new classics quite often to accompany the World Championships from the past decade, our broadcasted Majors from the past and present seasons, and ACO Replay which packages the best match of each Major into its own show.” Alexander went on to add, “With that said, even with the great content from the past, we envision the culture of the backyard player wanting more as the game experiences its meteoric rise in popular culture. We are already in production or preproduction of several shows including Hole Nation which is like Sports Center for cornhole, Cornhole in Backyard America which showcases some of the best backyards that feature cornhole. Cornhole and Cocktails which will showcase some of the best bars in America who make cornhole part of their identity. These are the kind of shows that feature much of what makes cornhole such a great sport because typically when people are playing they have a beer or drink in one hand and socializing between pitches.”

“I like the direction C.S. has us heading,” said Geers. “We want to build around programming that invigorates viewers to want to play more. We want backyard players to start following their favorite professional players, to get ideas of how to make their cornhole experience even more enjoyable from other homeowners just like them, and we want them to feel connected to this wonderful community that has built up around us.” Geers added, “Once they feel that connection then it is just a matter of time before they are playing in a local ACO league. That’s when you know you love the game and you are hooked for life.” Geers continued, “I do want to reiterate that having a broadcast partner for our Majors and World Championship is our main goal and we are in the middle of some very fruitful negotiations, so I would imagine that soon we are going to be exactly where we want to be.

About ViewLift

ViewLift is a full-service digital content distribution platform empowering media companies, sports leagues and teams, education providers and others to monetize their content through native branded apps on major OTT devices including web, mobile, TV- connected devices, Smart TVs, and gaming consoles. ViewLift’s founding team brings

years of domain experience as an operator (not just a technology provider) and strong industry relationships to offer a complete end-to-end solution for creating, launching and monetizing video applications across 30 device platforms. ViewLift operates across the digital ecosystem, understanding each device’s unique requirements and best practices. ViewLift offers clients a range of monetization models on a proprietary platform with advanced analytics, tracking performance in real-time. ViewLift is backed by leading VC firms, including New Enterprise Associates, Comcast Ventures, and Clark Enterprises, as well as tech and media pioneers Ted Leonsis, Steve and Jean Case, Terry Semel, Robert McCormack and others. ViewLift clients include NBCU; TEGNA; Monumental Sports Network; The Great Courses; Lax Sports Network; Major League Lacrosse; Arena Football League; the five owned-and-operated channels of SnagFilms; and others.

About the ACO

The American Cornhole Organization was created by Frank Geers in 2005 to act as a governing authority for the sport of cornhole. Since its inception, the ACO has created uniformed rules that have been adopted by leagues all over the world, produced innovations such as the two-sided slick and stick bags, and fostered hundreds of regional leagues across the United States. This year in season 13 the ACO has experienced unprecedented growth including 20 major tournaments across the country in cities like San Diego, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, and Charlotte and will hold their 13th World Championships July 24-28th in Montgomery, Alabama with purse and prizes of over $68,000. To learn more about the ACO visit AmericanCornhole.com or WeAreCornhole.com to experience the new ACO Digital Network.

Contact: C.S. Alexander American Cornhole Organization 910-547-3874 cs@americancornhole.com

What’s going on at the ACO World Championships of Cornhole XII?

By ACO News (from the ACO), Uncategorized
ACO World Championships of Cornhole XII Owensboro Convention Center Owensboro, KY July 25th – 29th, 2017
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Over $30,000 in Cash and Prizes!

Featured Events:

ACO Big Blind Draw – 7/25/17

o $1,000 purse
o FREE to all Golden Ticket holders
o $20 per player entry for all others
o Register online beginning 6/5/2017
· ACO Corporate Slyder Cup – 7/24/17
o Prizes
o Open registration for all Corporate teams
o Call 888-563-2002 for Corporate registration

World Slyder Cup – 7/26/17

o $1,500 purse + prizes
o Open to all teams
o Maximum of 2 ACO-PRO players per team
o $100 per 5 player team
o Register online beginning 6/5/2017

