Bringing Axe Throwing to Your Community

A Community Model (CM) venue is designed for areas without access to an affiliated venue that hosts official leagues. CMs enable local community members to organize and run official leagues, bridging the gap in areas where league access is limited. Our commitment is to make the sport more accessible, and CMs are a key solution to expanding opportunities in underserved regions.

What is a WATL Community Model Venue?

A Community Model venue is a home-based league that can be hosted in garages, shops, backyards, barns, or even in partnership with organizations like the Legion or VFW*. This is how the Solidarity Axe Club in Ontario began! Check out their original setup inside their local Legion for inspiration. 

*A VFW or Legion location is a community hub where veterans gather for camaraderie, support, and community events.

The CM option offers an officially sanctioned environment for those passionate about axe throwing to host leagues on a smaller, community-focused scale.

Eligibility Criteria: Can You Host a WATL Community Venue?

• Main Requirements
  • Geographic restriction: Cannot open within 1 hour or 50-mile drive of an existing WATL-affiliated venue. This requirement protects our existing affiliates and helps ensure harmony between established venues and community setups
    • The geographical restriction is applied on a case-by-case basis. We understand that a 1-hour drive in the city is different from a 1-hour drive in a rural area
  • Must adhere to WATL safety and equipment standards (more info below)
  • Must have basic infrastructure such as targets, floor covering, fault lines, safety barricades, etc
  • Must have insurance or a waiver of insurance signed with WATL
• Rules and Regulations for Community Venues
  • Safety Standards
    • Must have at least 2 targets*
    • Must have fencing or safety barricade to block anyone not actively throwing from entering the lane
    • 12 ft minimum/clearance ceiling height (within the throwing lane) is recommended 
    • 12 ft minimum width of the lane
    • 15 ft minimum length from target to end of the lane 
    • 12ft fault line and safe clearance to throw
      • If hosting WKTL or Big Axe leagues, 20ft minimum length is recommended
  • League Operations
    • Must follow all league rules and requirements just as an official venue would. This includes having Certified Judges present for each league night and using the WATL App for scoring.
      • CM is responsible for App fees (more info below)
  • Affiliate Code of Conduct
    • Operators of Community Model venues are considered WATL affiliates and as such, must adhere to the Affiliate Code of Conduct

*Click below for ideas on how to build your Community Venue targets.

How to Get Sanctioned as a WATL Community Venue

To get started with opening your own Community Model venue, you’ll go through the registration process with the WATL Affiliate Manager and Customer Service team.

1. Submit the Community Model Request form (linked at the end of this page)
2. The WATL Affiliate Manager will review your submission and contact you directly within 3-5 business days
3. If approved, you’ll receive contact from the Customer Service team to sign an affiliate contract and pay your first invoice for Community Model Affiliation Dues
4. Once the agreement is signed and the invoice paid, you’ll be directed to fill out 3 forms to finalize your affiliation
   1. This is where you’ll submit your proof of insurance (or waiver of insurance), logo, pictures of your lane setup, and other location information
5. Once all forms have been completed, you’ll have full access to affiliate benefits!
6. The Affiliate Manager will reach out to you to set up an onboarding call to go over all benefits and resources with you and get you ready to go for leagues

What You Get as a WATL Community Venue

As an affiliated Community Model venue, you’ll have access to our affiliate benefits and resources

• Listed on our website, if requested. Most CMs request not to be listed since they are hosted out of homes
• Limited use of WATL logos 
• Access to league management tools such as the scoring App
• Access to official WATL leagues

Costs:

• $6.18 per player per league or tournament App fee (Billed from YoReferee directly)
  • This fee contributes to App maintenance and expansion features 
• Varied costs associated with running the venue (I.e. electricity, wood cost, etc)

Consider charging a fee for each league season or tournament to help cover venue costs. We recommend a minimum of $50 per player per season, but you can set the price that best suits your venue.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Examples:
  • “What if a new WATL venue opens nearby after I’ve started?”
    • If a new WATL venue opens nearby after you’ve started, you won’t be required to close your CM. We encourage supporting affiliated venues, so consider connecting with the new location—you might even collaborate to create larger, more exciting leagues together!
  • “Can I run tournaments in a community venue?”
    • Yes, dependent on location and capacity
  • “How do I ensure my setup is WATL-compliant?”
    • We offer many resources to ensure your targets and lanes are WATL-compliant.
      • https://worldaxethrowingleague.com/build-an-axe-throwing-target-at-home/
      • https://worldaxethrowingleague.com/venue-target-specifications/
      • WATL staff are available Monday-Friday 8 am-5 pm EST to answer questions as well!
  • “What are my dues for?”
    • Fees go directly towards maintaining and expanding the sport to increase reach to other communities

Get Started Today

If a Community Model venue feels like the right choice for you, start by confirming your location meets the geographic requirements—being at least a 60-minute drive or 50 miles from any existing WATL-affiliated venue. Then, review the safety guidelines to ensure you’re following WATL’s standards. Also, check that your space meets the infrastructure needs, including proper target setups and safe throwing areas. WATL is dedicated to keeping the sport of axe throwing accessible for everyone and hopes to see CMs grow and thrive in underserved areas, bringing the joy of axe throwing to new communities. Ready to get started? Click the button below to begin the process!

BONUS: Potential Long Term Outcomes  

One of the most exciting possibilities of opening a Community Model (CM) venue is its potential to grow into a fully-fledged business. While CMs are designed to bring axe throwing to communities in smaller, accessible spaces like garages, backyards, or local partner venues, they also provide a unique opportunity for expansion.  

Two prime examples of this growth are Live Edge Axe Throwing in Calgary and Solidarity Axe Club in Ontario. Both started their journey as Community Model venues, with leagues hosted in garages and community spaces like Legions. Their commitment to fostering a strong local axe-throwing community, combined with the flexibility of the CM model, eventually enabled them to scale up. Today, both Live Edge and Solidarity operate as full businesses, with larger venues that cater to both league throwers and casual enthusiasts alike.  

This transformation showcases the versatility and potential of the CM model. By starting small and building a foundation within the local community, venue operators can test the waters of entrepreneurship without the upfront risk of opening a commercial space. As interest and demand grow, so does the opportunity to expand into a larger business.  

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