Our first month in the Valley of the Sun has been nothing less than amazing. Since opening our doors to the public in late December of 2018, BATL Axe Throwing Scottsdale welcomed hundreds of new axe throwers from all over Arizona with our free open house axe throwing sessions each Friday and Saturday night.
Now that the open houses are wrapped up, BATL Scottsdale is in full swing!
HISTORY OF URBAN AXE THROWING
It’s been almost 13 years since BATL Axe Throwing brought urban axe throwing to the masses, using the axe as a tool to bring people together.
Back in 2006, a group of friends were bored at a cottage outside of Toronto and decided to throw an axe at a stump.
Little did they know that this innocent way to pass the time would soon evolve into the creation of a worldwide sport.
Upon returning home to Toronto, BATL Axe Throwing founder and CEO Matt Wilson decided to set up a target in his backyard and invite some friends over to show them just how cathartic throwing a sharp axe into wood could be. A point system was created, and soon enough a group of 8 friends would meet every week and engage in some friendly competition. 8 friends quickly grew to 16, and 16 quickly grew to 32. Before he knew it, Matt was hosting 2 full leagues of a total of 60+ per night in his backyard, not including all the spectators that would stop by to catch a glimpse of our exciting new sport.
It didn’t take long before BATL Axe Throwing had outgrown its very own backyard. As you can imagine, putting that many people in a small outdoor space together got very loud very fast, and noise complaints were coming to a frequent issue. Not to mention, word had spread throughout the city so fast that the waitlist to join a league was becoming never ending. In 2011, BATL Axe Throwing moved its operations indoors and secured an industrial space in the west end of Toronto. We instantly had leagues running four nights a week, and soon after opened up to private group bookings.
In 2017, BATL Axe Throwing stepped across the border to open our very first location in the United States. We partnered with Throw Nashville to bring BATL’s brand of urban axe throwing to Music City, and that would just be the beginning of our US growth. BATL now has 18 locations across North America (including Toronto, Pickering, Ottawa, Niagara Falls, London, Kitchener, Hamilton, and Calgary in Canada; in addition to Novi, Nashville, Chicago, and Scottsdale in the United States – with more on the way this year!).
WHAT WE OFFER AT BATL AXE THROWING
We here at BATL Axe Throwing believe that a visit to any one of our 18 venues should be simple, seeing as this is an activity that can truly help you unwind. Because of that, we offer many different ways to get involved in the sport we pioneered 13 years ago.
Private Axe Throwing Event Bookings: BATL Scottsdale offers two types of private event bookings: 1-hour bookings for groups of 2-5 people, and 2-2.5 hour bookings for groups of 6 and up. No matter which private event you book, you’ll get the same thing that BATL Axe Throwing has become famous for the best one on one instruction from our skilled and friendly staff members, followed by a round robin style tournament and single elimination playoff – all orchestrated by our staff, leaving you with nothing to do but throw axes and enjoy the company of your guests. These parties are perfectly suited to any adult gatherings (bachelor/bachelorette parties, corporate team building, adult birthdays, etc) and many BATL Axe Throwing locations offer complete bar and food services, which means even less planning for you.
Walk-In Axe Throwing Sessions: If you’re looking for a casual way to get involved with the sport of axe throwing, all BATL venues offer public walk-in sessions (no reservations required) every weekend. It’s the perfect way to test the water when it comes to axe throwing, with little commitment. Our expert coaches are on hand to guide you the whole way, so whether you’re new to the sport or looking to hone in on your skill BATL Axe Throwing has you covered.
Weekly League Play: It’s no secret that the foundations of BATL Axe Throwing start with our axe throwing leagues. Thousands strong we show the power of being good to each other, using the axe as a tool to build community inspired by our backyard roots. Our axe throwing leagues run for 8 weeks, completely under the guidance of our resident axe gurus. Each season consists of round-robin style tournament play, where you’ll throw 28 games against other people in the league, culminating in a top 16 double elimination playoff on week 8. Our leagues are suitable for people of all skill levels, with staff on hand at all times ready to give you tips and tricks to make sure that you’re hitting the bullseye. League play falls under the National Axe Throwing Federation (NATF) umbrella, the worlds foremost governing body of the sport of axe throwing (of which BATL Axe Throwing is a founding member). Being part of the NATF also gives you access to the most advanced statistic tracking in the sport of urban axe throwing.
We’re excited to make a home in a new community; so whether you call the Valley of the Sun home or are planning a trip to the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, make sure you put a visit to BATL Axe Throwing on the top of your list of things to do.