The History of Ultimate Frisbee

By elduvall
  • 708 BCE

    Before Frisbee: Discus and Boomerang

    The boomerang is predicted to of emerged in 10,000 BC and discus followed around 708 BC. They both predate Frisbees as objects used for sports and entertainment.

  • First American Football game: Rutgers V. Princeton

  • "Two Hand Touch" Frisbee Football in Ohio: Aceball

    This early form of the sport was developed at Kenyon College in Gabier Ohio. The students were playing this early version of Frisbee/Ultimate with an Ovnex cake pan. This version was originally termed Ace ball and is accredited to Bud and Tom Southard.

  • Kass and Silver meet

    During their time together at Northfield Mount Hermon summer camp, Jared Kass teaches Joel Silver the precursor sport to Ultimate (that was being played at the time).

  • East vs West championship

    The IFA arranged the championship following the first non-East Coast teams. It becomes a yearly occurrence, with the second one taking place the following year.

  • First known design for a disc intended for flight: Whirlo-Way

    Fred Morisson created this design after coming back from World War II.

  • Fred Morrison and Warren Franscioni start working together in SLO

  • UFO craze took over: "flying disc"

    It created a market for inventors to make money. Hence, this craze benefited the budding disc industry.

  • Birth of the "Flying-Saucer" product

    Morrison and Franscioni partner with Southern California Plastic. They go on to mass-produce the new version of the disc.
  • Period: to

    The Beginning: “When pies start flying”

  • Amherst college games

    Amherst is seen to have a frisbee-like game where, under Professor Georges, it consisted of a "Frisbee", throwing, and catching a plastic or metal serving tray.

  • Aceball documented in media

    By 1950/around 1950 aceball had been covered by LIFE Magazine. More: https://bulletin.kenyon.edu/article/my-generation-1940s-1950s/#:~:text=In%20September%201950%2C%20documentary%20photographer,controversial%20opinion%20about%20Old%20Kenyon.

  • Frisbie's Pie Tin

  • Bill Ross produces "Space Saucer"

    It was a similar product to Morrison (7 years after his Whirlo-Way)

  • The Frisbie Pie Company

    The objects accredited with the birth of Ultimate are none other than pie pans made of tin and cardboard. The specific pans were from a family-owned company in Connecticut: The Frisbie Pie Company, dominating in 1956.

  • Amherst game reaches local media

    In the alumni news, a letter by Peter Schrag (class of 53) describes a frisbee-like game.

  • Pluto Platter

  • Healy brothers discover frisbee

  • Professional model disc

    "Ed Headrick, who joined Wham-O in the 1960s as a part of the IFA, is credited as the creator of the 'professional model' frisbee disc design". So, what made this disc so special? It could fly farther and higher than previous discs. Headrick also patented the concentric, ridge-like rings that improved the aerodynamics of discs based on the design of Fred Morrison (included in the professional model).
    https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-14-me-headrick14-story.html
  • Period: to

    The Age of Corporations: Foundation and Solidification

  • Healy brother start IFA

    The brothers founded the organization as a way to promote the sport on an international level. *Term: IFT-International Frisbee Play
    The organization supported an international community for the sport.

  • The plastic disc finds a place at Amherst

    Amherst players are recorded to use a plastic disk for "frisbee football". The influential individuals connected to this development are Jared Kass, Bob Fein, Richard Jacobson, Robert Marblestone, Steve Ward, Fred Hoxie, Gordon Murray, and quite a few more. However, from that short list, it is seen that quite a few people were taking part. Hence, Jared Kass and friends are attributed with forming a precursor to what is currently known as Ultimate.

  • IFA leadership changes

    The Healy brothers pass the IFA over to Wham-O

  • Time check

    Pluto platter/Frisbees were now a common household item in America.

  • IFA growth

    The IFA starts a Newsletter.

  • Frisbee brought to CHS

    Joel, later that year on his return from camp, pitched what he had learned to the student council at CHS that fall.

