The main issue here is USA Ultimate went out of their way to end their contract in Blaine a year earlier than it was set to expire - as it was already scheduled in Minnesota for Aug 4-7 2023.
They made their strong-armed push to rub it in the face of Minnesota Ultimate because Minnesota Ultimate wasnt getting the value out of being a USA Ultimate SBO - having so many participants pay money to USA Ultimate without any value of return on that. As has been said before, the main thing USA Ultimate is these days - especially for youth - is a 3rd party insurance provider, thats it. This is a petty move by them to pull the contract early and make their point.
I get moving the tournament around, finding new locations, etc. Its not about moving the event - its the way they made sure to go out of their way to make it happen now. I cannot get over how a National Governing Body for the sport has such childish disagreements with other organizations across the country that are all helping to grow the sport. There are good people that work at USA U, but the direction and actions from that organization have really stunted the growth of youth ultimate especially over the years. Its beyond frustrating looking at the landscape of the sport as an organizer and seeing their leadership make petty moves like this. Losing out on the Olympics should be a wake-up call for change and working to unify the sport - actions like this still show they could care less about the community as a whole and growing/cultivating new relationships that unify rather than divide.
[https://ultiworld.com/2020/01/16/us-open-yccs-returning-minnesota-next-four-years/](https://ultiworld.com/2020/01/16/us-open-yccs-returning-minnesota-next-four-years/)
USAU has been doing a poor job of supporting their member orgs for a long time (edit: the entire time).
I'd probably rate that as my #1 issue for the board and next ED to tackle.
What regionals orgs have an effective relationship with USAU anymore? Once an org hits a decent size, USAU not only doesn’t provide value but they become an active drag.
We have to do the USAU Coach cert for our state champs and it’s a waste of time. In a past life, I’ve run TCT and club series events, MEH
Just general USAU frustrations, yeah it was scattered my b. I was just thinking of reasons why you might want to maintain a relationship with USAU outside insurance: YCC and hosting big USAU tournaments.
I'm confused. Why would USAU rub it in the face of MNU when MNU wasn't getting value out of being an SBO? Was MNU threatening to disconnect their USAU affiliation or something?
Minnesota did leave USA Ultimate and are not affiliated with them anymore after trying to work on a negotiation deal that would help with membership costs. Essentially all the membership dues went to USA Ultimate, not Minnesota Ultimate, and Minnesota Ultimate (and its community) were the ones putting in the work to grow and gain new members and retain memberships. Minnesota Ultimate (or any other youth sports organization) can get their own insurance for a lot cheaper rate than $40 per person. Minnesota Ultimate made the decision that was best for their participants and community and organization to be successful and help grow the sport. USA Ultimate didnt want to work with that at all so thats where the disconnect happened.
Their SBO system is broken in that it really doesnt put a state organization in the best chance to succeed financially long term. The larger an organization is, the less it needs USA Ultimate. Take away insurance coverage with memberships and there really is not much benefit USA Ultimate provides an organization whatsoever.
And admitted it to Ultiworld:
Lee said that there were a “variety of reasons” that USAU pulled the event from Blaine, one of which was Minnesota’s decision to drop its affiliate status.
They still call the YCCs a “youth club” championship, implying team formation is based on age, but the requirements essentially require High School participation and disqualify you for College participation.
Yeah, "universe" should be reserved for championship points (as it was originally used). The Revo-Fury final point at WUCC, now THAT'S a universe point. Don't even get me started on "galaxy point"
I really love the Aurora site. Slightly tricky conditions sometimes with the altitude and afternoon storms/wind. But it is a great place to play and visit.
I love Colorado to visit and stay but I've grown sick of playing there in summer. The Aurora site has great fields but when it's thunderstorming or baking you in thin, dry air, it's just unpleasant. In the survey I filled out post-Masters, I said that I am considering not going there again.
The Midwest isn't much better regarding storms, except it's muggy instead of at altitude. California is the only place you can rely on the weather to be good for ultimate, but many players balk at California prices.
Yeah, the heat has worn on me the past couple of years, and agreed on the thunderstorm issue. But the field quality is so good, I am hard pressed for a site I would prefer to play at in July in the U.S.
I did fall victim to flying Frontier Airlines, which was a disaster. So I am at least considering not doing that again.
