Bowling League Is Threatening Me (lmao)

Hey everyone,

I decided to bowl for an organized league locally last year. The league meets one night a week and you pay each week a fee ($15-$30 if I remember correctly).

I bowled for this league in fall of 2023 for about 6 weeks then had to stop due to work schedule changes. I didn't appear for a couple weeks after stopping so I ended up stopping by the bowling alley a couple weeks later to essentially "quit" and paid the guy who handles the league $ my "dues" I owed. All squared away, all set.

So, this August (2024) the guy calls me and asks if I'd like to join again this year and that there's a free night the first week where everyone signs up and officially joins a team within the league etc.

I verbally stated I may come by but not sure. Was a friendly conversation and I basically said I might join so if I do I'll see ya there etc.

So, I ended up not joining. I did NOT bowl once (didnt show up at the first "free night" nor any other so far) since the league began this past September. I never verbally stated I'd be joining the league NOR ever appeared once. Never signed anything obviously as well.

The guy who runs the league calls me periodically saying I owe $ for the past few months via voicemail.

Cut to: the past two weeks, he has been now leaving me voicemails stating "we don't want to turn you over to collections so give us a call so we can square away the money you owe".

Tldr:

• I never signed up or even appeared once to bowl for this paid bowling league for fall or 2024
• guy who runs the league has been leaving me voicemails stating I owe them $ even tho I never signed up OR bowled with them once
• the voicemails include threats that they will "turn me over to collections" haha

What are my options? NY state (not nyc)