  • First salaried executive director of UPA and general UPA developments

    This was accompanied by new bylaws as well as policy manuals. Moreover, this was all happening at the same time/ in conjunction with the new UPA's organizational structures' recent implementation.

  • Major events: change/turnover

    During this time, the Vietnam War was happening, Dr Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated, and music changed as well. Music and politics were not the only things changing as new people, albums, and sports emerged.

  • First official ultimate frisbee game

    The CHS newspaper staff played off against the Student Council this year.

  • Wham-O Master

  • Rise of ultimate teams

    New teams start forming. Some of the new teams this year were the Richmond Avenue Gang, RAG, and Millbourn. games that took place that year:
    CHSVGS vs RAG
    CHS vs Millbourn
    CHS Varsity vs Alumni

  • Ultimate gets its name

    The sport is officially named Ultimate Frisbee. The two individuals attributed with giving the title to the sport are Joel Silver and his friend Buzzy.

  • First rules of ultimate put on paper

    Bernard (Buzzy) Hellring and Jonathan (Jonny) Hines as well as Joel Silver produced the "first" typed rules of Ultimate. These are know as the mimeographed version and gameplay is still largely based around following them. https://ultimatehall.org/members/the-founders-joel-silver-bernard-buzzy-hellring-and-johnathan-jonny-hines/

  • Women in ultimate

    During this year, female players started to enter the sport. Two women of note are Christy Whitehead and Candy Johnson, who are considered two of the first women to fully take up the sport and play consistently. They were both a part of the Richmond Avenue Gang.

  • Death of Buzzy Hellring

    This year marked the end of Buzzy's action in the sport. Thus, leaving Joel and Jonny to carry on the sport.

  • The First Ultimate Conference: New Jersey High School Conference

    The first Ultimate conference happened in 1971 in New Jersey: the New Jersey High School Conference. The players in that conference went on to form teams at colleges and universities (ex., Rutgers and Princeton)
    https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/A2000/1706_I1.PDF

  • First intercollegiate ultimate game

    The Rutgers versus Princeton game that occurred on November 6 in 1972 is recognized as the first collegiate ultimate game. Rutgers won with a score of 29-27.
    https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/A2000/1706_I1.PDF

  • D1 Champions: UNC Darkside(M)

  • First intercollegiate season

    Following the game in 1972 was the emergence of the intercollegiate season. At this point in time 12 teams were competing.

  • Wham-O All American

  • Ultimate intoduced to IFT

    Players from CHS bring (present) ultimate to the international frisbee tournament (IFT)

  • Secound intercollegiate season

  • Disc golf stems off

    Ed Headrick designed the first formal disc golf course in 1975 in Oak Grove Park in La Canada-Flintridge. This is where the history of disc golf separates from Ultimate. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-14-me-headrick14-story.html

  • First ultimate tournament/championship on the collegiate level

    The first ultimate tournament on the collegiate level occurred in 1975, hosted at Yale. Rutgers won the game. It is recorded to have been arranged by Irv Kalb and Dave Leiwant. https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/A2000/1706_I1.PDF

  • IFA change in leadership

    Dan Roddrick became the director of IFA under Wham-O, and hence Ed Headrick left.

  • Wham-O Super Pro

  • Wham-O 141G

  • Wham-O 80 Mold

  • Cross spread across coasts

    1976 marked the spread of Frisbee from one coast to the other, with the participation of teams not originating on the East Coast playing in the National Frisbee Championship.

  • Wham-O 80 revized mold

  • First women's league

    In 1978, FLOW was formed by Sheryl Newland. Its purpose was oriented towards women's representation and participation in Ultimate tournaments across the United States. https://archive.usaultimate.org/about/history/hall_of_fame/suzanne_fields_class_of_2004.aspx#:~:text=1980%3A%20Flying%20disc%20League%20of,Women's%20Division%20of%20the%20UPA.

