Major League Cornhole: 6 Facts You May Not Know
Updated Sep 03, 2023 - Note: with the folding of MLC, all links to their site have now been removed from this article
Major League Cornhole (MLC) had the first game of their inaugural season in May of 2023. The league consisted of several regional teams who competed against each other on a regular schedule. This team format and match play is a primary differentiator between it and the American Cornhole League (ACL) Open format. However, Major League Cornhole’s season was canceled. Let’s explore a bit more about it.
According to the website, MLC was started to bring more of a traditional sports format to the great game of cornhole. When we mention “traditional sports”, think of the 4 leading sports in the U.S. (Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Hockey) and how they are based on a regional team format. The goal was to bring the sport into a new era and capitalize on its ever increasing popularity by generating regional attachment to different franchises. Think of how many different college and professional teams in the 4 biggest sports in the U.S. have developed a devout and rabid fan bases. Heck they even have branded team cornhole boards of their own. It appears MLC was trying to do the same to emulate the regional team revenue model in other professional sports. They specifically mention how this format could generate revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships, products, concessions and more in the same way the major sports do.
Additionally, MLC wanted to improve the professional player experience. By getting selected to be on a pro team, the goal was to have a yearly contract that not only covered travel and lodging expenses paid for by the team but also a guaranteed yearly salary. Getting a yearly salary instead of having to generate income strictly from ranking in or winning tournaments would be a huge win for players and take a significant amount of financial pressure off of them.
Match Team Play
One of the biggest differences in MLC vs. other leagues is that it used a match format where each team is allowed up to 14 players on its roster. 7 players are considered as starters and 7 are identified as substitutes. Of the 7 active players, there are 3 singles players and 2 pairs of double players (4 total doubles players). This match play is significantly different than traditional cornhole scoring.
The goal in match play is to accumulate match points and reach 21 match points first in order to win the contest. A match consists of 6 periods. 5 periods are reserved for traditional games between the 3 singles players and the 2 doubles pairs and then the 6th period is a set of airmail attempts thrown at a specialized airmail box, not a traditional cornhole board. The airmail round is played by 4 players selected from each team’s roster. Each period is worth a certain number of match points varying from 3 points up to 6 points depending on the period. Earlier periods are worth less points with later periods worth more. The airmail period awards match points for each airmail attempt made from the 4 selected airmail throwers.
The unique match format employed by MLC adds an interesting element to the game especially with the 6th period. In a close match, it is easy to see how the throwers would be under intense pressure to make precise throws. The airmail period would provide a high stakes and exciting finish to the match, entertaining the spectators and players alike.
Teams:
Source: https://www.mlcornhole.com/teams
The league started out with 6 teams located from the eastern part of the country and reaching into the Midwest. Here is a list of the teams with their associated cities or States:
Philadelphia Bell Ringers
Florida Geckocs
New Jersey Heroes
Ohio Riders
Buffalo Brawlers
Kansas City Airmen
At least some of the teams recruited players from their local areas by hosting a combine for players to showcase their talents and try out for the teams. Unfortunately not all teams survived as the Kansas City Airmen dropped from the league before it even got started. However, the season pushed forward with regular matches setup for each team and a bye week included to fill the void left by the Kansas City Airmen. While the season pushed forward, the fact that a team had to drop from the league may have been the writing on the wall that trouble was brewing.
Local Fanfare
Despite one team dropping before the league got started, the MLC garnered a lot of local fanfare when the different teams around the country were established. From New Jersey to Ohio and Philadelphia to Buffalo local news outlets covered the announcements that local teams were being established which generated excitment for the sport and local fans. Here are some of the local articles from the different teams:
Buffalo Brawlers
New Jersey Heroes
Philadelphia Bell Ringers
Ohio Riders
MLC Faced Stiff Competition
There are a number of other leagues that are vying for the attention of cornhole players and fans. The biggest competitor to MLC is probably the American Cornhole League’s Team League. The ACL is a larger league with more teams and more events than what MLC was planning. The ACL also has an established television deal, which gives it more exposure. The ACL has two divisions, the American Division and the National Division. Each division has eight teams, and the teams compete in a regular season and a playoffs.
The following is a list of the ACL teams for the 2023 season:
American Division
Arizona Burn
California Slingers
Carolina Coasters
Chicagoland Spinners
Florida Freeze
Georgia Sliders
Michigan Marauders
New England Woodchucks
National Division
Kentucky Kernels
Missouri Maize
Ohio Aviators
Pennsylvania Ringers
Texas Bully Baggers
Virginia Cutters
Las Vegas High Rollers
The ACL teams are made up of two players, and the teams are drafted each year. The draft is held in the fall, and it is open to all ACL Pros and PDC players over the age of 16. The ACL teams are sponsored by a variety of companies, including Bush’s Best and Johnsonville sausages. The sponsorships help to fund the league and the prizes for the players. The ACL teams are a big part of the growth of cornhole in the United States but it appears that multiple leagues may not be sustainable.
MLC Schedule and Cancelation
Each team was allotted 11 matches and 3 bye weeks over the course of a 14 week schedule spanning from early May to early August. This was considered the regular season and 4 weeks of playoffs were planned after it with a championship game the following week. Below is the planned 2023 schedule for Philadelphia Bell Ringers to give you an idea. However, this schedule is now obsolete because the season had to be canceled.
Source: https://www.phillybellringers.com/schedule-2
With most business that fold, the primary driver for the collapse is the money and in this case, it appears MLC is no different:
Financial difficulties: The MLC was reportedly struggling financially, and it was unable to raise enough money to continue the season.
Lack of sponsorship: The MLC was unable to attract enough sponsors, which also contributed to its financial difficulties.
Low viewership: The MLC's television ratings were reportedly low, which made it difficult to attract advertisers.
Competition from other leagues: The MLC was facing competition from other cornhole leagues, such as the American Cornhole League (ACL).
Unfortunately cornhole’s culture took a hit with the cancelation of the MLC season. However, it does not appear they have outright folded. Information on their website notes they are reevaluating operations and hope to be back for a 2024 season. Let’s hope they can regroup and be successful in the future!
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