CHICAGO -- SkeeNation, a fan-run league for the classic coin-op game of skee-ball, expands to Chicago this week and has added a dedicated Web page to report and promote player activity in the Windy City. The group is online at SkeeNation.com and on Facebook.
While most amusement operators remain focused on pool and darts as the most popular league games, SkeeNation claims that skee-ball is the "the country's hottest new social sport league."
SkeeNation reported that following a preliminary signup period in recent weeks, the Chicago Skeeball League's kickoff event and "party extravaganza" took place Sept. 21 at Flat Rock Tavern (2476 N Lincoln Ave.). Weekly play dates will follow.
The SkeeNation website already had pages covering skee-ball action in Charlotte, Raleigh, Charleston, Atlanta, Louisville, Boston and Milwaukee, posting daily articles and columns on favorite teams and "skeelebrities," as well current competition schedules and statistics.
While not common, amusement operators have on occasion placed a skee-ball lane in a tavern location. Brewskee-Ball, founded by Eric Harris Pavony and Evan Tobias in Brooklyn, NY, in 2005, claims to be the first competition association of the sport. More than 1,000 teams have competed for the Brewskee Mug.
Bay Tek Games began capitalizing on the skee-ball by adding Beer Ball, aimed primarily at bars and taverns, a year ago. Well-suited to league play, it offers operators and location owners a variety of promotional concepts; for example, an optional printer can dispense hardcopy scores for subsequent redemption.