Certified Official Shootout – 7/26/17

o $1,000 purse + prizes
o FREE to all ACO Certified Officials
o Must be an ACO Certified Official to participate
o Closed registration for Certified Officials beginning 6/5/17

RPI Qualifiers World Singles & Doubles – 7/27/17

o Golden Ticket holders
o Must be a qualified a ACO Member to participate

Juniors Championships – 7/28/17

o Prizes
o Open registration for all Juniors players
o FREE entry for players ranked 1-8 on the Juniors rankings
o $10 per player
o Must be an ACO Member to participate
o Register online beginning 6/5/2017

Womens Championships – 7/28/17

o $2,000 purse + prizes
o Open registration for all Womens players
o FREE entry for players ranked 1-12 on the Womens rankings
o $20 per entry
o Must be an ACO Member to participate
o Register online beginning 6/5/2017

Seniors Championships – 7/28/17

o $2,000 purse + prizes
o Open registration for all Seniors players
o FREE entry for players ranked 1-12 on the Seniors rankings
o $20 per entry
o Must be an ACO Member to participate
o Register online beginning 6/5/2017

Doubles Championships – 7/28/17

o $10,000 purse + prizes
o Golden Ticket is required for participation
o See Golden Ticket details below

Singles Championships – 7/29/17

i-18

o $10,000 purse + prizes
o Golden Ticket is required for participation
o See Golden Ticket details below
Golden Ticket Details:

What is a Golden Ticket?

posticon-taco-golden

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO AN EPISODE OF THE TACO THAT TALKS ABOUT THE GOLDEN TICKET!

o A Golden Ticket includes:
§ 1 entry into the ACO World Singles Championship
· RPI, Tiers, and/or World Singles Bracket
§ ½ entry into the ACO World Doubles Championship
· RPI, Tiers, and/or World Doubles Bracket
§ 1 entry into the $1,000 Big Blind Draw
§ 1 ACO World T-Shirt
§ 1 ticket for Door Prize drawings
· Who is eligible for a Golden Ticket?
o In order to obtain a Golden Ticket a player must participate in a minimum of 4 ACO points earning events. Each event must carry different event title
§ Pick 4 of the following events:
· ACO Cornhole Classic (Regional)
· ACO HoleOween Classic (Regional)
· ACO Turkeyhole Classic (Regional)
· ACO HoleIday Classic (Regional)
· ACO MaizeKraze (Regional)
· ACO Icehole Classic (Regional)
· ACO Cornhole Madness (Regional)
· ACO SpringFling (Regional)
· ACO Cornhole De Mayo (Regional)
· ACO Charleston Major
· ACO Anaheim Major
· ACO Lakeland Major
· ACO Monroeville Major
· ACO Champaign Major
· ACO Knoxville Major
· ACO Las Vegas Major
· ACO Owensboro Major
· ACO Kenansville Major
· ACO Peachtree City Major
· ACO Kalamazoo Major
· ACO Virginia Beach Major
· ACO Northern California Major
· ACO Foley Major
· How to get a Golden Ticket:
o All players who finish ACO Season XII ranked 1-40 on the ACO World Singles Rankings will win a FREE Golden Ticket
o All players who are a member of a team who finish ACO Season XII ranked 1-20 on the ACO World Doubles Rankings will win a FREE Golden Ticket
o All players who finish ACO Season XII ranked 41-80 in the ACO World Singles Rankings will be eligible to purchase their ticket for $50 online beginning 6/5/17
o All players who finish ACO Season XII ranked 81 and over in the ACO World Singles Rankings will be eligible to purchase their ticket for $100 online beginning 6/5/17
· SPECIAL NOTES:
o There will be 600 Golden Tickets available for purchase
o Beginning on 6/5/17, players ranked 41-640 on the World Singles Rankings will have first opportunity to purchase their Golden Tickets.
o Beginning on 6/12/17, registration will open for players ranked 641 and over on the World Singles Rankings, on a first come first serve basis.
Basic Schedule of Events (Complete format to come)

Tuesday July 25th, 2017

· Welcome to the ACO World Championships XII!
· $1,000 Big Blind Draw
· Corporate Slyder Cup
· Blind Draws / Open Courts
· Other activities and times to be announced