  • International Frisbee Hall of fame established

  • First IFA frisbee world issue announced

    It provided an update on what was happening in the world of frisbee: information about the “ five-region structure and “the first production of discs with the circular IFA hot stamp".
    https://www.flyingdiscmuseum.com/organizations/ifa

  • IFA establishes regions

    Teams were from/split into one of 5 regions: Central (C); Mid-Atlantic (M); Northeast (N); South (S); West (W). The national championship took place with these teams and divisions in place under the IFA.
    https://archive.usaultimate.org/archives/1979_club.aspx

  • UPA official/Women's league

    The women's division of UPA was founded shortly after FLOW. It was organized by Sheryl Newland. This year also marked the official start of the UPA. The women's division is also accredited to Michele Pezzoli, Suzanne Fields, and Louise Mahoney. Hence, one women's team competes at nationals per region.
    https://archive.usaultimate.org/about/history/hall_of_fame/suzanne_fields_class_of_2004.aspx#:~:text=1980%3A%20Flying%20disc%20League%20of,Women's%20Division%20of%20the%20UPA.

  • Wham-O 81C Mold

  • Wham-O 80E Mold

  • UPA logo contest and creation

    Winner: Neal Dabara

  • Game orientation change

    There is a shift from relying on time to points to mark the duration of a game.

  • Wham-O owner shift

    The company is bought out by Kransco Group Companies (KGC). Hence, a new director was established: Dan Roddrick.

  • First-ever book about Ultimate

    It was called" Ultimate Fundamentals of the sport" and the authors were Irv Kalb and Tom Kennedy. They were both recognized in the Frisbee Hall of Fame. The book's content is still mostly relevant to today, with many of the plays/formations still used.
    https://ultiworld.com/2015/08/26/7-things-i-learned-from-the-first-ever-book-about-ultimate/

  • Nationals expanded

    Due to the increase in popularity rules were amended so that 2 men’s teams per region could compete at regionals.

  • IFA stops activity

    1982 marked the year the IFA shut down. Due to the nature of the organization to promote Wham-O's products. So, with the sale of Wham-O and the transfer of the Frisbee trademark meant they had to stop.

  • Canadian referendum passed to play in nationals

  • First World Ultimate championship

    Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

  • WFDF founded

    The WFDF, the World Flying Disc Federation, acted as the governing body of sports involving Discs. It was formed following the close of the IFA.

  • Emergence of men’s college division

    In 1984, the Men’s College Division was created. Subsequently, Men’s collegiate nationals took place that year, an idea introduced the year before by Andy Borinstein.

  • First paid ultimate coach

    The first coach to be paid for working in this sport was Derek Lent. He was employed at SUNY Purchase.

  • Formation of women's college division

    The division's formation is accredited to Kathy Pufahl and subsequently the 1st women's college level nationals.

  • Introduction of Cub Scouts Merit Badge

    This “badge” was notable, but it is not an official thing, instead, it is a slang term. A player who receives it is one who is frequently at or near the end zone. The player is, hence, like a Cub Scout in that they are eager to take action ( to try and catch the disc). It is a humorous term, but quite common in the Ultimate community.

  • Canada enters the world of Ultimate

    1988 marked the first year Canadian teams competed at regionals and then nationals.

  • 1st High school championships

    This was the year youth ultimate took to a new level with the high school championships as well as the first US Juniors (under 20) team to the world championships. Location for the world: Leuven, Belgium https://usaultimate.org/news/2022/04/usa-ultimate-names-u-20-squad-for-wjuc/#:~:text=Share,Elizabeth%20Jones%20and%20AnnaMaria%20Pape.
  • Period: to

    The Future: Professionalization and Olympic Aspirations

  • UPA gets a telephone number

    In 1989, the UPA got an 800 number. At this point, they had gained Non-profit status with the IRS and hence were able to get this toll-free number.

