On April 24, the first ever professional Ultimate Frisbee game was played, and the Connecticut Constitution was the first ever team to win a professional Ultimate Frisbee game.
Ultimate Frisbee, also called ultimate, is a fast growing sport in America. Two pits joined 7 against each other, in a field 80 yards long and similar to the round field of the ball. The team must pass the frisbee to a teammate in the end zone to score, and you must not move while holding the frisbee. An incomplete pass, or a dropped frisbee results in a raw material, and the other team immediately scores an opportunity!
The American Ultimate Disc League, or AUDL, was created by Josh Moore and went into full force this spring. There are 8 teams in the AUDL, 4 in the Western Division, and 4 in the Eastern Division. In addition to the 8 teams already in the league, several cities have bought spots in the league next season. Some of these cities include Boston, New York, Orlando and Seattle. 40 more teams will be up and ready to play in the league come spring 2014.
Each of the teams in the AUDL 16 regular season games will play on weekends throughout the summer months, all culminating in the championship game. to play in August.
Now that Ultimate has gone professional, it means receiving paychecks for players, much like NFL, NBA, and NHL players. The latter is already a growing game, and it is quite big, but not as popular as other professional league games. However, the campaigns work in the same way, in that the players earn money from sponsorships, ticket sales, merchandise sales, and concessions at the games themselves. The players’ travel expenses are also covered by these.
Although the rules are set by the USA ULTIMATE for club, high school and college football, the AUDL has changed a few of them. The field is now 10 yards longer on both sides, the birds now result in a first loss instead of a “do-over”, and the game is now untimed instead of playing a predetermined name. But perhaps the biggest rule change in the AUDL is the addition of field reports. The last game was always a game, the players were responsible for calling their lines, talking to each other about the suits on the field, and the like that they see. Now that money is involved, and the game has become professional, he will refer to making calls, serving as a director instead of talking to teams. The rule changes make the rules more cut and dry, calling for effort, making the game more professional.
Any game played in the American Ultimate Disc League can be found live on their website, www.theaudl.com. Tickets and merchandise can also be purchased on site, as well as sponsorship positions. You can find links to videos and images of games, as well as links to AUDL’s social media pages.
The Frisbee sure has come a long way since its creation in 1940, wouldn’t you say?