Wednesday July 26th, 2017

· ACO World Slyder Cup Championships
· ACO Certified Official Shootout
· Other activities and times to be announced

Thursday July 27th, 2017

· Ranked Players Invitational (RPI) – Singles
· Ranked Players Invitational (RPI) – Doubles
· Tier Group Play

Friday July 28th, 2017

· Tier Group Play (Continued)
· ACO Doubles Tiers Championships
· ACO World Doubles Championships
· ACO World Juniors Championships
· ACO World Womens Championships
· ACO World Seniors Championships

Saturday July 29th, 2017

· ACO Singles Tiers Championships
· ACO World Singles Championships
o Saturday evening top 4 Finals

ARE YOU COMING TO THIS EVENT?

Cornrox!

By ACO News (from the ACO)

14021577_1821330961436346_9053520200741696338_nWhat’s better than playing cornhole?

Rocking out while playing cornhole!!!

Introducing Cornrox – the Bluetooth Sound System for Cornhole Boards

Cornrox is the official Sponsor for the American Cornhole Tournament Series. Pre-Order your Bluetooth Sound System today for free shipping

WATCH THE VIDEO:
https://www.facebook.com/vibesaudiio/videos/1821387168097392

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14055165_1822004704702305_1178955813704930643_n

Life’s A Pitch When You’re The World’s Best Cornhole Player

By ACO in the Media (coverage in news), ACO News (from the ACO)

button-blog-readDon’t bother Matt Guy about how he balances family and a grueling work schedule with being a six-time American Cornhole Organization “King of Cornhole.” Guy readily answers questions about pitching preferences, practice methods, and mental preparation — but he has touble explaining just how he gets everything done each week.

“I’m asked that all the time,” he tells Uproxx. “I really don’t know.”

The 44-year-old janitorial supplies salesman is the number one salesperson at his company. Calls, meetings, and site visits keep him on the road for 12 to 15 hours a day. Yet he still squeezes in time on the weekends for major, regional, and local ACO tournaments, as well as private events across the country.

media-uproxx3“I work all week, and when the weekend comes around, I head out of town to play in tournaments. That’s my life, but I have fun doing it,” he says. “I make a little extra money doing it, too.”

Guy’s skills set him above almost all other professional pitchers but, like everyone else in the ACO, he can’t live off of tournament winnings. There simply isn’t enough prize money to go around. Cornhole has expanded since the ACO was founded over a decade ago, but everyone still works a regular job, attends school, or is semi-retired.

For most of the world, it’s still a game you play with your cousins at cookouts.

The fact that they aren’t well-known doesn’t mean that cornhole players aren’t committed. The work days might be long, the commutes longer, and the fan adoration nonexistent, but Guy and other professional ACO players will never stop pitching.

“I’ll keep going until I can’t play no more.”

“Most players are just happy to get the bag on the board.”

According to Merriam-Webster, “professional” can be used to describe any activity “that requires special education, training, or skill.” Throwing corn-filled bags onto/into angled boards at a football tailgate or on the beach doesn’t seem like such an activity, but ACO founder, president and CEO Frank Geers begs to differ.

“Most [amateur] players are just happy to get the bag on the board,” he tells Uproxx.

Since 2004, the ACO has quickly become the sport’s most popular governing and commercial body. Geers set up shop just outside of Cincinnati in the town of Milford, Ohio. From there, the organization offers “official cornhole rules, sanctioned products, tournament listings, and comprehensive information about cornhole events” to paying members and newcomers alike.

In a 2007 Wall Street Journal article, Geers mentioned his initial dissatisfaction with the American Cornhole Association, which opened its doors two years before the ACO. He didn’t think they were doing enough to promote the sport, though ACA founder Mike Whitton told the paper that he was proud of his organization’s achievements — boasting at the time that nobody else “has the membership we do.”

Eight years later, the situation has certainly changed, though nothing more than a friendly rivalry exists between the two. “I tried reaching out to them to see if they wanted to partner and check out what we were doing,” says Geers. “They thought they knew what they were doing, so they went about their merry way and we went about ours.”

