USA Subbuteo News

Flickin’ Fun in Kitty Hawk! Outer Banks Subbuteo Club’s Fall Flicks a Smashing Success!

An ASA Open hit the Outer Banks in full force as the 2025 Fall Flicks presented by Outer Banks Subbuteo Club wrapped up on Saturday, October 18th!

A massive thank you goes out to the incredible sponsor, BLVD Ice Cream in Kitty Hawk, NC! Their generosity in allowing use of their shop (even though closed for the season!) as the venue was the cherry on top. The location was absolutely perfect!

Weekend Action Recap!

The action kicked off Friday night with some casual flicks, setting the stage for a thrilling weekend. The evening culminated in a decisive shootout tournament where Dan Cranston emerged as the first victor of the weekend!

Saturday morning brought fresh faces and excitement with the Beginner’s Tournament, which proudly welcomed four new recruits from the Outer Banks! After some hard-fought matches, Nick Rouse edged out Travis Tahaney 1-0 in the final.

The main event, the Open Category, delivered edge-of-your-seat excitement! The semi-finals were intense, with Bryan Arnold advancing over Mikey Kimack in a nail-biting 1-1 (4-3 penalties) win, and Dan Cranston securing his spot by defeating Paul Eyes 2-0. In a high-stakes final, Dan Cranston clinched the title with a dominant 6-0 performance over Bryan Arnold.

Beyond individual glory, the weekend featured a historic moment: the inaugural “Crab Daddy” derby between the Outer Banks and Maryland! In a spectacular showing, the Maryland team secured a shutout 3-0 victory, claiming bragging rights and all the hardware from the entire weekend!

This event was a huge success, showcasing the growing passion and talent for subbuteo on the East Coast.

Boise, ID – In a tournament that fused nostalgia with excellence, BUSL95 celebrated its 30th anniversary by hosting the 2025 ASA National Championships, delivering a spectacle that will be remembered as a benchmark event in association history.

Founders Jon Smith and Lenny Foster joined by generations of club members—youth players, veterans, and original stalwarts—together orchestrated a flawless tournament weekend. From hospitality to competition standards, BUSL95 set a new bar that will be hard to match in future ASA events.

On the pitch, it was a showcase of legends, nail biters, and rising stars.

Cranston Wins the Open

Dan Cranston added yet another chapter to his storied career, securing a 4-0 victory over Pat Sheridan in the final to capture his seventh national championship.

Arnold Breaks Through in Veterans

Bryan Arnold in his come back tour broke through at the veteran event, grinding out a 1-0 win over Paul Eyes to lift his first Veterans National title.

Foster Emerges in U20 Thriller

The future looks bright for Eric Foster, who edged Max Hunter in a dramatic U20 final that went to a shootout. With the match tied 1-1 after regulation, Foster held his nerve in penalties to seal a 3-2 victory.

Maryland Denies Host Club in Team Final

In a highly anticipated team final, the host squad from Boise delivered a valiant performance but came up just short against Maryland. With the match hanging in the balance, Maryland struck late twice to secure a 2-0 win, silencing a raucous home crowd in the final minutes.

Despite the loss, Boise’s run to the final was emblematic of the club’s larger success throughout the weekend—passion, precision, and professionalism.

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From the Front Office to the Field, a Landmark Weekend

The 2025 ASA Nationals wasn’t just a tournament—it was a celebration of legacy and excellence. BUSL95’s commitment to honoring its roots while delivering a forward-looking championship will leave a lasting impact on the ASA community.

As the sun set on a spectacular weekend in Boise, one thing was clear: the beautiful game is in good hands—past, present, and future.

ASA Debuts Fourth Major Tournament to the American Circuit A New Legacy Begins in 2026—Name It, Play It, Win It

The ASA is officially reviving a fourth Major tournament to the national calendar—restoring a full slate of top-tier events for players across the U.S.

Set to debut in 2026, the new Major replaces the long-running Flicko de Mayo and will be strategically placed to complement the ASA Nationals, which retains priority in scheduling. Meaning the new event will land in either Q2 or Q3—designed to give players in both the East and West a shot at big-time action.

This move marks a return to the ASA’s four-Major format which was traditionally highlighted by the Western States Open in Q1, Cinco de Mayo in Q2, ASA National Championships in Q2/Q3, and the Holiday Silver in Q4.

But first—it needs a name. Got an idea? You’ve got until June 30th to send in your best tournament name suggestions. After that, ASA members will vote to decide the official title.

More tournament details soon, including a bidding window for the 2026 Nationals opening September 1st.

For now:
✅ Start brainstorming and sending over names to the ASA BoD (asasubbuteo@gmail.com)
✅ Watch for the vote in July
✅ Get ready to compete in a new ASA Major in 2026

The ASA is thrilled to welcome its newest chapter—the New Mexico Table Soccer Club—a new club sparking excitement in the heart of the Southwest!

Founded by dedicated board gamer and enthusiast Daniel Bryant who recently discovered Subbuteo earlier this year, the club’s story is one of serendipity and rapid momentum. With some exposure to other dexterity games, binho and crokinole he stumbled upon a vintage starter set at a board game convention. The magic of the game clicked instantly—despite wobbly figures and a worn-out pitch. With the help of Paul Eyes at TableSoccerUSA and some fast-growing enthusiasm, the spark turned into a movement.

Based in Albuquerque, Daniel is already making waves by introducing the game to high school students and plans to take the game to the local pub scene and New Mexico United (USL) tailgates. He’s hoping to build a vibrant, competitive, and fun-loving Subbuteo community in the Southwest.