  • Ultimate reaches world games

    At the world games in Karlsruhe, germany Ultimate waa the exhibition sport. Hence a new level of prestige/recognition had been achieved for Ultimate.

  • League and membership development

    This year the articles of incorporation were filed in Colorado. Similarly New By laws were introduced. One specific development for members was the introduction of the lifetime membership (priced at 200 dollars)

  • First paid part-time secretary

  • Disccraft Ultra-Star

  • First UPA official disc

  • Creation of the Masters division

    This division separated the sport even more into age groups, as it was meant for players 28+.

  • First permanent UPA office

    The office was located in Colorado Springs and brought with it the first salaried employee, the managing director.

  • Wham-O 82E

  • Long-term-focus plan developed

    It was created by Cindy Fisher, and the project involved changes to the UPA ( a new corporate structure). The intended result was for there to be more continuity and greater efficiency, even without an executive director. The plan took 4 years to develop during a time when there was no executive director and did indeed lead the organization to be stronger out of increased efficiency as well as resilience.
    https://archive.usaultimate.org/about/history/hall_of_fame/cindy_fisher_class_of_2016.aspx

  • More region updates

    The Western region gets split. Thus, the number of regions goes up from 5 to 6 with the new separation into Southwest and Northwest.

  • Fall nationals increased

    National now had spots for 14 teams to compete.

  • yellow/red card system approved for game play

  • Joel Silver interview

    Willie Henderson (ultimate player from St. Louis) (discovered Frisbee at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1970s) videotaped an interview with Silver. He mentioned Kass while discussing this period's influence on frisbee.

  • Start of experimental UPA’s coed division

    https://www.flyingdiscmuseum.com/upanewsletter_vol-17_no-02_may97.pdf

  • Callahan Rule introduced

    It was utilized in Athens, Georgia, and legalized the move: being able to have the disc released and caught by the opposing team in the same endzone. Previously, one would have had to carry it back to the goal line and throw to score.

  • Start of Innovation Grants

    The UFA has a program to provide complimentary discs to organizations and individuals involved in ultimate education. Youth and players of color were prioritized for grant distribution. The PDGA also has a similar program for disc golf. Hence, both of those programs would fall under innovation grants.
    https://www.pdga.com/tags/innovation-grant-program#:~:text=Applicants%20are%20encouraged%20to%20think%20outside%20the,recipient%20eligible%20to%20receive%20up%20to%20$1%2C000.

  • First UPA’s junior nationals

    Location: Maplewood, New Jersey

  • First women's masters league

    It had 5 teams. A small number and one associated with its early disbandment until 2009.

  • Permanent UPA co-ed division formed

    It was made permanent after the experimental division from the previous year.

  • College region expansions

    Their number increased from 5 to 8.
    New location breakdown: Atlantic Coast (AC), Central (CN), Great Lakes (GL), Metro East (ME), New England (NE), Northwest (NW), South (SO), and Southwest (SW). https://archive.usaultimate.org/archives/1999_college.aspx

  • X-rules implementation for male teams in UPA

    They were put in place for the UPA men’s college division championship and later the women's. They were built on the Callahan rules. Thus, they became a set of rules all the players had to follow from then on.
    https://ultiworld.com/2012/09/13/team-orange-the-history-of-observers

  • X-rules implementation for female teams in UPA

  • Inclusion in the world games

    Ultimate gets included (as a medal-winning sport) as a sport in the World Games taking place this year. They were happening in Akita, Japan.
  • Period: to

    Membership explosion

    During these years, the sport was seen to gain countless players. This was particularly noteworthy on the membership level, seeing the membership more than double. It is estimated to have reached 600% of the original membership.

