AUDL Team Owner Jim Gerencser Talks About Semi-Pro Ultimate

Podcast Episode 139 of Going Deep with Aaron Watson talks with Jim Gerencser, owner of AUDL 2016 Champions Dallas Roughnecks (AUDL), minority owner of the Philadelphia Phoenix, the founder of E.R.I.C., plus supporter of many other ultimate-related projects.

Here are some podcast highlights:
[17:50]  Gerencser claims to be the #3 guy in in spending money on ultimate.

[21:00] ERIC Tour reaching (introducing ultimate to) 40,000 youths.

Dallas Roughnecks Roster
Kurt Gibson stayed at Jim's house...and gave him a "little break" on his rent.
Beau Kittredge is part-owner of the Dallas AUDL team.

Baseball compared to ultimate
Jim Gerencser: "Baseball is boring as fuck! Excuse my language. Holy shit!"

Goals for the Philadelphia Phoenix
[23:52] Support the build up of the team.
Get their social media going.
Try to put together a team to win the east next year (2017).
Not aimed to smush [Spinners]. "I think they're going away with us trying to do that."

Major League Ultimate vs American Ultimate Disc League
MLU: Great league for what they are doing....but it's B-level players. They still have a great product. Some things are better than what the AUDL does.

Jim referred to MLU as "more like a timeshare." He preferred owning a business, so he bought an AUDL franchise instead.

>Listen to the entire GDwAW podcast.

How to Count Seconds Effectively

Which method is a more effective way to count out seconds?
A. 1 one-thousand, 2 one-thousand, etc...
or
B. 1-Mississippi, 2-Mississippi, etc...
or
C. 1-Alligator, 2-Alligator, etc...
or
D. Other

How To Do Everything podcast [ep 234; March 11, 2016] unscientifically tested the methods of how fast people counted seconds. Counting is a skill players (and observers) in a self-refereed sports must possess. Most of the counting participants on the podcast counted too slow with the word pausing.

It's generally accepted that ultimate players fast count their stalling.  So, would requiring a word pause help with the a correctly interval-ed stall count?

By rule, the word "Stalling" should start or restart every stall count as a signal.

via WFDF rules for ultimate

via USA Ultimate Rules 11th edition

A solution might be to require the word "stalling" to be used in between each number in the marker's stall count.



So, this would truly be the ultimate science fair project, or just a fun experiment at an ultimate tournament.

• Can an ultimate player accurately count up to 10 seconds by 1-second intervals. Compare results of count before being active and after running, or being a marker.  
• Can an ultimate player looking to throw a disc ably judge when a stall count is not at 1-second intervals?
• Compare the the standard counting up (1-10) with counting down (to 0) with accuracy with stall counts.

MLU's Cleats and Cufflinks Reaches Its 50th Episode

Congrats to Cleats & Cufflinks, Major League Ultimate's regular podcast, for reaching a milestone.

Early in the 50th episode, MLU's Executive VP and podcast host Nic Darling reflected on the accomplishment with: "This show has come and gone, had its ups and downs, its changes in personnel."



Much later, Nic takes a wider angle on how much the sport of ultimate has grown and has been embraced. Darling says: "We are starting to gain acceptance....as a sport. And, this is not just our work. The AUDL gets credit for this. USA U[ltimate] gets credit for this. All the players out there working....The sport is gaining...leaps and bounds of respect."

Ultimate Draft Day

This exchange from Ultiworld's Deep Look podcast [April 20, 2016 episode] is entertaining.

Sean Childers asks Charlie Eisenhood to imagine a fall college ultimate tournament (with extremely windy conditions at the Triple Crown Tour  2015 Pro Flight Finale, back in August 2015).

Charlie hilariously responds: "I don't even want to think about that. That hurts me. I'm physically in pain."

[Quote card by SLUDGE]

AUDL Podcast Renamed to Friday Forecast

The AUDL Podcast previewing upcoming weekend games has a new name; a title that is more catchy. The weekly in-season podcast hosted by Evan Lepler updated its name as of the April 8th recording to Friday Forecast.



Evan's rationale for accepting the renaming suggestion:
1. Friday and Forecast are alliterative.
2. Sounds "meteorological," like weather reports that are never 100% right - just like (as Evan freely admits) his predictions on American Ultimate Disc League games.

Flatball Radio Heard on NPR

Flatball Radio was featured on NPR's (WBUR) Only A Game weekly sports podcast on heard public radio.



From the WBUR article: Ultimate players and fans are super-welcoming. They're like a bunch of misfits who've found each other, and in finding each other, they've found a place to belong.

