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ACO in the Media (coverage in news)

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

Jamie Graham, Hamlet Native, Wins World Championship of Cornhole

By ACO in the Media (coverage in news)

HAMLET — Very few people can say they have won a world championship; nonetheless, an accomplished 19-year-old Jamie Graham arrived back in his hometown of Hamlet Monday afternoon after claiming the World Championship of Cornhole this past weekend.

The championship tournament, hosted by the governing body of cornhole, the American Cornhole Organization (ACO), was played in Owensboro, KY from July 25-29.

Graham defeated Ryan Windsor in the ACO World Singles Championship Winners Bracket Final to claim the title of World Singles Champion at the World Singles Season XII event.

At the age of 16, Jamie Graham played his first game of cornhole with his cousins at a family reunion. He immediately fell in love with the game and began playing on a regular basis. He began competing in the same year as he started and continued on to win his first tournament in Foley, AL at age 17, then on to win a major in Kenansville, NC.

At the age of 18, Jamie won another tournament in West Virginia, then another in his return to Kenansville. He went on to win the State Championship in June 2017, which led him to win the ACO World Championship of Cornhole this past weekend.

 

Jamie gave his brother, Steven Graham, a special thanks for being an inspiration to him as well as encouraging him to play cornhole. He said Steven was there for all his games.

Jamie also mentioned a supportive cornhole group called #BIG4 which consists of Trevor Brooks, Tyler Poythress, Jay Corley, and himself. He said, “They have been there from the beginning, and they are much more than just a group to me.”

He continued, “It feels good to win, and all the dedication finally paid off.”

Graham will continue to play with the American Cornhole Organization in future events. For more information about the American Cornhole Organization, visit americancornhole.com.

Poythress will have to wait to be ‘King’

By ACO in the Media (coverage in news)

Wilson native named ACO Player of the Year but ties for 7th at ACO’s World Singles Championship

OWENSBORO, Ky. — Tyler Poythress will have to wait at least another year to lay claim to the coveted American Cornhole Organization “King of Cornhole” title.

The Fike High graduate, coming off Player of the Year accolades in the ACO regular season, took the No. 1 overall seed into Saturday’s ACO double-elimination World Singles Championship at Owensboro Convention Center.

But after winning his first four matches to reach the quarterfinals of the winner’s bracket, Poythress stumbled and won one losers bracket encounter before running into a familiar foe in No. 18 seed Caleb Avery — one half of the brotherly tandem that eliminated Poythress and teammate Jay Corley in Friday’s ACO World Doubles Championship en route to a third-place finish.

Poythress fell behind early against Avery and never led, falling 21-9 to end his tournament and tie his best-ever singles finish of seventh in three trips to the event.

In defending his No. 1 seed in the first half of Saturday play, Poythress defeated No. 128 Noel True of Kentucky, No. 65 Sean Short of Ohio, No. 97 Robert Morris Jr. of North Carolina and upstart No. 112 seed Trellis Cisco of West Virginia in the opening four matches. Poythress faltered against No. 25 seed Jordan Langworthy of Kentucky and was sent to the losers bracket, where he knocked out another Kentucky player in No. 14 seed Phillip Haydon.

However, with fellow Tar Heel Avery in wait, Poythress could not find the big inning against Avery’s clutch pitching. Poythress had an opportunity to get at least five points back at one juncture, but on his final throw of the inning, Avery hit an “air mail” shot that knocked two of his own bags in the hole and foiled any built-up momentum.

North Carolina’s Jamie Graham, as the No. 94 seed, defeated No. 5 Ryan Windsor of Illinois in two games to win the King of Cornhole crown for Season XII and finished the tournament without a loss. It’s the first King of Cornhole win for a North Carolina player in the event’s history.

Matt Guy, owner of seven of the ACO’s 12 World Singles championships and the No. 2 seed behind Poythress, was halted in the loser’s bracket final by Windsor.

Local team heads to cornhole world championships as No. 6 seed

By ACO in the Media (coverage in news)

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ7) Whatever you call this bean-bag tossing game — cornhole or bags — it’s moved beyond it’s humble start at backyard barbeques and tailgating parties.

A tournament group meets at Soaring Ridge Wednesdays, and the guy at the mic is Toby Smith, currently one of the country’s top-ranked players.

“I’ve seen a lot of cities that I would never have seen otherwise just to throw a beanbag,” Smith.

Cornhole’s got a competition component, with $30k on the line at the American Cornhole Organization’s World Championship. Smith heads to the main event Thursday with partner Steve Wimmer, up against hundreds of other teams.

“[I’m] hoping to win the whole thing,” Smith said. “We’re going in as the number six seed, so why not? Our chances are as good as anybody’s.”

Wimmer acknowledges that the sport, for which he’s collected twenty sets of throwing bags, is a hot topic with his wife, but he jokes about making it more than a hobby.

“We’re looking for sponsors,” Wimmer said. “Will take any sponsorship… feminine products, car rentals, anything. We’ll wear pink shirts, yellow, zebra stripes, whatever. We’re waiting for offers.”

Smith said friends and family were largely supportive of their passion project, with a little hesitation at the beginning.

“We got a couple funny looks when we said we wanted to take it on the road, but it’s working out,” Smith said.

