How To Run a Cornhole League

So you want to start a cornhole league? That's great! Cornhole is a fun game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. But before you start your own league, there are some things you should know. This article will go over the dos and don'ts of running a cornhole league. By following these tips, you can ensure that your league is successful and enjoyable for everyone involved.

The most crucial aspect of running a cornhole league is finding a great location and enough space to call home. You can run a league anywhere! In your neighborhood, VFWs, Sports Bars, Gyms, etc. Tailor your location to what type of league you'd like to be known for: (ex. social drinking, competitive, neighborhood, etc.). I love running my league in a bar of some fashion (country, sports, etc.) because it provides a lot of socializing, new friendships, and a consistent game experience! But what's an absolute must is that you can support however many people you want to attend, and in the time you wish to or are allowed to play.

-Cornhole Boards - People want to play on a quality board that does not bounce when a bag hits it, and that offers a consistent experience every time they play. And as a league manager, it's a good idea to invest in a high-quality product that will last for many years. That's why at Buckets Cornhole, we purchase all of our boards from Buffalo Boards. Their boards' quality and attention to detail are second to none, and we couldn't be happier.

If you decide to make your own, don't forget to follow the guidelines and regulations of the two major governing bodies of cornhole, the American Cornhole League and the American Cornhole Organization. These regulations are beyond the scope of this article but be sure to do your research and watch out for an article focused on this subject soon.

-Cornhole Bags (optional) - Most Leagues have a BYOB (bring your own bags) policy. This is because, in today's modern world of cornhole, the vast array of bags available from all the different makers is astonishing. Also, since the bag is such a personal preference, it's hard to get bags that will please all players. However, if you're still thinking about getting bags for your league, you can't go wrong with a few sets of Dead Heads. The Dead Heads are extremely popular with cornhole players, and for a good reason. They are versatile bags that can adapt to any playing style and strategy, and it doesn't hurt that they have some of the best designs in the world of cornhole.

-Score Towers and Tablets (optional) - This is a great tool to have and offer to your league when starting out. The score towers with cup holders are fantastic when you don't have anywhere to sit your drinks down while also keeping it accessible to track the game score. Introducing scoring tablets elevates your league to the next level by allowing players to submit their scores instead of having to report them to someone. This brings us to our next point...

-Scoring System - Organizing a cornhole league can be fun, but it's also essential to keep track of scores and standings. Get yourself a popular cornhole scoring app to run your league smoothly. This will help you keep track of everyone's progress and keep track of the standings. The most popular scoring app in the market is called "Scoreholio." It is not only the best app for running leagues and tournaments, but you can also save some money by using the "Live Score" feature. The "Live Score" allows players to use their phones to enter the match's score. This will spare you from having to get extra tablets. The feature also allows people to follow the tournaments in real-time and check how their friends or favorite teams are doing.

Offering this type of experience makes it fun, and it allows the league to run at a much more efficient pace. And last but not least, using Scoreholio has allowed me to have a much better experience as a player while running the league. I no longer have to worry about taking in the scoring for all the matches being played, and I can concentrate on my throws and strategies.

There are plenty of people who love playing cornhole but may not know how to get involved in a league. If you're looking to start your own cornhole league, the first step is recruiting enough players to make it happen. Here are some tips to get people interested and signed up for your league:

1. Talk to local businesses and see if they would be interested in sponsoring a team or acting as a venue for your league. This can help with your league's marketing, and it helps the venue by bringing in regular business every week.

2. Start with a small group of friends, co-workers, or acquaintances and see how it goes. If you get a few teams together, host a tournament once you have a few games under your belt to create some hype around your league.

3. Create a Facebook page for your league and post updates about upcoming games, tournaments, and related news.

4. Create a flyer and drop it off at some local businesses such as sports bars or on vehicles.

5. Create the event on the most popular cornhole app today, Scoreholio.

Finally, recruiting enough players is key - aim for at least 8-10 people to have enough teams for an organized league schedule.

The rules of cornhole deserve their own dedicated blog post. But for now, here are just a few basics that everyone should be familiar with before getting started:

-The boards must be placed 27ft (front-edge to front-edge) away from each other

-Begin playing by tossing the bag underhand at the opposite board

-Alternate tossing until each player has thrown all four bags

-One point is awarded for each bag that lands on a board, and three points for landing the bag in the hole. -The approved method of scoring for the sport of cornhole is "cancellation" scoring. In cancellation scoring, the points of one player cancel out the points of their opponent. Only one player can score in each inning using this method.

-The first team or player to get to 21 points wins the game.

To learn more, you can read the official American Cornhole League's rules here: ACL Rules- Regs 2021-2022.

Cornhole can be played in many different fun formats nowadays. Pick the one you feel will bring the most interest to your league. Here are the most common:

1. Singles
2. BYOP (Bring Your Own Partner)
3. Switcholio (Requires the Scoreholio app)

Deciding how many games to play each week will be determined by three factors:

1. How many people/teams do you have?
2. How many sets of boards do you have?
3. How much time do you have at your selected venue?

Here's a great league/tournament calculator you can use to determine this: Cornhole Tournament Calculators

When planning end-of-season tournaments or events for your cornhole league, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you'll want to decide on the format of the tournament. Do you want everyone to compete against each other, or do you want to have seeded brackets? Both formats have pros and cons, so it's essential to decide what will work best for your league. Once you've decided on the format, it's time to start planning details like date, location, and prizes.

Any successful cornhole league has a clear objective or purpose. Otherwise, it's challenging to maintain momentum and keep people motivated and invested. Without a specific goal to work towards, it can be easy to get sidetracked or lose interest. Having a purpose gives your league direction and something to strive for. Whether that's simply growing the number of participants each season, putting on bigger and better tournaments with increasing prize money pools, or anything in between.

-Be transparent and honest with your league from the beginning. You will make mistakes along the way, and even after you have done it for a long time, the unexpected will always happen. Players will always stick with the league managers who are willing to accept fault and continue to get better.

-Don't be scared to try different things to keep the league interesting. Run BYOP a couple seasons, maybe singles the next, and perhaps a switcholio the season after.

-Be understanding. You will encounter various skill sets and personalities. As a league manager, you've got to be able to lend a listening ear.

-Create a great culture. Players come out to be able to enjoy this great game and make some friends and memories along the way. Don't let an individual come along and ruin all the hard work you've put into building your league.

-Don't forget to enjoy it!!! Running a league can come with some stress when things aren't going right, but you'll always have fun if you can find a way to make the best of it!

Enter your email and stay on top of all of our promotions, releases, and events.