A game long associated with tailgates and backyard parties is now at the center of a major tournament. The American Cornhole League World Championships began July 28 in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the weeklong event wraps up Aug. 3.
The league's commissioner, Stacey Moore, founded the ACL in 2015 with the aim of "becoming the next great professional sport in the country." According to Trey Ryder, the league's chief strategy officer and a cornhole strategist, Moore's passion for tailgating led to the idea. Moore noticed that many people took the game seriously and saw a chance to professionalize it.
Ryder discussed the sport in an interview with NPR's Morning Edition. The first championship event was held in 2016. He said the league is now heading into its tenth year, with two network deals and an estimated 50 million people playing worldwide. In his words, it is now officially a professional sport.
Tossing a small beanbag at a hole may look easy, but Ryder said the game is more complex than it appears. He compared it to basketball in terms of accuracy and shooting distance. The boards are set 27 feet apart, front to front, which he noted is a similar distance to an NBA three-point shot.
He also argued that cornhole is far more accessible than a sport like football. "You've beaten the neighbor at the tailgate. You've won the graduation party tournament. That's not true when it comes to football," Ryder said.
Still, playing a casual round does not make someone a professional. Ryder said that for most people, getting one or two bags in the hole is a good round. The pros average 10.0 points or more per round, and if a player sinks three bags while the fourth stays on the board, that average actually drops. He said the top players put 80 percent or more of their bags in the hole, and that consistency, built through regular practice, is what sets them apart.
Shot choice matters as well. Ryder explained that the most common throw is the slide shot, in which a bag lands in the center of the board and slides straight up and into the hole, typically thrown at a lower angle. If an opponent has blocked the center, a player may use an "air mail," a higher throw that drops straight into the hole, much like a swish in basketball, for three points.
The sport has also found a place on television. Ryder said ESPN treats cornhole as an evergreen property, with 140 airings across its networks over the past year. He described cornhole as a "sticky sport" and credited its relatability, noting that nearly everyone has a story about playing it. The league's slogan, he said, is "Anyone can play and anyone can win."