  • UPA youth division official formation

  • 1st non-player UPA board member

    Who: Joe Seider

  • Publication of fundamentals of Ultimate

    The author of this book was James Studarus, and it came out as a product of the increased popularity of Ultimate. It covers the basics of ultimate: rules of the game, the spirit of the game, and how to throw a disc. It also includes offenses, defenses, and drills aimed at building one's skills with the disk and in-game. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/488402.Fundamentals_of_Ultimate

  • 1st non-player executive director of UPA

  • Joe Seidlers proposal for USUPA

    He proposed a name change that would support the continued growth of the organization. The proposed new name was the United States Ultimate Players Association.

  • Publication of Ultimate Techniques and Tactics

    The authors of this book were James Parinella and Eric Zazlow.
    It has in-depth instructions that describe throwing, cutting, and catching in game situations. It was also aimed to be a resource for player to improve their skills.

  • First Hall of Fame players inducted

    This year marked the establishment of the Hall of Fame itself.
    The 5 inductees were: Stu Berringer, Rick Collins, Karl Cook, Dan Hyslop, and Scobel Wiggins.
    https://usaultimate.org/news/2021/11/hall-of-fame-welcomes-nine-inductees/
  • Period: to

    Brand change starts for UPA

    The USA ultimate logos started being used in 2004-2008. It was a stem off of what Joe Seidler's proposal of 2003 had started.

  • Milestone: UPA members: 20,000 plus players

  • UPA juniors split

    The highschool nationals get split between Eastern and Western.

  • 2005 World games

    The USA Mixed Ultimate team brings home the gold at the 2005 World Games in Duisburg, Germany.

  • Fury and Seattle Riot rise to fame and power

    Riot goes undefeated 45-0, and Fury's own winning streak was bringing them similar fame, the same year.
  • Period: to

    Master/Grand masters league expands

    These years marked league expansion and creation, as well as the return of the women's masters division (2009). Unlike the preexisting masters leagues, the grand masters league emerged for the first time during this period, a league for players 40+.
  • Period: to

    Youth expansion

    It wasn't only the adult leagues that were gaining popularity, so was the sport on the youth level. This marked the emergence of summer camps as well as youth club championships. However, the trend stayed strong with the Western youth teams wiping out all the others.

  • Wests rise to glory

    This starts in the 2000s but takes hold in 2006-2007 with the Ultimate power players popping up in the West and drawing more strong players to them in the following years.

  • Horizontal field maneuvers take hold

  • Rise of tournaments

    Cultimate (an organization run by ultimate players: Skip Sewell and Byron Hicks) took hold. Its structuring brought money into the sport as it upped the price of entry so that amenities at tournaments were better. At this point, it was being run in coordination with the UPA.
    Their events included: Trouble in Vegas tournament, Strandfrod Invite, Florida Warmup
  • Period: to

    California schools play for glory

    It included the matchups of UCLA vs UCSB and many more. These were all part of, as well as under, the West's rise to power in the sport.

  • The beginning of the UPA’s “Ultimate revolution”

    It was a strategic initiative featuring a five-year plan formed from information gathered from members of the community (coaches to players) and involving four Frisbee regional forums. It is widely seen as a success.

  • Spirit of the game reaffirmed

    This came out of the surveys done for the “Ultimate Revolution”. The community had been split, with people voicing for and against keeping this value, as its impact on the potential growth of the sport was a point of disagreement. However, the surveys reaffirmed that the large majority of the community wanted to keep this value, one that went well with the UPAs' policies. Hence, it was not phased out and continues to be held today

  • 2008 club championship: final Fury v Riot

    Fury triumphs, coming back from a catastrophic point difference of 10-1. Marking their team forever in the history of Ultimate.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2kZCyuGkTI

  • Last college nationals with 16 teams

  • Emergence Conference one (C1): UPA vs C1 battle

    C1 was the result of Hicks leaving Cultimate earlier in the year. He realized he could take college-level ultimate away from the UPA, and hence C1 became in competition with the UPAs bid for power over the sport. His initial plan involved getting the 25 top men's teams to separate themselves from the UPA and a promise of respect as a varsity sport. This caused a big rift in the college Ultimate sphere.