The groups have since kept their distance, though it’s safe to say the ACO owns the sport of cornhole. Their rules are followed, their boards and bags are used, and their tournaments are attended by the greatest number of professional players and greenhorn enthusiasts. Affiliated clubs are strewn throughout the country — from southern California and the Midwest, to the east coast and the American South.

“We’ve got about 25 states in the east coast, South and Midwest,” Geers explains. “Our borders end on the edge of Missouri right now, with a major tournament and a couple of certified officials there and in Illinois, but we’re working our way into Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Idaho. We’ve also got certified officials in California, and from there it all meets in the middle.”

“It was pretty much like second nature.”

Matt Guy has been with the ACO since Geers brought it to life in 2004. Yet his ties to the popular lawn game go back almost 10 years earlier, when his weekends were dedicated to practicing and playing a similar sporting occupation.

“I first played cornhole at a campground back in 1996. That was the first time I’d ever seen the game,” he says. “Of course, I was a horseshoe pitcher back then.”

Turns out Guy wasn’t just some run-of-the-mill passerby who stumbled upon the inaugural ACO world championship, signed up on a whim, and won it. He was then a member of the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association, and was “ranked sixth in the world” among professional horseshoe players.

“I was one of the top players. I would travel around to horseshoe tournaments just like I do with cornhole tournaments.”

Guy cut his teeth tossing horseshoes with his father, Art Guy, himself a horseshoe pitcher of wide renown. In 2002, the Cincinnati Enquirer interviewed the pair during a game at the OK Horseshoe Club in the city’s Queensgate neighborhood. A then 31-year-old Matt said he enjoyed playing the game on a regular basis with his dad, who said he’d “loved the game all [his] life.”

“My dad starting pitching horseshoes, and we were always pretty tight. So when he joined a league, I went with him,” Matt tells Uproxx. “Then I started getting good at it. So one thing lead to another. We started going to tournaments.”

At 16, Guy was already playing with his father regularly. After high school, he got a job at Butternut Bread, where his father worked, and focused his energies on carving a path for himself. With no wife or kids, this meant he could devote his extra time to practicing horseshoes.

“It kept me out of trouble,” he laughs.

However, by 2008 the “King of Cornhole” had given up horseshoe pitching. The source of his newfound sporting success was taking up all of his free time on the weekends — Guy was already one of the best players in the ACO. This meant that he was always traveling to tournaments and, more often than not, winning them outright.

“I just pretended like I was trying to throw my horseshoe,” he says. “It was pretty much second nature.”

“I still tear up.”

After winning five straight ACO world championships, however, Guy failed to garner a sixth-straight win in 2011. The loss dealt him a devastating blow, tempered by the fact that his own teenaged son, Brett Guy, was rising fast among the ranks of the organization’s top players.

ACO certified official, director, and ardent cornhole promoter Ryan LaBelle of South Carolina has been watching the Guys play together since day one.

“Matt and Brett have been traveling around and playing tournaments together since Brett was 14. They play on the same team because Brett is thatgood,” he tells Uproxx. “That’s got to be a great feeling. To be able to travel around the country with your son, winning tournaments.”

Brett didn’t have any interest in learning the game of horseshoes, but there was something about watching his dad play cornhole that he found fascinating. Now 22 years old and working as the custodian at the Boone County School in Florence, Kentucky, he recalls watching Matt and others play the game and thinking how fun it would be to join in.

“My first ACO tournament was my first tournament ever, and I was 10 or 11. I was knocked out in the first round,” Brett tells Uproxx. “When I started playing competitively, I went to King of Cornhole ’07 and finished fourth. That’s when I thought, ‘I could be really good at this game.’”

Not only was Brett good at cornhole, but he was Matt Guy-good at cornhole. His father was winning world championships left and right, providing his son with the prefect study. When Brett finally decided to pitch his first competitive bags, Matt could immediately see how good his son was going to be.

“Brett naturally picked it up,” his father beams. “When he turned 15, it was time to team up with dad. So we became partners and started playing together. He’s grown up in it and improved over the years.”