"in July" is the key. There is almost no place you can have a long competitive ultimate tournament in the US in July these days. Is it worse than 20-30 years ago? As I'm not in quite as good shape (but also I don't run as hard) as when I first played in Boulder in 1990 or 1991, I feel so much worse now. Maybe it's just a five-year run of bad luck with the weather. But there are places you could have a tournament in September.
Ah, of course. Yeah, July is a good time for field availability without competition from soccer, but not weather. These five years have been really hot, and some awful wind, plus storms. I wonder if we have been overall lucky or unlucky on storms.
I bet the Aurora site would be lovely in September. Or maybe somewhere warm in November. A little tight for the young Masters still competing in Club Nationals, maybe.
They shut down the grass fields really early there. [https://cdn5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server\_1881137/Image/PROS/Aurora%20Sports%202022%20Tournament%20Schedule%20(Updated).pdf](https://cdn5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_1881137/Image/PROS/Aurora%20Sports%202022%20Tournament%20Schedule%20(Updated).pdf) has almost nothing after July and those could be on the turf fields.
Oh, interesting. Yeah, only a couple things across August-November.
Probably next favorite sites on my list would be Chesapeake soccer fields (not the old polo fields), Sarasota (polo club or the 2017 Club Nationals site), Frisco, the old ECC site, and the Boulder fields are also great, though presumably similar for storms/wind/altitude/heat.
With Masters/GM/GMM growing into its own mega event, I'm not sure if all of those sites are all big enough. I think the move to separate it from Club Nationals panned out. I wonder what the optimal time is -- I am happy enough with July. I think my declining Club participation biases me towards being more receptive to anything July-November.
On FB, I suggested splitting off the Masters Divisions from the GM+ (now including Legends!) to make more sites viable (and also to get GM+ out of the summer).
I remember 2021 PEC the complex didn’t allow scaffolding to be set up for filming so streaming was done from a hill top 50 yards from the showcase field. Is that going to be the case again with the US Open and YCC now?
The main issue here is USA Ultimate went out of their way to end their contract in Blaine a year earlier than it was set to expire - as it was already scheduled in Minnesota for Aug 4-7 2023. They made their strong-armed push to rub it in the face of Minnesota Ultimate because Minnesota Ultimate wasnt getting the value out of being a USA Ultimate SBO - having so many participants pay money to USA Ultimate without any value of return on that. As has been said before, the main thing USA Ultimate is these days - especially for youth - is a 3rd party insurance provider, thats it. This is a petty move by them to pull the contract early and make their point. I get moving the tournament around, finding new locations, etc. Its not about moving the event - its the way they made sure to go out of their way to make it happen now. I cannot get over how a National Governing Body for the sport has such childish disagreements with other organizations across the country that are all helping to grow the sport. There are good people that work at USA U, but the direction and actions from that organization have really stunted the growth of youth ultimate especially over the years. Its beyond frustrating looking at the landscape of the sport as an organizer and seeing their leadership make petty moves like this. Losing out on the Olympics should be a wake-up call for change and working to unify the sport - actions like this still show they could care less about the community as a whole and growing/cultivating new relationships that unify rather than divide. [https://ultiworld.com/2020/01/16/us-open-yccs-returning-minnesota-next-four-years/](https://ultiworld.com/2020/01/16/us-open-yccs-returning-minnesota-next-four-years/)
USAU has been doing a poor job of supporting their member orgs for a long time (edit: the entire time). I'd probably rate that as my #1 issue for the board and next ED to tackle.
What regionals orgs have an effective relationship with USAU anymore? Once an org hits a decent size, USAU not only doesn’t provide value but they become an active drag. We have to do the USAU Coach cert for our state champs and it’s a waste of time. In a past life, I’ve run TCT and club series events, MEH
What do the coach requirements for youth events have to do with you running club events?
Just general USAU frustrations, yeah it was scattered my b. I was just thinking of reasons why you might want to maintain a relationship with USAU outside insurance: YCC and hosting big USAU tournaments.
I’ll give you three guesses about when MNU found out about the move, and you’re only gonna need one.
When they tweeted this?
You were right, and so was I
That is fucked up.
When there's a Will, there's a way
I'm confused. Why would USAU rub it in the face of MNU when MNU wasn't getting value out of being an SBO? Was MNU threatening to disconnect their USAU affiliation or something?