  • UPA defeats C1- 2008

    C1 never actually came to fruition, but the threat it posed to the UPA had lingering effects. Specifically, during the “Ultimate Revolution”, this disruption on the college level led to a focus on college restructuring for gameplay.

  • SGMA survey shows Ultimate as the fastest growing sport in country

    This aligns with the membership growth that was seen in the previous years and the emergence of new teams and leagues.
    (However, this only held between 2005-2011-https://ultiworld.com/2016/12/20/new-data-shows-ultimate-participation-shrinking-especially-among-males/#)

  • Josh Moore starts AUDL on craiglist

    This organization was made out of a desire for a spectator-focused league. The first targets were smaller markets and businesses on Craigslist. It later grew into an ultimate organization to challenge the UPA/USAU.

  • Crawford and Peri Kurshan interview

    This interview marked the New direction Crawford was sending the sport. He highlighted the possibility and accessibility as well as the appeal the sport held. It transformed the UPA, which had been strung together to connect a newly emerging sport to an organized and official governing body.

  • The first CEO of The UPA

    Dr. Tom Crawford officially became the CEO and leader of the organization. He was not an Ultimate player himself, but was devoted to getting the sport into the world. So, when the organization was looking for someone to lead during their restructuring, his past as a manager in the USOC (the Olympics) made him a prime candidate.

  • Players continue to shift to West

    Ex. Riot gains Fury player-Gwen Ambler, from Fury https://ultimatehall.org/members/gwen-ambler/#:~:text=During%20her%208%2Dyear%20tenure,and%20their%20two%20little%20boys.

  • First college national with 20 teams

  • 2009 World Games

    In the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung, the United States Won the gold medal yet again in the Ultimate (mixed) frisbee competition.

  • Fury breaks Championship record

    In 2010, Fury earned their 5th Championship win. Four had been done by both Santa Barbara's Lady Condors and Boston's Godiva Squad, but never five. They went on to break their record of five.

  • CEO Tom Crawford takes on UPA’s name change

    His push is what sent the board to implement the new title, USAU.

  • The final of DIII championship under the USAU name

  • Sectionals becomes Conferences

    This change was necessary as the ever-complicating and growing structure in the Ultimate world. The conferences allowed for DI, DII, and DIII distinctions. It also overcame the issue of regional disputes as conferences could span regions. They had a maximum participation of 12 teams, a much more manageable number than the 25+ sectionals had been previously facing.

  • First Division III college championship and B-team

    This allowed Ultimate to find a place even at smaller colleges as well as for less advanced players. Thus, expanding the sports accessibility and reach to even more people than before.

  • UPA regional boundaries redrawn

    The regions expanded from 8 to 10. This was partly due to the inclusion of new divisions and thus more players in the sport.
    Regions now included:
    Northwest, Southwest, North Central, South Central, Great Lakes, Southeast, Ohio Valley, Atlantic Coast, Metro East, and New England

  • West Coast power reappears

    A trend that had been so obviously seen in earlier years, with the West Coast holding the top of the divisions, reappears in the Bay Area. They held 5 mixed titles attributed to 4 of their teams.

  • UPA becomes USAU

    The name change stemmed from a need for a title that better supported a chance at Olympic status/new professional relationships, as well as a history of people pushing for it. Despite the name change, they continued implementing the Ultimate Revolution. This included the continued support and implementation of a regular season and system for how teams got a bid to the championships. Specifically, the organization made its system the one dictating who got in and who didn't.

  • AUDL emerges

    The American Ultimate Disc League formed as a challenge to the monopoly that the UPA, now USAU, had held on the sport as it made a bid for a new semi-pro ultimate league.

