 We are pleased to announce that Boston Cornhole has partnered with the American Cornhole Organization (ACO) to run Certified ACO Master Series Regional Tournaments. Being an ACO Certified Official permits Boston Cornhole to offer Boston's best cornholers the opportunity to rank against the nation's top players. The ACO is currently in Season IX which culminates in July with the King of Cornhole (KOC). Those who wish to purchase the season membership for $20 may begin earning points at our first ACO regional tournament in January (most likely January 18th). It is important to stress that the ACO events will not replace the events currently offered by Boston Cornhole, but will be a special monthly addition to the schedule. In fact, the biggest events in the Boston area such as Cornhole Commotion will NOT be ACO sanctioned.
It is also important to note that our affiliation with American Cornhole should not imply that we are anti-anybody, nor should it imply that we wish to sever any ties with our current vendors. In Boston, we have love for most cornhole players and vendors that are out there! Many in Boston are not familiar with the ACO rules and regulations; therefore, below is a Question and Answer section with regards to the ACO and Boston Cornhole.
Q: Do I need to buy an ACO Membership to play at Boston Cornhole events?
A: No, Boston Cornhole events such as Tuesday Night Cornhole at Great American Tavern remain unchanged and will not require any special membership for participation. Additionally, the ACO equipment and format restrictions do not permit our larger tournaments to be ACO-sanctioned events.
However, if you wish to participate in our monthly ACO regionals, that will require an ACO Membership which costs $20 for the season. The Certified Official package comes with 15 memberships. To encourage membership purchase, if you purchase one of the first 15 memberships from Boston Cornhole (not online) in January, you may play for free on Tuesdays nights for the month of January. If you play at GAT weekly, the membership could be essentially free. Membership purchase will be available starting Tuesday, January 7th at Great American Tavern.
Q: I like cornhole, should I purchase an ACO membership?
A: The ACO is not for all and I expect Boston's ACO events to be our most competitive tournaments. I would encourage ACO membership for those who meet some or all of the following criteria:
Q: When is the next Firehouse concert?
A: Ask Keith Lessard.
Q: Do ACO regional tournaments mean big cash prizes?
A: An emphatic No! As ACO certified tournaments require an ACO membership, it is anticipated that tourney fields will typically be smaller than our larger events. As such, the purses will be smaller. 70% of entry fees will be paid as prizes with 30% withheld to offset the cost of being a certified official. We also hope to pay deeper than has been the norm in Boston area tournaments; the number of places paid will depend on the number of participants. All prizes will be paid the day of the event. Play for ranking points, not cash!
Q: How frequently will regional ACO Tournaments be played?
A: The goal is to host monthly tournaments in singles and doubles. We have not done too much yet with singles in the Boston area, so we are excited about putting singles in to the fold! Hopefully, we can keep our ACO events on weekends to most easily accommodate those who may want to travel to an event. Frequency will also be gated by interest. For an ACO sanctioned event, we would need at least seven singles players and three teams of doubles.
Q: With the need for expensive equipment and limited cash purses, why become ACO certified?
A: The certified official program is a strategic investment for Boston Cornhole and does come with risk. The competition level in Boston continues to grow exponentially and we are reaching a level where we can see where we rank in the nation. Hate it or love it, the ACO sets the standard for cornhole in today's market. If cornhole continue to grow as it does today, Boston Cornhole will be in a good position as a certified official for years to come. A short term profit is not anticipated, but the 2014 business outlook should be able to offset the initial investment.
Game On!
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