Matt’s losing streak continued in 2012 and 2013, but he doesn’t mind the latter so much since that’s the year Brett won his own “King of Cornhole” title.

“I still tear up when I watch the video of him winning,” Matt says. “It still gets me.”

“Winning ACO Worlds VIII was the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life,” Brett adds. “Especially when I turned around and saw my dad standing there, crying.”

Guy Nation

media-uproxx1

When Brett won the King of Cornhole in 2013, his father wasn’t the only member of the Guy family in attendance. The newly-minted champion’s brother, sister, mother and grandparents were also there, and all of them were wearing custom-made jerseys that read “Guy Nation” on the back.

“My wife came up with it,” Matt explains. “Most of our family was going to be there, so she had them made. It just kind of caught on.”

As Brett rose to prominence Matt found himself stuck in a rut. Time and time again, he would attend the usual regional and major tournaments in his annual attempt to qualify for the world championship tournament, and time and time again he’d come up short. According to him, it was all in his head. The reasons for his sudden inability to retain his top ranking were mostly mental, and he struggled for years after trying to pinpoint what — if anything — he was doing wrong.

“It got to the point where I told Brett to find a new partner because my bad throws and scores were killing him,” Matt says. “He simply wouldn’t let me quit.”

Brett realized his dad was in trouble, of course, but refused to break away from his coach and playing partner. So he kept at his father, using him as a warm-up during his successful run at the championship in 2013 and playing doubles with him throughout the season. He also turned the tables on him, the son coaching his father during the latter’s repeated attempts to regain his former crown. No matter how down and out Matt seemed about the whole thing, Brett would never stop hounding him — all in an attempt to help the former champion break through his mental block.

“I knew he was going to get back in it,” says Brett. “It took him awhile to get back into it, but I think me winning in 2013 helped him. Showed him I could do it, and that I would be there to help him through the tough times.”

As Frank Geers explains it, Matt “struggled for two and a half years” and eventually, if not inevitably, made his comeback. Why? Because “his son won season eight,” which gave him the strength and determination to make “a major rebound” a few seasons later.

In July, Matt attended ACO Worlds X in Knoxville, Tennessee with hundreds of other players. He entered the tournament tied for the top spot in the world rankings — a distinction he’d earned after a hard-fought season of local and regional tournament wins — and came out the other side with his sixth King of Cornhole title.

“That’s the beautiful thing about this game,” says Geers. “Whether you’re eight or 80, anybody has a chance to become good.”

The men of the Guy family are exceptionally good at cornhole. It may not make them rich or famous, but the sport continues to connect them through good times and bad. In a world when balancing work, family, and recreation often feels impossible, the fact that the Guy men have fused all three together seems like a massive accomplishment.

 

Visit Knoxville Brings American Cornhole World Championships Back to Knoxville

By ACO in the Media (coverage in news), ACO News (from the ACO)

The ACO will feature its World Championships of Cornhole XI at the Knoxville Convention Center in Knoxville, TN for the second year in a row on July 26-30, 2016.

Cornhole players of all skill levels will compete for multiple titles on the sport’s biggest stage.

“We are extremely fortunate to have found such a wonderful host city and partner for this event. There aren’t many places in the country that have as much to offer the American Cornhole Organization as the city of Knoxville, TN. We are proud and excited to have them host the ACO World Championships of Cornhole XI in July, 2016,” stated Frank Geers, President of the ACO.


“This is going to be the biggest and best ACO Cornhole event ever. The Knoxville Convention Center is situated in the heart of the city and is a perfect venue and with newly added Majors from Lakeland, FL to Pleasanton, CA, and our Membership base growing daily, it promises to be an amazing five days of Cornhole, Tailgating and Pitchin’ FUN!” Frank said.

“Fun is exactly what we want for our visitors. Repeat events like this are wonderful for our destination as a whole, and great for the Knoxville Convention Center as they show themselves as a world class venue,” says Kim Bumpas, President, Visit Knoxville.

