As fans flocked to World Cup matches and tuned into NBA Finals this weekend in New York City, another sport was holding a showdown, continuing a years-long comeback that began in Brooklyn.

Over a hundred shuffleboard players from across the country — some among the best in the world — slid into Gowanus this weekend for the third annual national shuffleboard tournament at Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club.

Sixty-four teams competed all day Saturday and Sunday in a bracket that often pitted locals versus visitors, new versus experienced, and old versus young. Organized by the New York State Shuffleboard Association (NYSA), the tournament was so popular it required a lottery for registration and even drew one international team.

Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club, which opened in 2014 in Gowanus, has helped revive shuffleboard for a new generation.Photo by Shane Gomez

“For me it’s always been about the community,” competitor Marius Runge, who has been playing for nearly 20 years, said. Runge and his team partner Luisa Schwark traveled 18 hours from Hamburg, Germany just for the tournament, which was also their first time in Brooklyn.

The venue, Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club, opened in 2014 and has since become a popular hub for the growing sport. Founder Jonathan Schnapp credited Royal Palms, a 17,000-square-foot, 10-court, Florida-meets-Brooklyn themed hangout, with reviving shuffleboard for younger people.

“Here in New York City, we really do see everybody coming,” Schnapp said. “In 13 years of doing this, we’ve probably had a million people come through.”

The atmosphere was lively. The competitors were friendly. Those not playing sat in retro-style deck chairs around the courts, or stood near one of the bars, chatting and cheering and clapping. Many were friends from across the country who only saw each other a few times a year during these events.

Watch parties and crowds add to the atmosphere across the venue as shuffleboard takes over Brooklyn alongside major sports events like the World Cup and NBA Finals.Photo by Shane Gomez

“It’s really truly special,” said Anna Balchunas, president of the NYSA and tournament director. Balchunas was in charge of putting together everything from sponsors to merchandise to volunteers who helped run the tournament.

Balchunas, like many in the tight-knit community, is a young New York City local and familiar face. Another is Jeff Ziev, a competitor in the tournament, who runs a YouTube channel, Brooklyn Shuffleboard, which posts shuffleboard tips, strategies, and livestreams.

“It’s kind of this really interesting community full of weirdos that are obsessed with this niche game that no one really plays,” Ziev said. Young players — those in their 20s to 40s, he said — keep the sport alive.

Shuffleboard courts at Royal Palms in Gowanus, where a 17,000-square-foot, 10-court venue has become a centerpiece of the sport’s modern revival.Photo by Shane Gomez

Originally a member of a bowling league, Ziev started playing shuffleboard after hearing about the opening of Royal Palms. He “got hooked.” Years later, he was traveling around the country and world to compete. He was also ranked third in the world, he said.

Seasoned players like Ziev made it to the latter stages of the tournament. During the semi-finals and main finals, the lights dimmed. Competitors didn’t talk as much during the games and stared with precision down the court. 

Then, after the last game was played on Sunday, New Yorkers Mike Dunlap and Mike Brady were declared winners. Both have been playing since Royal Palms opened. While Dunlap and Brady have won a couple similar tournaments in Chicago, this was their first win in their home club, they said.

“[It’s been] a long two days of shuffleboard,” Brady said. “Very long.”
Teams compete in the third annual national shuffleboard tournament hosted by the New York State Shuffleboard Association, drawing players from as far as Germany. Photo by Shane Gomez

Like other players throughout the tournament, Dunlap and Brady said playing shuffleboard over the years has let them make new friends, including friends who they travel to tournaments with.

For other competitors, the weekend’s tournament was their first. It was the first doubles tournament Taylor Hard and Mo Mathias of Brooklyn played. In previous years, they had helped volunteer. Their team name was “The Shania Tangs,” after the long cue stick used in shuffleboard.

“We both agreed a long time ago that if we ever take it too seriously, then maybe we should stop,” Mathias said. “It’s supposed to be fun.”