Matt Mastrantuono, creator of Faltball Radio and who also directed Chasing Sarasota, said: "I think there are stereotypes about Ultimate Frisbee for a reason. We're a goofy bunch. Some of the smartest, most interesting people that I know come from this community, so I think that, you know, I think we're able to get them to branch out to do more than just things with a little plastic Frisbee."

MLU Improvements for the 2016 Season

Ahead of this weekend when Major League Ultimate's third season begins, below are areas of improvement for MLU's 2016 season.

1. Consistency of the Live Stream for Broadcasts

The stream is back up as the @BostonWhitecaps lead the @PhillySpinners 18-14 with 9:08 left in the game! http://t.co/UPKDlGnFBy

— MLU (@MLUltimate) July 18, 2015

The stream was a constant issue again and again during live broadcasts. (NOTE: The stream is a regular issue for any live streamed event) The stream would drop, the audio was off, and overall the technical issues made it challenging to watch the intermittent feed.

2. Use Data Visuals during Broadcasts
MLU wonderfully collects lots of game data and has shown they know how to use collected data. Adding these visuals during the broadcasted game would add value for the viewing audience.

3. Better MLU Podcasts
2014 was the year of MLU podcasts, but then they disappeared. There was a 6-month gap in between episodes until Cleats & Cufflinks returned. Now, with Nic Darling and Dusty Rhodes, C&C has been steadily entertaining - especially episode 38. Looking forward to listening to more MLU insight on future podcasts.

4. Find a better camera angle without obstructive views
Yes, that's a pole blocking your view of the disc.

screengrab of Seattle game footage

The camera setup at Seattle Rainmakers' games must find a better angle to avoid obstruction(s). That is all.

5. Move MLU Championship to the West Coast
For the past 3 years, the championship game has been hosted in/near Philadelphia. MLU should either find a West Coast venue or allow the Western Conference winner to host the championship game. First, it's time to share the joys of the MLU Championship game with the left coast. Second, a team from the West has never won the MLU Trophy. Travel may be a factor (maybe not); let's find out.

NOTE: I'm first & foremost a fan of ultimate. I attended MLU games in DC and followed the 2015 season. These suggestions are meant as constructive feedback to aid the sport.

MLU Cleats and Cufflinks Podcast Delves Deep

Episode 38 of MLU's Cleats & Cufflinks is a heavy dose of Frisbee Zen led by The Dusty Lama. Dusty focuses on the pivot foot, disc spins and the sphere of catchability.

Warm up your ears. Open your mind. Breathe In. Listen. Breathe Out. Repeat.

Dusty re: pivot foot [17:55]: "It's almost like a limit function in math. Where it's like you decrease to this point where it's essentially zero. And the last thing that is touching the ground - that's your pivot. Until you get to the last thing you have multiple pivots. So, you are constantly decreasing the number of pivots you have until you're stuck with one spot."



Forward to the 22:05 mark of the podcast or video to hear Nic Darling's reaction: "We're running the risk of perhaps annoying our audience."

AUDL Podcast Returns

The AUDL Podcast returned today with Evan Lepler previewing the 2016 AUDL season, which starts tomorrow - not today.


Evan who is the lead broadcaster for AUDL's ESPN3 games and scribes weekly league roundups gives what is the quote of the AUDL season (so far). Evan: "I’ve got an awesome life. I’m not complaining at all."

Well said, Evan.

Chart: AUDL Division Champions 2012-2015

AUDL Broadcaster extraordinaire and Tuesday Toss author Evan Lepler shared this nugget: "In each of the four AUDL divisions, there has only ever been one champion since the league expanded beyond eight teams in 2013. Madison, a three-time winner of the Midwest. Toronto, a three-time winner of the East. Raleigh, a one-time winner of the South. And San Jose, a two-timer out West."

A visual to supplement the AUDL history fact:

Division Champions
[2012: Philadelphia Spinners*, Indianapolis AlleyCats] (8-team league, 2 divisions)

2013: Madison Radicals, Toronto Rush* (2 divisions)

2014: Madison Radicals, Toronto Rush, San Jose Spiders* (3 divisions)

2015: Madison Radicals, Toronto Rush, San Jose Spiders*, Raleigh Flyers (4 divisions)
* = AUDL Champion


While an interesting trend, AUDL Executive Council member Tim DeByl acknowledges the danger of a young league having the same teams in the postseason. On Ultiworld's Deep Look podcast, Tim said: "Don't want to have Madison in the [AUDL] finals every single year. You do if you're me, but at the league level you don't." (Tim DeByl is also owner and coach of the Madison Radcials.)