We’re excited to see what the Albuquerque flickers bring to the pitch—welcome to the game!

The American Subbuteo Association is going international—and they’re bringing serious firepower. Six standout players from across the U.S. are set to compete in an upcoming European tournament, flying the ASA flag in both the individual and team events at the Major Grand Prix of Mallorca in Spain.

Among the squad: ASA #1 and #2 ranked players, Pat Sheridan and Dan Cranston, plus Maryland’s rising talent Mikey Kimack, Colorado’s emerging duo Justin O’Malley and Kurtis Heithoff and the Outer Banks’ Jeremy Goninan. They’ll need to claw their way through some stiff competition, with the open category featuring five of the world’s top 10 players and a staggering 124 participants across all divisions.

Even bigger: the team will compete under the newly resurrected Sporting America Table Soccer Club, originally founded by Zack Walker in 2006. Nearly two decades later, Sporting America is back—with a vengeance—and ready to roar onto the European circuit.

The ASA isn’t just sending players. They’re sending a message.

Click here to find out more and follow the action as things flick off on Saturday, April 26, 2025.

The countdown is officially on—the 2025 ASA National Championships are just two-and-a-half months away, and the flicking action is heading west as BUSL95 prepares to host the most anticipated event on the ASA calendar.

Set to take place in Caldwell, Idaho, this year’s Nationals marks a return to one of American Subbuteo’s most historic strongholds. BUSL95, one of the country’s oldest and most respected clubs, was awarded the hosting bid last fall—and since then, the buzz has only grown louder.

With 19 players already registered and more expected in the final stretch, the tournament is shaping up to be a showdown of familiar names, rising stars, and a few rivalries. And if past events are any indicator, the host club is more than ready to deliver a top-tier weekend of competition, camaraderie and flicking action.

Why Caldwell? Why BUSL95?
This isn’t just another nationals—it’s a celebration of 30 years of Subbuteo legacy in Southwestern Idaho. From humble beginnings in the mid-‘90s to hosting national and regional majors, BUSL95 has been a steady force in American Subbuteo over the years and represents both tradition and the future of the sport.

The 2025 ASA Nationals aren’t just two months away. They’re already calling. Click here to find out more and register!

Weekend Calendar

The 2024 ASA Nationals lit up the Subbuteo scene from August 2–5 in Thousand Oaks, CA. The event brought together 25 players from 7 different states for 3 days of high-stakes flicking and fierce competition.

In the open event, Christian Filipella once again proved why he’s one of the nation’s best players. Down 1–0 in the final to Colorado’s Pat Sheridan, Filipella mounted a thrilling comeback to win 2–1 and claim his third Nationals title—adding 2024 to his previous crowns in 2016 and 2019. Clutch, calm, and clinical when it mattered most.

Over in the Veterans category, Varant Kurkeyerian edged out Paul Eyes with a tight 1–0 victory, securing his second Veterans championship and reinforcing his status as one of the association’s most consistent and respected competitors.

But perhaps the biggest storyline came in the Team Championship. In a seismic shift, Colorado stunned the Subbuteo world by toppling Maryland 2–1. Maryland had held the team title since all the way back in 2007—a 17-year* reign finally brought to an end by a determined and united Colorado squad. A true changing of the guard moment.

The 2024 ASA Nationals delivered drama, passion, and legacy-defining performances. With the bar raised once again, the road to 2025 looks more competitive—and exciting—than ever.

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Patrick Sheridan from Colorado won the 2024 Copa de la Rocha staged on January 27 by the BUSL 95 club in the Boise, Idaho, area. The Copa de la Rocha is one of the ASA’s oldest tournaments, debuting in 1997.

Organizer Lenny Foster reports that this Copa set a new record for participants (16) and featured three u20 and four u16 competitors. “It is rewarding to see our club’s continued growth after nearly 30 years of existence,” Foster said.

In the semifinals, Sheridan defeated Jonathan Smith 4-0 while Foster nipped Eric Garza 1-0. Sheridan claimed the title with a 1-0 victory in the final. In the consolation tournament, Eric Foster defeated Andrew Rice 3-2 on shots after a scoreless draw in regulation.

A strong field of 32 players from 10 states competed in the 2023 U.S. FISTF International Open event. The Maryland tournament organized by Paul Eyes is known as the “Holiday Silver”—a prestigious event in the U.S. table soccer calendar.

Play began on Friday with a friendly Travelers Cup featuring 16 players from out of state. Michael Tillman (Minnesota)  defeated Benny Nuger (Virginia) in the final match.

Saturday saw the main event take place at the Long Reach Community Center in Columbia, MD. A key match up was a semifinal clash between Daniel Cranston and Christian Filippella, the U.S. National Team captain and World Cup semifinalist. Cranston recorded an impressive 2-0 victory. He took his fine form into the final where he defeated Tillman 5-0. In the Veterans final, Alex Batacchi (Florida) defeated Gregg Deinhart (Virginia) on shots.

In the U20 event, Chris Belcher defeated Mason Lilly 2-1 (OT). In the final of a very competitive Mary Jane (consolation) tournament, Scott McCaulley (Outer Banks) edged out Jonathan Smith (BUSL95) on shots.

Sunday play was highlighted by a Team Event. Maryland retained the team title, defeating Tampa Bay Mountaineers in a tight final. Play concluded with an FA Cup-style knockout individual event. Cranston defeated Tillman in the final to secure his sweep of the weekend.

The ASA announces the 2024 Minnesota Open will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in the Minneapolis area.

For more information and to register for the tournament, please contact Michael Tillman (mptillman13 AT gmail)