“With the growth of cornhole popularity around the world and the success of the World Championships held here in July 2015, Knoxville could not be more ecstatic to host this tournament,” said Steve Winfree with Visit Knoxville.

media-ESPN-worldsX-4“We are proud to host this event for American Cornhole for a second year in a row. We even were fortunate enough to have ESPN in town last year for this event. Maybe, if we are lucky, they may return for a second year as well. Visit Knoxville will be encouraging locals and tourists alike to become sponsors, look to enter or just come out and be spectators.” said Steve.

The ACO World Championships is open to all players who qualify and will feature the most coveted Title in the Sport: the ACO World Singles Title, the crowning of the single best player in the World, if male “King of Cornhole,” or female “Queen of Cornhole”. Other notable Title tournaments held will include the World Doubles Championship, the World Slyder Cup, the World Seniors, World Womens and World Junior titles. There also will be luck of the draw, bring your own partner and the World Slyder Cup tournaments that will be open to players of all skill levels members and non-members alike. These will be taking place throughout the week-long festivities.

ACO officials expect to have 700+ players from 25+ states participating in the 5-day event. For more information and to learn how you can you can participate, visit AmericanCornhole.com

If interested in sponsorship opportunities please e-mail play@americancornhole.com

American Cornhole, a Decade in Developing the Sport

By ACO News (from the ACO)

The ACO continues it’s pitch to make cornhole a national sport

greatcrowdphotoWORLDSx

Over 500 people gathered around to watch the Worlds X Doubles Championships in Knoxville, TN back in July 2015.

American Cornhole, located in Milford, OH, just celebrated its 10th year of pitching the sport of cornhole. 

Much has happened over those years. Starting as a backyard game, played with relatives and friends, then tailgate parties, and now national competition, cornhole is a recognized national pastime.

Ten years ago there was no organization, no defined rules, and no standardization of cornhole equipment. 

larryNEWELLwithFRANKgeersCAMajor

Frank Geers (in black) pictured with Larry Newell the CA Major Singles Champion.

Frank Geers the Founder of the ACO knew that he had his work cut out for him. He wanted to take this backyard game and make it an organized sport.

He and his team for the past 10 years have been working to make cornhole an organized sport and bring it to television.

They created rules and regulations that standardized the game so that when a player in Georgia or California played they played under the same rules and guidelines.

They standardized the boards and bags so that equipment was the same no matter where it was played. This elevated the game from just a backyard game to a higher skill level – a sport.

Ten years ago, there was no organized body to regulate the sport of cornhole, the ACO took on that responsibility.

Cornhole Bags have gone from a canvas bag filled with corn to a bag filled with resin pellets. The resin pellets provide consistency of weight and playability adding to the standardization.

Several years ago, the ACO developed a two sided bag. One side sticky and one side slick. These bags added a layer of complexity to the game creating more types of shots and planned strategy to the game.

SportsCenter bus at the ACO Worlds X, July 2015

The ESPN SportsCenter “On the Road” bus parks outside Knoxville Convention Center July 2015 at the Worlds X

This past year, ESPN featured its SportsCenter Show at the ACO World Championships of Cornhole, adding additional credibility to the sport.

To get the word out, the ACO has a network of Certified Officials scattered throughout the country that are ambassadors of the sport of cornhole. These men and women get the message out about the ACO. They run monthly points tournaments and educate the public as to the fun and seriousness helping to get the ACO message out. The ACO website is filled with valuable information.

ACO tournaments can be found in California, Ohio, the Carolinas, Florida, Kentucky,Nevada, Alabama, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and others are added every month.

For more information about the ACO visit AmericanCornhole.com

– See more at:Video clip on ACO and a decade of developing the sport of cornhole

ACO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OF CORNHOLE XI, KNOXVILLE BOUND!

By ACO News (from the ACO)

THE AMERICAN CORNHOLE ORGANIZATION WILL HOST THE ACO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OF CORNHOLE XI IN KNOXVILLE, TN

Cornhole players of all skill levels will compete for multiple Titles on the sport’s biggest stage

Knoxville, TN – For the second season in a row the American Cornhole Organization (ACO) will host the ACO World Championships of Cornhole XI July 25 – 30th, 2016 at the Knoxville Convention Center in Knoxville, TN.