NOTE: Indy is currently in the Midwestern Division, but was in the "Western" Division in AUDL's inaugural year (2012).

What is Goaltimate?

Skip Sewell discussed the new organization organizing goaltimate on Ultiworld's Deep Look [January 26, 2016 episode] podcast.

When asked to describe goaltimate, Sewell responded with:

Sewell: "Goaltimate is essentially the half-court basketball of ultimate Frisbee...involves a hoop - an arc that you throw the disc through (that's how you score). It's 4-on-4; 5-second stall count. It's a much faster, much more portable game than ultimate."

To be honest, portability has never crossed my mind in defining a field sport. Is the comparison setting up 8 cones for an ultimate field versus erecting the goaltimate kit?

----------

Earlier in the month, USAG conducted a Twitter poll on abbreviation preferences of goaltimate. The survey results should not shock you.

screengrab via

Nearly 8 out of 10 respondents chose "goalty" over the other 2 choices - goalti (nuh-uh) and goal-ultimate (not a chance). For the record, "goal-ultimate" is not an abbreviation.

Pittsburgh Ultimate Team Considers Name Change To Washington Redskins

According to Sin The Fields podcast [December 31, 2015 episode], the selection process of Pittsburgh's co-ed ultimate team — Muff'n Men — is underway. The team played as "Muff'n Men" since its founding in 2007, but the mixed division team was forced to change their name by USA Ultimate for the Triple Crown tour 2015 season.

Sin The Fields did a 4-minute segment (starting at 30:00 *WARNING: strong language*) on some of the poll choices of Pittsburghian options plus the write-in choices.  And, the write-in with one of the most votes was...
"Washington Redskins" with 6 total votes.

See the online poll: https://polldaddy.com/poll/9161069/

screengrab of online poll

Patrick Stegemoeller, co-host of STF, labeled the DC NFL football team choice as "Andy Kaufman-level."

Co-host Tad Wissel dared the Pittsburgh ultimate team to "do the right thing."

While some politicians have publicly opined that the Washington professional football team should change the name, it's clear the name change remains a hot button issue for the NFL team. States are even taking measures to forbid the use of Native American names as mascots.

----------

See below for The Muff 'n Men's team name poll introduction and a disclaimer that votes are "informational only and will be used to help determine a new team name."

screengrab via

Increased Youth Participation in Ultimate

Last month, The Boston Globe published an article praising the benefits of ultimate - both in popularity and with stellar quotes. Radio Lab's podcast 'American Football' cites similar sentiments regarding football's decline. Local ultimate clubs should take note to start (or continue) youth-specific ultimate events and/or leagues.

Here are some choice snippets:

Why does Henry like Ultimate?  "He says 'we don't have refs and there's a lot more running around."

[Ultimate is described as] "an awesome" sport that combines "athleticism, good attitude, and fun" by Dean Ranzo.

Ultimate Frisbee is the game of choice for Gillian Epstein's children. Her 13-year-old son has been playing for a few years, and this year her 9-year-old daughter signed up as well. "I appreciate that Ultimate is relaxed, all-inclusive, and very positive. We were thrilled that the program agreed to take younger ages this summer, and my daughter loves it — it was the only team sport she was willing to consider."

Analysis
On the list of 11 sports charted in the article, the number of participants aged 6- to 12-year-olds in the sport of ultimate (439,000) is the highest compared to the other 4 sports with an increase in participation. Ultimate- as a team sport - ranks 7th in participation (as of 2014) and ranks 5th in increased participation (since 2007).  Since 2007, participation in ultimate by 6-12 y.o. has increased nearly 25% with 87,000 more participants.

See below for a condensed chart on the five team sports with increased participation by 6-12 year olds. SFIA considered racquetball and squash as "team" sports.

This trend is nothing new for USA Ultimate. USAU has experienced 12 consecutive years of growth in youth memberships - considered to be under 19. (Youth members are allowed to participate in USAU sanctioned Youth Division events.)

Youth Membership Growth [USAU Annual Report 2014] 

From the article: Just 40 percent of children ages 6 to 12 played team sports on a regular basis in 2013, down from 44.5 percent in 2008, according to the [Aspen Institute] report, which cited statistics from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Football has seen the steepest decline, but participation has also fallen in baseball, softball, soccer, and basketball. Meanwhile, more kids are playing racquetball, ice hockey, lacrosse, Ultimate Frisbee, and squash. 

Read the entire article.

RELATED: Ultimate had over 5 million participants per SFIA in 2012.