Smith says he’d like to come back to the Wednesday night group with a trophy, and he knows his fellow players will be following their progress.

For more information, visit the Star City Cornhole Facebook page.

Cornhole. It’s coming to a bar near you

By ACO in the Media (coverage in news)

If you’ve been to a bar, tailgate or big outdoor event lately, you may have seen people throwing beanbags at a slanted wooden board with a hole in it.

Even if you didn’t necessarily recognize it, this is cornhole, a game also known by the alternative names of bags, beanbag toss or even baggo. Cornhole, as it is officially called by most organizations, is rising in popularity. And some people are taking this traditional backyard pastime pretty seriously; a growing league of semi-professionals now tours the nation to play every weekend.

The California State Fair is gearing up to host its second annual cornhole championship on Saturday on the Miller Lite Racetrack Grandstand. Hosting two divisions – a serious one and a social one – the event currently has nine registered teams. The championship requires a $50 registration fee per team, and the winners will receive a still undisclosed amount of prize money.

The competition is held through the California Cornhole Association (CCA), which is working to promote the sport in the western region of the U.S.

Frank Geers, CEO of the national American Cornhole Organization, said the sport has broad appeal. “(We’ve got) 12-year-old girls, and we’ve got 92-year-old men pitching a bag,” he said.

Most people get into the game after seeing it played at social events, or after playing it with friends. One player at the midtown Sacramento watering hole Der Biergarten recalls playing it with his family on camping trips. A couple years later, when visiting friends at Chico State University, he found himself playing “baggo” again in their front yards and on the streets of their neighborhood. For him, the game has always been a fun way to do something while socializing.

Jill Huckels, a student at Stanford University, described her experience of playing cornhole at bars as “refreshing,” saying that “it’s nice to be able to go out to a bar and experience alternatives to just sitting at the bar counter or dancing.” She first saw cornhole at school events, but has done most of her playing in bars around Nashville.

Cornhole is played with two platforms, two sets of four bags – which are either beanbags or bags filled with dried corn kernels – and two teams made up of either one or two players. The teams take turns “pitching” the bags from an area called the “pitcher’s box.” The competitor cannot pass the line of the pitcher’s box when throwing. All four bags have to be thrown in a row before the next player can begin. Once the players (whether it be two or four) have thrown their bags, they will move over to throw from the other side. All contestants will be pitching from the same side.

There are many variations, but the most basic rules state that a team much reach or surpass 21 points to win. A bag in the hole is worth three and a bag on the wooden board is worth one point.

The origins of cornhole aren’t clear. One story attribute’s the game’s invention to Heyliger de Windt, a businessman from Winnetka, Ill., who patented a game named “Parlot Quoits,” which resembles cornhole. Another story tells of a German man who invented cornhole as a safer amusement for a group of young boys, who had been tossing rocks in holes, rather than beanbags. Several others give credit to Native American tribes who used dried beans to fill up their bags. Whatever its origins, the game has evolved and groups such as the ACA and the ACO have created rulebooks, standard measurements and serious tournaments.

These culminate in the ACO World Series, a tournament that earns victors $30,000. The ACO is hosting World Series XII from July 25 to 29 in Owensboro, Ky. Geers said that about a dozen players from California will be competing in the event.

The presence of serious tournaments aside, most people play cornhole for fun – often with a beer in the other hand.

Urban Sports Los Angeles (USLA) is a good example of this. When Jeff Ahn proposed adding cornhole to its list of recreational sport leagues to co-founder Sae Lee six years ago, Lee was hesitant. Californians had not yet given the sport much of a try, and Lee feared that they would not sign up.

Much to Lee’s surprise, 30 people signed up for the league the first year, motivated by the fact that cornhole was mostly played in bars, meaning food and drinks are also involved.

Last season, the club’s fifth, saw the highest numbers so far, allowing USLA to host a cornhole tournament for 500 people (which included non-members) at an L.A. Live event in Grand Central Market.

Quadruple Amputee Beat the Odds in Cornhole

By ACO in the Media (coverage in news)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) — The best players in the world go head to head in the World Championships for Cornhole in Knoxville. An unlikely contestant from Maryland gave everyone else a run for their money.

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“I just throw my game, just like anybody else would,” said Dayton Webber, an 18-year-old young man competing in the Cornhole World Championships.

Webber walked through the doors and picked up a bean bag, proving one thing to the world.

“I can do it all,” said Webber.

Just ten months after birth, a rare bacterial disease changed Webber’s world. He had one choice — a traumatic surgery where they had to amputate part of his arms and both legs.

He didn’t let that stop him from growing up like everyone else.

“I write,” said Webber. “My teachers always told me I had the best handwriting in the class. I’m actually really good at writing.”

That also didn’t stop him from playing the sport he loved, cornhole.

“I let my bags do the talking,” said Webber.

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ACO at SkillCon Las Vegas

By ACO in the Media (coverage in news), ACO Video

SkillCon is a venue where multiple skills and competitive sports converge to run beginner through advanced levels of competitions, performances and exhibitions and also teach beginner level classes. Whether you’re an established organization, someone looking to create a new event or take a preexisting skill in a different direction, SkillCon handles all the venue logistics so you can focus on your event. Join us for our 2016 event at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino this December!