Become an NNL Facility

If you have any questions not answered on this sheet, please feel free to email us at info@nationalninja.com and we would be more than happy to assist you as best we can. We are passionate about growing the sport of ninja and want to make applying to join the elite ranks of National Ninja League facilities as smooth and simplistic as possible.

What does it mean to be an NNL facility?
NNL facilities are eligible to host National Ninja League and Rec Ninja League events. This does not prohibit you from holding competitions for most leagues. The following are our current Approved Organizations:
Athlete Warrior Games (AWG)
Colorado Ninja League
Florida Ninja League
New England Ninja Association (NENA)
Texas Ninja League
UNX
The board can vote on approving organizations that promote furthering the sport. The NNL does not influence the day-to-day operations of your facility in any way. If you are concerned about a specific organization being an Approved Organization, feel free to let us know and we can forward consideration to the board.

Why become an NNL facility?
The National Ninja League is the elite competition league of one of the world's fastest-growing sports. NNL competitions regularly draw the largest competition fields in the sport, with many of our qualifiers hosting upwards of 200 competitors across all age divisions. These athletes are among the top athletes in the sport, and our World Championships draw most of the top ninjas in the world. As a growing sport, we regularly reach out to our facilities to help improve the rules of our sport. We firmly believe that NNL-affiliated facilities are the best of the best in the ninja community, and we believe that the only way for us to grow is for our facilities to be prosperous as well.

What do I get as an NNL facility?
Facilities will receive:
- Access to the NinjaWorks system to record your event results for live output on our website
- Camera equipment for recording your events and your livestream, which will be shipped to the next facility in your region
- A communication line with your Regional Manager to guide you through the event-hosting process
- Access to our Gym Resources page with our rules and video explanations
- Use of the NNL and RNL logos for merchandising

Can I just host youth/RNL events?
Facilities are allowed to host only Rec Ninja League events, only National Ninja League events, or both. Additionally, you are allowed to host competitions for adults only, youth only, or both. This can also vary by competition (i.e. you would be allowed to host one competition for youth only and another for both youth and adults).

Starting with the 2019-2020 season, facilities may become Rec Ninja League-specific facilities. Facilities that apply for full NNL status may be accepted only as Rec Ninja League facilities with the option of becoming an NNL facility after hosting a successful Rec Ninja League event.

Can I be an NNL facility even if I am not in the United States?
Absolutely! We have international facilities in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Barbados, and France, and we'd love to expand to more emerging ninja markets.

What if I haven't hosted an event yet?
That's OK! We still encourage you to apply anyway. There are a few ways you can go about hosting an NNL event without having previously hosted an event at your facility:
1. If you or a staff member has hosted or worked a competition at a different facility, that may suffice for Event History! Be sure to list any previous competitions your staff members have been a part of on your application.
2. If you're brand new to hosting competitions, you can have a current NNL event coordinator help you run your first event. They should be responsible for duties such as registration, assisting with course design, and being a primary contact for the event. They will also need to physically be present at the event to assist as necessary.
3. If all else fails, you can host an independent competition to gain experience. You are welcome to apply beforehand, and as long as you pass the other four categories (see below), we'll keep your application on file until your event occurs. After the event, we'll check in for a report, and as long as everything goes smoothly, you should be all set on Event History.
Note that you may be eligible to host a Rec Ninja League competition as your first competition, but the Rec Ninja League only runs from March to June.

What if I have a franchise with multiple facilities?
Facilities that are part of a franchise will have to apply at each individual location. While we certainly encourage you to apply at each location in order to help grow your ninja program, franchises are not required to be NNL members at every facility. Additionally, facilities that are members of a franchise, but are not themselves NNL facilities, are allowed to be members of non-approved organizations.

How do I become an NNL facility?
Submit the following three items to info@nationalninja.com:
1. The completed application form, attached below
2. Several pictures of your obstacles, demonstrating structural integrity and ample padding
3. Two videos, one of an adult course and one of a youth course. (Detailed obstacle descriptions are not required; we're mainly interested in obstacle variety, course flow, and proper safety precautions.)

Your application will then be scored by our Board of Directors on five criteria:
1. Equipment Structure and Maintenance
2. Obstacle Variety
3. Event History
4. Safety and Padding
5. Overall Appearance and Professionalism

Your application must be scored at least 6 out of 10 in all five categories to gain admission to the League. If you fail to meet the criteria in any category, you will receive feedback on how to improve and are welcome to reapply at any time. In some cases, we may keep your application on file and allow you to improve a minor concern without having to reapply.

The Board of Directors votes in semi-monthly "voting periods" on the 1st and 15th of the month, so you will have a verdict by the 7th or 21st of the month. If your facility does not pass the application process, you are welcome to improve your application and resubmit it at any time.

There is no fee to apply or join the National Ninja League.