“We are extremely fortunate to have found such a wonderful host city and partner for this event. There aren’t many places in the country that have as much to offer the American Cornhole Organization as the city of Knoxville, TN. We are proud and excited to have them host the ACO World Championships of Cornhole XI in July, 2016,” stated Frank Geers, President of the ACO. “This is going to be biggest and best ACO Cornhole event ever. The Knoxville Convention Center is situated in the heart of the city and is a perfect venue, and with newly added Majors from Lakeland, FL to Pleasanton, CA, and our Membership base growing daily, it promises to be an amazing five days of Cornhole, Tailgating and Pitchin’ FUN!”

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“With the growth of cornhole popularity around the world and the success of the World Championships held here in July 2015, Knoxville could not be more ecstatic to host this tournament,” said Steve Winfree form Visit Knoxville. “We are proud to host this event for American Cornhole for a second year in a row. We even were fortunate enough to have ESPN in town last year for this event. Maybe if we are lucky they may return for a second year as well. Visit Knoxville will be encouraging locals and tourists alike to become sponsors, look to enter or just come out and be spectators.”

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The ACO World Championships is open to all players of every skill level and will feature the most coveted Title in the Sport: the ACO World Singles Title, the crowning of the single best player in the World, if male “King of Cornhole,” and female the “Queen of Cornhole”. Other notable Title tournaments held will include the World Doubles Championship, the World Slyder Cup, the King of Sling, and the World Social Doubles.

ACO officials expect to have 700+ players from 25+ States participating in the 5 day event. For more information and to learn how you can you can participate, visit AmericanCornhole.com

If you’re interested in sponsorship opportunities here are a few of the featured sponsorships available:

• State Championships Qualifier
• Places to Play Qualifiers (bars, restaurants, sports complexes, VFW Halls, etc…)
• Title Sponsorship
• Zone Sponsorships
• Court Sponsorships
• Equipment Sponsorships (score keepers, carpets)
• Official Category Sponsorship (beverage, snack, hotel, etc…)
• T-shirt Sponsorship
• Program Sponsorship
• Booth Sponsorships

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Please Contact Frank Geers, President of the American Cornhole Organization at 888-563-2002 or e-mail play@americancornhole.com.

ABOUT AMERICAN CORNHOLE, LLC
The American Cornhole, LLC was established in 2005 and headquartered in Milford, Ohio. American Cornhole Organization (ACO) is the governing body for the sport of cornhole, offering official cornhole rules, certified products, tournament listings, comprehensive information about cornhole events, and an ACO Certified Official Program that brings awareness of the sport to localized markets.
For more information about the ACO or Frank Geers or go online at www.AmericanCornhole.com

ACO WV Major – Season XI – Complete Results

By ACO News (from the ACO)

Scroll down for all Divisional results

ACO WV Major – Season XI – World Singles Results
– Results of players who advanced from pool play into final bracket
Click here to view World Singles bracket

1st
Matt Guy
2nd
James Baldwin
3rd
Jay Dotson
4th
Daymon Dennis
5th
Eric Zocklein
Philip Haydon
7th
TR Freeman
Trellis Cisco
9th
Daniel Mcclain
Erick Davis
RJ Avery
Rocky Rockwell
13th
Tyler Poythress
Robert Booker
Sean Streng
Rex Uhrig
17th
Mike Lucas Jr
Leslie Mciver
Coby McIver
Shawn Dugger
Terry Mathis
Matt Stout
Christine Papcke
Jamie Graham
25th
Chuckie Coleman
Ronnie Hileman
Jordan Camba
Ronnie B Hileman
Mark Sheets
Ron Heibert
Bobby Morris Jr
Bret Guy
33th
Bob Mallonee
Dale Shobe
Colten Herald
Kenzie Beach
Bruce Forsee
Tim Pitcher
Ted Dillon
Dickie Adams
Mike Elza
Casey Frye
Roy Fields
Caleb Avery
Jeff Reynolds
Gary Martin
Wallace Justus
Derrick Hammond
49th
Stacia Pugh
John Athanaelos
Terry Dawson
Eddie Weatherington
Roger Wright
Mike Rice
Chris Clark
Tam Ho
Trevor Brooks
Jack Hartzell
Russ Funk
Braden Moon
Hans Paysour
Chris Hursey
James Frantz
Kurt Sobey
65th
Frank Wilson
Danny Blanks
John Lamb
Duncan Clemmer
Dave Kolenc
Rich Leonard
Doo Rag
Louis Duvall
Brandon Corwin
Gary Alger
Kevhen Adkins
Chris Royal
Ken Schaef
Josh Lunsford
Jordan Langworthy
Dave Morse

