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Where Niche Passions Find Their Stage

Latest Articles

Puck Serious: How Air Hockey Went from Arcade Relic to Cutthroat Sport
Subculture Spotlight

Puck Serious: How Air Hockey Went from Arcade Relic to Cutthroat Sport

Most people haven't thought about air hockey since their last birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. But a tight-knit community of serious competitors has quietly transformed the game into a full-blown sport, complete with regional circuits, custom equipment, and players who train like their livelihood depends on it — because for some, it kind of does.
Axes, Alleys, and Obsession: How Axe Throwing Became America's Wildest Night Out
Subculture Spotlight

Axes, Alleys, and Obsession: How Axe Throwing Became America's Wildest Night Out

What started as a rugged lumberjack tradition has somehow landed in the middle of downtown America, complete with craft beer, neon lighting, and competitors who train like it's their full-time job. Axe throwing is no longer just a novelty — it's a full-blown subculture with leagues, rivalries, and a community that takes the sport dead seriously. We went inside the world of competitive axe throwing to find out what all the fuss is about.
Gut Check: The Surprisingly Athletic World of Competitive Speed Eating
Subculture Spotlight

Gut Check: The Surprisingly Athletic World of Competitive Speed Eating

What looks like a messy carnival act from the outside is actually a deeply strategic sport with training protocols, physiological edge cases, and a fanbase that rivals some minor league athletics. We went deep into the world of competitive speed eating to find out what it really takes to win. Spoiler: it's way more science than you'd think.
From Bedroom Timers to Brand Deals: The Surprising Business Behind Competitive Cubing
Subculture Spotlight

From Bedroom Timers to Brand Deals: The Surprising Business Behind Competitive Cubing

What started as a quirky pastime for math-minded kids has quietly grown into a multi-million dollar ecosystem complete with sponsorships, YouTube empires, and legitimate career paths. We went deep inside the world of competitive speedcubing to find out how a puzzle your dad gave up on in 1983 became someone else's full-time job.
Fingers of Fury: Meet the Teens Solving Rubik's Cubes Faster Than You Can Blink
Subculture Spotlight

Fingers of Fury: Meet the Teens Solving Rubik's Cubes Faster Than You Can Blink

What started as a '80s living room puzzle has quietly evolved into a cutthroat competitive sport with sponsorships, world records, and a Gen Z fanbase that treats cube-solving like an Olympic discipline. We went deep inside the speedcubing community to find out how a plastic toy became a legitimate athletic pursuit.
Yarn Wars: Inside America's Obsession with Competitive Knitting
Subculture Spotlight

Yarn Wars: Inside America's Obsession with Competitive Knitting

Forget everything you thought you knew about knitting circles and rocking chairs. A new generation of speed-knitters, tournament regulars, and fiber arts fanatics is turning this once-sleepy craft into a full-blown competitive scene — and it's way more intense than you'd expect.