What Is An Axe Throwing League?
Are you competitive? Driven to learn something new and more fun, pit your skills against others. Whether you like the challenge, want to get more competitive, or want to make new friends over an activity plus a pint of beer, BATL Axe Throwing leagues might be right for you! It’s better than pickleball, darts, and bowling, guaranteed!
If you’ve thrown axes with us, you’ll know that axe throwing gets addictive quickly! If you had a blast during your party and one time wasn’t enough, there’s an answer for what you should do next – and that’s to join a BATL Axe Throwing League! We pride ourselves on hosting a very diverse population of axe throwers, and that’s why we’ve fostered one of the largest league populations in the entire International Axe Throwing Federation (IATF)!
Here’s everything you need to know about axe throwing leagues!
HOW DO AXE THROWING LEAGUES WORK?
Leagues are weekly meet-ups where throwers play competitive round-robin matches against each other, leading to a playoff bracket at the very end of the season. These matches are all sanctioned under IATF rules, which set scoring, target distance and parameters, and axe specifications. To see how the format of an axe-throwing match works, click here!
BATL used to have an 8-week league season, but we are shifting to a 7-week league season due to popular demand. In the final (7th) week, the top players compete in playoffs to determine a season winner!
All of our locations track their champions on a Wall (hall) of Fame, and to the victor goes the spoils!
So what kinds of leagues does BATL Axe Throwing offer me?
WHAT KIND OF LEAGUES DOES BATL AXE THROWING SUPPORT?
We offer 3 main types of leagues at BATL Axe Throwing: Standard, Premier, and Recreational. But no matter what your skill level, they’re all a lot of fun! Here’s what each of them is and how they work!
THE STANDARD RULESET IS A SIMPLER WAY TO PLAY!
Standard League rulesets require that the majority of the blade of an axe be in a given point area to count (the blue ring being worth one point, the red ring worth 3, and the bullseye worth 5). If the blade breaks multiple areas of the target, a measuring device (such as a caliper) is used to determine where the majority of the blade has landed.
The clutch (the green dots on either top corner of the target) is worth 7 points, and it only needs to be touched to count.
THE PREMIER RULESET PRESENTS A STEEPER LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY!
Premier League rulesets are advanced ways to throw built for professional throwers who want a more significant challenge. The same scoring applies, but there is no majority rule. Instead, players’ blades must be fully within a part of the target in order to count for points. In other words, for a 5-point bullseye to be awarded, none of the blades must be breaking beyond the black bullseye paint.
Clutches in premier rules feature a white rectangle, and the blade must break both the top and bottom of the box to count for 7 points.
In short, the premier rules are more advanced, and they require increased precision compared to throwing in the standard rules. For more details on the rules and regulations, refer to IATF’s official rule page here!
THE RECREATIONAL LEAGUES ARE FOR CASUAL THROWING!
Standard and Premier leagues are sanctioned under the IATF, and matches in those leagues go towards global rankings and even invites to cash tournaments. Recreational Leagues are just for fun! While matches will obviously be tracked for win or loss, they aren’t used for global ranking or for International Axe Throwing Championship (IATC) qualifications.
These leagues will feature the Standard Ruleset of throwing; click here for more information and rules.
WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN A LEAGUE?
Axe Throwing leagues are a BLAST! No experience is required to join. One of the best things about BATL Axe Throwing is the community spirit that we inspire. You’ll find that no matter the skill level of your opponents, they’re always happy to help you grow as you learn to throw. It’s also a great stress reliever! Sometimes we just need that break from our competitive jobs and a chance to compete with friends. Joining a league will give you friends for life!
If you’re truly a competitive person, your very own Axescores profile stays up to date with all your stats – wins and losses, clutch hits, and even perfect match milestones! The Axescores database of global rankings, lets you challenge yourself to get better by comparing your ranking against either yourself or anyone else in the competitive axe throwing world.
Finally, playing in a league can allow you to qualify for significant prize tournaments, especially the International Axe Throwing Championship (IATC). Each venue that’s a part of the International Axe Throwing Federation (IATF) is allotted spots every year to send their top players to compete for the coveted Wilson Cup and to qualify, you have to be a part of your local league.
To find out in more detail how to play in the IATC, click here!
SPECIAL LEAGUES
At BATL Axe Throwing, we’ve hosted several unique leagues to bring people together. One is our Big Axe leagues, where the main matches use big axes (otherwise used for tiebreakers) instead of hatchets. As we like to say, go big or go home!
Are you less competitive and want to compete lightly with friends? Many BATL axe Throwing locations run Recreational Leagues (or beer leagues) just for you! Get the friends together and come out for weeks of amazing fun, challenge, and great memories.
BATL Axe Throwing is also proud to host many Women’s Only, LGBTQ+, and other special interest leagues, and we plan to run many more like these in the near future. To keep an eye on where and when those are coming to you, you follow our BATL Socials on Facebook and Instagram. BATL is all about Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and you will feel the love at every BATL Axe throwing location!
Do you have a unique league idea that you think we should run in your area? Reach out to us and let us know. We’re always looking to support diversity and build vibrant communities.
Where Can I Find A BATL Axe Throwing League?
BATL Axe Throwing has 18 locations sprawling across North America in major cities including Scottsdale AZ, Houston TX, Orlando FL, Charlotte NC, and the greater Toronto ON area to name just a few! Click here to find the league in the time of week, time of day, and location right for you, and we can’t wait to have you throwing with us!
Until next time, be handy with the steel!
