APRIL FOOLS from your friends at the IATF and The Axe Badger!
Special thank you to our guest blogger, The Axe Badger, for writing this silly, April Fools' Day post.
While the IATF believes in a future beyond axes, they will always be a core part of our identity and brand. If you are a stickler and simply cannot endure a vaguely imprecise name, you may call us the International Anything Throws Federation.
Check out Badger's confession here.
Did we get ya?
Announcing a BIG change to the International Axe Throwing Federation.
Since its inception, the IATF has, first and foremost, emphasized the importance of player input. Because this was our highest priority (and because the IATF acts on any feedback that can make the sport stronger, more inclusive, and more fun), we’ve often made adjustments, when needed, to make sure our sport grew with the changing needs and wants of the sport.
Most throwers know we’ve been working on a new knife throwing league system for IATF throwers, giving venues a new way to get people in the door, and a new skill for throwers to explore and enjoy. This, however, has created a problem we didn’t foresee: if “IATF” stands for “International Axe Throwing Federation,” where do knives fit in? Naturally, we didn’t prioritize coming up with a new name for the federation – our priorities were focused on the new app, IATC, and handling the day-to-day challenges of an agile federation attempting to oversee a worldwide sport. We’re now at a crossroads, however, and the name of “IATF” simply doesn’t fit the direction the federation is hoping to expand. Name recognition has to match expectation, and excluding knives (or any other future throwing) will put the IATF in a tough position when it comes to securing sponsorships in the future.
With that in mind, we've decided to update the name. Effective immediately, the IATF (International Axe Throwing Federation) will become the ITAF (International Throw Anything Federation).
Why the change?
The ITAF is more than axes. While working on how the “IATF” could best incorporate knife leagues, we realized the importance of having a federation name that matched what was possible – and in the ITAF, everything is possible. The possible expansion of the “IATF” was limited, and that limitation meant our sport could only grow so much in a world where people are looking for complete-package, multi-faceted experiences. To put it simply, expanding into knives allows the ITAF more revenue streams, which increases what’s possible for all disciplines within the federation.
Why not call it the International Axe & Knife Federation?
The ITAF, over time, will become more than axes and knives. We’re excited to share a five-year development program to make the ITAF the most expansive competitive-throwing experience on earth! While details are currently not solidified, we’re excited to share our blue-sky ideas in this naming announcement, including:
- Shovel throwing in late 2026
- Outdoor spear throwing in early 2027
- Underhand sword tossing in 2028
- Summertime pool-based Trident throwing 2029
- Indoor lawn darts in 2030
We believe expanding into these disciplines will finally offset the cost of IATC ITAC (International Throw Anything Championship) and allow for more people to participate in our federation. So look out for updated rules and equipment guidelines (and a few new ITAF equipment options) in the future.
"The truth is, axes are amazing, and throwing them is cool, too," said Matt Wilson, ITAF founder. "But there are so many things you can throw. Knives, shovels...give me your phone. Watch. Watch how easy it is to throw your phone."
OUR SPORT · OUR COMMUNITY · OUR THROW ANYTHING FEDERATION
