#InFocus: Axe-throwing venue opens in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Plenty of games have a bullseye, darts, archery, even pin the tail on the donkey. But in our area, there's another sport where a much bigger item is being thrown.

FOX 29 Photojournalist Bill Rohrer explains.

The sport is competitive axe-throwing and the team from Urban Axes is testing out their new throwing arena.

The goal is to throw a one pound axe at a wooden target for points.

"We like to say it is like darts but bigger and more satisfying," Lily Cope, axe master general, told FOX 29.

Urban Axes is the first indoor axe-throwing venue in the country. Co-owner Stuart Jones got the idea after visiting friends in Canada.

""They said let's go throw some axes and I said is that legal? So we went along and I had a great time," he explained.

"You would expect the people coming in here to be this big ax throwing kind of guys but actually the majority of our leagues are women," said coach Kyle Brzezynski.

Like Axe Master General Lily Cope.

FOX 29's Bill Rohrer put his camera down and threw a few himself.

"The draw is amazingly satisfying. It is incredibly unique. I think the novelty will draw people initially. But once they get the axe-throwing down, they are going to get the bug and just want to keep doing it," said coach Charles Perkins.

There are a number a rules each person must follow for obvious reasons.

"Everyone who comes in is taught how to throw. Only the people throwing are aloud in the arena at a time plus their coach and have to be 21 and over with closed toe shoes," Cope explained.