 

ACO WV Major – Season XI – World Doubles Results
– Results of teams who advanced from pool play into final bracket
– Click here to view World Doubles bracket

1st
Dennis – Haydon
2nd
Guy – Guy
3rd
Langworthy – Modlin
4th
Dinges – Lucas Jr
5th
Bobo – Shobe
Graham – Arrington
7th
Avery – Avery
Mciver – Ruiz
9th
Purtlebaugh – Rice
Beach – Williams
Spencer – Sobey
Mathis – Lucas
13th
Wingham – Moon
Booker – Heibert
Freeman – Dugger
Adams – Adams
17th
Hempy – Jess
Coleman – Weiss
Rockwell – Baldwin
Ryder – Wright
Camba – Stout
Zocklein – Blair
Funk – Mayberry
Pfaff – Geho
25th
Sheets – Crawford
Brooks – Stanley
Justus – Justus
Worrell – Brinkley
Stidem – Eudy
Pugh – Papcke
Gregory – Brandle
Adkins – Cisco
33th
Spoon – Parker
Lunsford – Weatherington
Bishop – Smith
Schaffer – Uhrig
Davis – Davis
Stewart – Ash
Morris – Clark
Biagi – Jones

 

ACO WV Major – Season XI – World Seniors Results
– Click here to view World Seniors bracket

1st
Rocky Rockwell
2nd
Dickie Adams
3rd
Mike Rice
4th
Allen Wingham
5th
Mike Elza
Mike Cromer
7th
Steve Stewart
Dave Kolenc
9th
Roger Brooks
Ron Heibert
Bruce Forsee
Roy Fields
13th
Terry Dawson
Mike Arrington Sr
Jeff Shepherd Sr
Gary Alger
17th
Ken Shaef
Gary Lapier
Rex Uhrig
James Frantz
Mike Schaffer Sr
Ron Cracraft
Dan Reed
Jack Smith
25th
Robert Keene
Ronald Rice
Jack Stevens
Ray Marks
Mark Rice
Robbie Hunsucker
Tom Bobo
Tom Mcmurray
33th
Louis Duvall
Darrell Haag
Jink Brown
Thomas Sanders
Phil Wolter
Ronnie Coates
Ron Weiss
Joe Treml
John Athanaelos

 

ACO WV Major – Season XI – World Womens Results
– Click here to view World Womens bracket

1st
Stacia Pugh
2nd
Christine Papcke
3rd
Sara Davis
4th
Melissa Adams
5th
Stephanie Morgan
Patty James
7th
Megan Maupin
April Estes
9th
Lyndsee Mabe
Tammy Williams
Teresa Gregory
Jennifer Jolley
13th
Courtney Whitlock
Katherine Kennedy
Christy Blackwell
Lois Kimrey
17th
Vanessa Fox
Lindsey Riddlebarger
Shelby Johnson
Lisa Almarez
Mindy Miller
Rachel Lovelace

 

ACO WV Major – Season XI – World Juniors Results
– Click here to view the World Juniors bracket

1st
Matt Stout
2nd
Jamie Graham
3rd
Duncan Clemmer
4th
Bobby Morris Jr
5th
Hayden Duvall
Kenzie Beach
7th
Ronnie B Hileman
Nick Dobbins
9th
Branden Davis
Bryan Widener
Coby McIver
Erick Davis
13th
Carter Heafner
Tanner Dinges
Dayton Webber
Josh Holland