The IATF Identity crisis: Are we a sport, a hobby, or still an experiment?

I’m pretty sure the majority of my dear readers are aware of the hub-bub happening between the organization of the IATF and the throwers of the IATF, but just for the sake of setting up my work space: After IATC 2026, the IATF sent out an email indicating they’d be sending out payments for top finishers. Some people have gotten paid, some have not.

The IATF also indicated that it can’t pay everyone all at once, and intends to pay money-winning throwers within 90 days of IATC. This is a very abbreviated version. It also removes a lot of the legitimate and/or accusatory statements made by throwers around the whole situation.

I’ve waited a while to allow my own opinions and thoughts to crystalize. And I think my thought-caterpillar is ready to emerge from its thinking-chrysalis as a full-blown opinion butterfly.

I think a lot of this comes down to an identity/expectation issue

I’ve been thinking about this a lot over the past year, and frankly the current IATF/IATC/monies issue feels like a symptom of the very thing I’ve been noodling around. To try to put it in a way that is concise and not so ramble-y:

There is a disconnect between what the IATF thinks it is, what throwers think it is, and what it actually “needs” to be.

Now, that’s a very cut-and-dry statement I made up there, and I know a lot of you throwkins like to take statements as facts. Lemme be clear: this is a working theory that I’ll try to work through below. It’s not, like, the truth. I don’t pedal in truths here.

The IATF (org) is hella focused on becoming self-sustaining/noticed

Based only on what I’ve seen, one of the IATF’s main focuses, at least for as long as I’ve been throwing, is on justifying itself as a fundable, sponsor-able sport. In the case of the IATF, that means getting the sport to a point where it looks like it’s, you know, legitimate.

But the challenge of that is multi-dimensional. It’s difficult to look the part if you don’t have the money to do so, and it’s hard to have the money to do so if you don’t look the part enough that people wanna invest in the sport.

It’s a pickle. And if one adds in the challenge of accounting, it can get even more perilous. Now, I don’t wanna dive into the financials of the IATF because, frankly, I find that to be boring, but I will say: I think the IATF is trying to wear pants that are just a bit too big for it, at this point. To be clear, that’s not a criticism – I get it. Dress for the job you want, and all that. BUT: trying to act like you’re an established, polished sports organization can lead you down a treacherous path — namely via my next subhead:

Throwers generally just want something that works. But when presented with more, they want more without issues.

Speaking for myself (and I might be in the minority here), I just want an app that lets me have a sense of achievement, a sensible rules system, and enough axe-throwing events that I don’t struggle to get my axe throwing fix.

I don’t think I’m alone in that — the reason I throw axes is because I like throwing axes, and I like a lot of the people who also throw axes. I don’t throw for money, I don’t throw so I can be on camera or go to organized afterparties or whatever else. I don’t need the extra stuff (yet), I just wanna throw and have that experience be at least a little consistent where it counts.

Axe throwers, as far as I’ve seen, aren’t in the mindset of…hmm…of “going legit.” We aren’t looking for professionalism, is what I mean. It also seems like most axe throwers are pretty adverse to big changes.

But even this kind of thinking isn’t quite right – or at least isn’t necessarily sustainable: the IATF (and axe throwing as a whole) needs a better pipeline of getting people in the door, getting engaged, and becoming league-members/event attendees. That’s much harder to make happen if we’re not investing organizational time and money in bringing new people in. And that leads me to a final, declarative subhead:

The IATF (org and throwers) should focus on growth first, and pageantry second

Again — and this is so important — I’m just guessing, here. But for the sake of argument, just stay with me.

The IATF (NATF) started its growth rapidly. Then Covid messed it all up, and the sport hasn’t yet found that speed-of-growth since. Point in fact, if one looks at the number of registered IATF throwers every month, it rarely (if ever) grows. And that’s a real issue for everyone involved.

It’s an issue for the IATF (org) because it makes sponsorship dollars harder to nab, it’s an issue for IATF throwers because fewer throwers means fewer axe venues, and fewer axe throwing events.

It’s been 10 years since the IATF was founded. I fully understand why the organization wants to move to the next stage of development. But I also see, with my wizened, philosophizing eyes, how it’s very possible that we’re not there, yet. Rather, it might make more sense to focus on where we are now, not where we’re hoping to be.

That means the IATF would shift from big payouts/big events/big sponsors to just providing organizational support (scorekeeping software, rules, guidance) and growth strategies.

That also means IATF throwers would shift from seeing themselves in an us vs. them relationship with the IATF and instead see themselves as the decision makers and growth-engines for IATF enrollment and “marketing.” Perhaps more difficult: it would mean axe throwers would fundamentally expect less from the IATF.

The benefit of this shift, in both cases, would be less of a need for funds, and, theoretically, more money flowing into the organization, anyway. The net result? An organic expansion of the IATF, where when sponsors come to the table, they don’t need to be sold on the “why” and instead are focused on the “how.”

This entire treatise goes out of whack when you add in the complication of several axe throwing organizations, but that’s an entirely different post, really.

Anyway, this got real ramble-y and I don’t know if it makes any sense, but you should probably be used to that by now.