Jody Avirgan: Ultimate Messenger

If you play ultimate, then you have undoubtedly attempted to describe the sport.  If employed, the topic of ultimate might come up during conversations with co-workers.

So, what are you up to this weekend? 

"Driving to Illinois to play in an ultimate tournament."

Hey, what are you doing tonight?

"Going to a 3-hour practice with my ultimate frisbee team."

Does anyone know where the stapler is?

"Ultimate is a sport!"

What I'm try to say is that ultimate can be weaved into conversations at the workplace. There may not be much interest in your chatter about ultimate which makes Jody Avirgan's accomplishments a commendable act.

Jody Avirgan, who lives in New York, has played for PoNY (club) and Rumble (pro). Plus, Avirgan has experience as an assistant coach for USA Ultimate national teams — U-19 and U-23. You might know him from this MLU highlight from 2013...



According to his bio, he has worked at WNYC and currently works at FiveThirtyEight. Freakonomics Radio (in partnership with WNYC) claims to be one of the most popular podcasts in the world, with more than 5 million downloads per month. 538 is a favorite analytical site whose scope also reaches outside of politics.

Avirgan has successfully incorporated ultimate into these work projects in 2013 and 2015.
2013: What Do Skating Rinks, Ultimate Frisbee, and the World Have in Common?

2015: A Plea For More Frisbee Data From A U.S. Ultimate Coach

And, by doing so, has introduced ultimate to a wider audience.

MLU Cleats and Cufflinks Returns

After a 6+ month hiatus, MLU's poodcast Cleats and Cufflinks returns. Episode 24 [November 9] was with regular contributor Nic Darling ("Cleats"), but minus "Cufflinks" (Jeff Snader) who stepped down in September.

1. Cleats and Cufflinks podcast has new cover art. If you look closely, you will see MLU cufflinks aside red PUMA cleats because the podcast is still titled, Cleats & Cufflinks.

2. Cleats and Cufflinks clocks in at under 30 minutes. This format change was mentioned late in the podcast as "a little shorter, a little tighter." And, Nic joked: "Maybe some people will miss the extensive banter, but that's the way it is."

You might remember back in April 2015 I asked for a more "succinct podcast" and voila!

3. The MLU drafted a strategy for their 2014 season. Now, for the 2016 season, MLU Executive VP Nic Darling describes Major League Ultimate as a more welcoming organization in regard to MLU's strategic positioning.

[MLU is] "looking at the whole pantheon of ultimate. and saying: we're a piece of this, but there are all these important parts of it that we should be paying more attention to...that we should be talking about, that we should getting input from. We want to become sort of a stronger and better part of the overall community."

An example of this strategy can be seen with MLU's recent article praising USA Ultimate's partnership with Boy Scouts of America.

Review of MLU 2014 Season

Ahead of this weekend when Major League Ultimate's third season begins, below is an assessment of MLU's 2014 season.

CONTENT
MLU demonstrates a clear understanding of the value of content in the sports entertainment business. Beyond game pictures by UltiPhotos and broadcasted video coverage of games, MLU publishes full write-ups before AND after the game for all eight teams. Whether you want it or not, each and every MLU game has hype.

Big props for not shying away from unflattering content about an MLU team. (See Dusty Rhodes' coverage of Boston's 17-point win over New York.)

The immediate game recaps "Rapid Reaction" were invaluable [Example.] Looking forward to the next evolution of these content media - merging the Rapid Reaction text + the game footage into a narrated video summary.

VIDEO
The Plays of the Week (best play on offense, best D, best catch and best throw) were a must-watch as were the weekly highlights. Video quality was steady all season long. Disappointed in the editing of 2014 championship highlights which seemed less put together than the 2013 video.

PODCASTS
*The John & Greg Show (now Luke & Greg Show)
This podcast consistently pumped out geek-out minutiae for MLU fans (hey, a new tagline?). Sad to see John go, but encouraged to hear Luke's perspective in the conversation.

*Cleats & Cufflinks
I have a love-hate relationship with this podcast. The insider info gained from Snader & Nic's chatter is entertaining. The downfall, though, is when discussion strays from league topics. Episode 22 edges close to a shark jump by talking about random sh*t that was thinly related back to the league. If I wanted to eavesdrop on a conversation about TV shows, I'd just go to my local Chipotle. Hoping C&C find their way again as the season starts, or consider a more succinct podcast.

SEASON FORMAT
The 10 game regular season, and 10-minute quarters are both keepers. Speaking of 10...10-yard end zones should be considered as a field dimension tweak to help defenses and be visually intuitive for the audience.

