On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams chat with American Cornhole League founder and commissioner Stacey Moore about the sport’s growth and his organization’s business model.
Unlike larger leagues like the NFL and NBA, the ACL makes money in a more grassroots way. There are more than 250 professionals who compete in events often televised on ESPN, but the business also includes 350 directors around the country who run more than 3,000 tournaments a year on the ACL’s software platform. Then there’s the licensing business, which works with 60-plus licensees to put the ACL branding/approval on bags and boards that get purchased by consumers. The group gets a 5-15% cut on those products, depending on the partner.
The South Carolina-based league’s sponsors include Johnsonville sausages, Bacardi spiced rum and Bush’s beans. Moore says that competitors at the upcoming SuperHole, one of the ACL’s biggest weekends of the year, will run out of a Johnsonville sausage tunnel, and compete for a brand new trophy.
Moore also discusses the economics of being one of the world’s best cornhole players. He says the top tier can earn more than $100,000 from sponsorships, plus another $50,000-$150,000 during the season from events. Moore says he’s looking to “significantly increase” those prize payouts.
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