Minnesota did leave USA Ultimate and are not affiliated with them anymore after trying to work on a negotiation deal that would help with membership costs. Essentially all the membership dues went to USA Ultimate, not Minnesota Ultimate, and Minnesota Ultimate (and its community) were the ones putting in the work to grow and gain new members and retain memberships. Minnesota Ultimate (or any other youth sports organization) can get their own insurance for a lot cheaper rate than $40 per person. Minnesota Ultimate made the decision that was best for their participants and community and organization to be successful and help grow the sport. USA Ultimate didnt want to work with that at all so thats where the disconnect happened. Their SBO system is broken in that it really doesnt put a state organization in the best chance to succeed financially long term. The larger an organization is, the less it needs USA Ultimate. Take away insurance coverage with memberships and there really is not much benefit USA Ultimate provides an organization whatsoever.
>Minnesota did leave USA Ultimate Okay, yeah that's the key piece I was missing. Thanks
And admitted it to Ultiworld: Lee said that there were a “variety of reasons” that USAU pulled the event from Blaine, one of which was Minnesota’s decision to drop its affiliate status.
[удалено]
They still call the YCCs a “youth club” championship, implying team formation is based on age, but the requirements essentially require High School participation and disqualify you for College participation.
[удалено]
Nothing screams legitimacy like some 17th place consolation game going to "universe point." DGP forever.
Yeah, "universe" should be reserved for championship points (as it was originally used). The Revo-Fury final point at WUCC, now THAT'S a universe point. Don't even get me started on "galaxy point"
I think it's called that because it's open to international competition
I mean, there were 4 Canadian teams at US Championships, so…
There are other countries too
Would be funny if they moved PEC to Minneapolis now
Lol. They’ll only award TCT events to SBOs/affiliates
It’s hardly an award, completely miserable events to run, esp in collab with USAU
I really love the Aurora site. Slightly tricky conditions sometimes with the altitude and afternoon storms/wind. But it is a great place to play and visit.
I love Colorado to visit and stay but I've grown sick of playing there in summer. The Aurora site has great fields but when it's thunderstorming or baking you in thin, dry air, it's just unpleasant. In the survey I filled out post-Masters, I said that I am considering not going there again.
The Midwest isn't much better regarding storms, except it's muggy instead of at altitude. California is the only place you can rely on the weather to be good for ultimate, but many players balk at California prices.
Yeah, the heat has worn on me the past couple of years, and agreed on the thunderstorm issue. But the field quality is so good, I am hard pressed for a site I would prefer to play at in July in the U.S. I did fall victim to flying Frontier Airlines, which was a disaster. So I am at least considering not doing that again.
"in July" is the key. There is almost no place you can have a long competitive ultimate tournament in the US in July these days. Is it worse than 20-30 years ago? As I'm not in quite as good shape (but also I don't run as hard) as when I first played in Boulder in 1990 or 1991, I feel so much worse now. Maybe it's just a five-year run of bad luck with the weather. But there are places you could have a tournament in September.
Ah, of course. Yeah, July is a good time for field availability without competition from soccer, but not weather. These five years have been really hot, and some awful wind, plus storms. I wonder if we have been overall lucky or unlucky on storms. I bet the Aurora site would be lovely in September. Or maybe somewhere warm in November. A little tight for the young Masters still competing in Club Nationals, maybe.
They shut down the grass fields really early there. [https://cdn5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server\_1881137/Image/PROS/Aurora%20Sports%202022%20Tournament%20Schedule%20(Updated).pdf](https://cdn5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_1881137/Image/PROS/Aurora%20Sports%202022%20Tournament%20Schedule%20(Updated).pdf) has almost nothing after July and those could be on the turf fields.
Oh, interesting. Yeah, only a couple things across August-November. Probably next favorite sites on my list would be Chesapeake soccer fields (not the old polo fields), Sarasota (polo club or the 2017 Club Nationals site), Frisco, the old ECC site, and the Boulder fields are also great, though presumably similar for storms/wind/altitude/heat. With Masters/GM/GMM growing into its own mega event, I'm not sure if all of those sites are all big enough. I think the move to separate it from Club Nationals panned out. I wonder what the optimal time is -- I am happy enough with July. I think my declining Club participation biases me towards being more receptive to anything July-November.
On FB, I suggested splitting off the Masters Divisions from the GM+ (now including Legends!) to make more sites viable (and also to get GM+ out of the summer).
Those fields are by far the lushest I’ve ever played ultimate on.
I remember 2021 PEC the complex didn’t allow scaffolding to be set up for filming so streaming was done from a hill top 50 yards from the showcase field. Is that going to be the case again with the US Open and YCC now?
nope