UNIFORMS
So I criticized the 2013 MLU's shorts for being too baggy. Well, in 2014, both shorts and shirts were meant to be tailored with an "ergonomic fit" yet ended up being poorly sized. MLU's PUMA jerseys were designed with much thought, but the shorts were boring with their lack of design. Of note, the 2014 MLU shorts were never offered available for sale.
[NOTE: Jerseys for MLU's 2015 season were produced by Canterbury.]

BREAKING NEW GROUND
MLU created this stunning minimalist field design for the championship game.

ESPN
Exposure via ESPN is always a goal. When MLU's championship game showed up on ESPN's Streak for the Cash was certainly unique.

Congrats on your second season! Looking forward to what's in store for MLU: Season 3!

NOTE: I'm first & foremost a fan of ultimate. I attended MLU games in DC and followed the 2014 season. These suggestions are meant as constructive feedback to aid the sport.

Slate Podcast Talks Ultimate Frisbee

Slate's sports podcast Hang Up and Listen spent 3 minutes and 12 seconds on the sport of Ultimate Frisbee in their March 2nd, 2015, episode. Ultimate was the main topic for one 'Afterballs' segment where Josh Levin (Slate's executive editor and originator of the "Shaggy defense," which has nothing to do with defending one's sports goal) focused on India's ultimate scene.

Fast forward to 57:15 to hear the segment on ultimate.

The Sundance-winning film, 175 Grams, was the introduction to the segment. Levin drops knowledge about WFDF's revocation of Flying Disc Federation of India and the India's Ultimate Players Association.

India's beach team jerseys (seen below) are given high praise because of the peacock image.

India beach jerseys [via]

Additional mentions include: WFDF country rankings (India is 43rd out of 45) and the World Championships of Beach Ultimate in Dubai.

[h/t HULA Podcast]

Pro Ultimate Player Benefits (MLU)

In December 2014, Major League Ultimate's podcast Cleats & Cufflinks (ep 21) addressed "MLU Player Benefits."

From the podcast, here is the list of what MLU provides to their professional Ultimate players:
1. Gear.
Jersey top & bottom; Base layer top and bottom; hat from DiscStore; SmartWool socks; warm ups.
2. Practice fields.
3. Food stipend.
4. Food/drink at games.
5. Certified trainers at each game.
6. Locker room facilities at game field.
7. Trained referees.
8. Paid opportunity to participate in NIKE Camps and Outreach Clinics
9. Chartered travel arrangements
Via bus &/or flight.
10. Insurance.
11. Offering competitive games, consistently.
12. Consistent branding.
From photos to the no-hat rule, the look is the same.
13. Player Advisory Committee



MLU just published "The MLU Player Experience, On-Field and Off-Field Player Benefits" infographic which includes the list from above and more, including getting "paid on a per game basis."

via MLU

Skippy to be Major Sponsor of Major League Ultimate

Hormel Foods' peanut butter brand, SKIPPY, was announced as a sponsor of MLU. As the Major League Ultimate press release mentions: "peanut butter has been the protein of choice on ultimate sidelines for decades." This new creamy/chunky sponsorship for pro Ultimate league going on its third season was first discussed in the MLU's podcast [episode 19].

MLU commissioner Jeff Snader even got into the pun business when he was quoted as saying, "I'm very excited to spread the word about SKIPPY to the vast ultimate frisbee community."

Skippy's YIPPEE ad campaign - via @TheFunNut - will also be featured during MLU game days. Of note, the twitter page of The Fun Nut shows a baseball and a basketball, yet is conspicuously void of a flying disc.
...

And, now, to honor this sweet deal, here's a little fun with former MLU's Creative Director and Brand Manager, Matthew "Skip" Sewell.

UPDATED 2/12/2015

MLU Expansion Plans

In Episode 18 of Major League Ultimate's podcast, Cleat & Cufflinks, League Commissioner Jeff Snader with Executive V.P. Nic Darling announced the league's expansion plan. They talk about AUDL's aggressive growth plan and how it compares to major league sports. MLU currently has 8 pro ultimate teams - 4 in the east, 4 in the west.

They provide a long winded answer rationale to the lingering question: "Who is going to be around in 5 years – you or the AUDL?"

Snader: "By 2018, we will have 10 teams, maybe 12. We will move that slowly. It will be in line and trajectory with what others have done to get to the path of having billionaire dollar owners. And that's the path we have chosen."

MLU VP Nic Darling: "The way we differ from the AUDL is from a business perspective. We're trying to do the thing that makes the most sense. To propel us forward. And we don't want to go forward and back. We don't want to go to 14 teams and back to 12 teams."