  • DIII championship starts off under the UPA name

  • Kevin Minderhout starts NexGen

    Unlike the AUDL, this organization was more media-focused. The NexGEn organization and thus the tour involved a team made up of some of the top college players against regular club teams. It brought more public presence to the sport and thus members.
    https://skydmagazine.com/2012/01/skydcast-10-nexgen-network-kevin-minderhout/
  • Period: to

    Fugue makes a name for themselves

    The team had been building since 2008 and had a strong season. They went on to win two championships. Their game in the semifinals against Iowa was one of the first USAU games to be broadcast on ESPN3 as a part of the deal the organization had brokered.

  • Push for Ultimates inclusion in 2028

    The Ultimate community set its eyes on inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics program.

  • NeXGen Covers 2011 USAU Club Championships

  • Revolvers rise to prestige

    The team had started in 2006 in the Bay Area, but by 2011, they had won the championship in their division and stayed on top or around the top for many years.

  • The start of Brodie Smith's legacy in Ultimate

    Continuing on the year's trend of media focus, an ultimate player himself was unhappy with the instructional videos publicly available. So, starting his path to aiding this in 2011, he published his first instructional YouTube video on backhand throws.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mlf7nfKYK40
    Through partnerships and collabs, he became a YouTube Ultimate star, teaching and spreading Ultimate online.

  • Last year Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed USAU Club Champions represent the USA at WAGU

  • First U.S Open

    The championship was international. It was a place that supported the growth of the community by supplying a space for players to compete and learn.

  • AUDL grows live spectator Ultimate

    These games overlapped with many of the places NexGen stopped. This year marked a focus on a more fan-friendly focus for the sport. It also had lasting effects, and spectator-oriented ultimate has continued to develop.
    https://ultiworld.com/2012/11/06/why-spectator-ultimate-is-here-to-stay/

  • Emergence of MLU league

    The MLU, Major League Ultimate, was a professional league. It entered the stage in 2012 but was in full swing from 2013 to 2016. It had 8 teams and was primarily based in the United States. It was built off of early dislike with the AUDL and entered the world of Ultimate to stand beside the AUDL and UPA.
    https://ultiworld.com/feature/this-was-ultimate/

  • New USAU plan released

    The USAU released a new plan just as the old one was ending. It was oriented at increasing the presence of Ultimate in the world as well as solidifying an idea of a US Open for the sport.

  • AUDL lawsuit

    The AUDL filed a lawsuit against Ricci and Kilgore *(owners of the Connecticut and Rhode Island teams). They claimed a breach of contract as the original contract had held that no other teams would operate within a 100-mile radius. The AUDL claimed that that was not reasonable/enforceable. This started the spiral for the AUDL that lasted for many years, as more tensions arose after the lawsuit. So, this and the following years marked a very rough time for the AUDL, with its future in jeopardy.

  • The beginning of Ultworld

    Ultworld is accredited as the first actual journalistic institution for Ultimate. They made their first appearance during the AUDL’s first season, covering the tensions and problems that arose. It was started by Charlie Eisenhood, who specifically kicked off the institution with a coverage of the AUDL lawsuit of that year. Ultworld quickly took hold in this period of confusion and development for the sport as people wanted a place to get answers for what was happening.

  • Rest of the world catching up

    During this year, both the mixed and women's USA teams didn't hold Gold at the World Ultimate Guts Championship (WAGU). This marked a shift from previous years, where the USA had held a stronghold on Ultimate.

  • AUDL and MLU in competition

    The AUDL and MLU are seen this year to be drawing players from the same pool. However, the MLU is seen to have greater success than the AUDL in player recruitment, with some of the first AUDL players switching to the MLU.

  • Last year of USAU's Ultimate Revolution Plan

    A lot of the original goals of the plan had been completed, but a lot had also not been done. A primary focus was the restructuring of the club division, of which there were multiple options at the time. They ultimately ended up implementing the Triple Crown.
  • Period: to

    D1 Champions: Pittsburgh En Sabah Nur(M)

  • First AUDL game

    The game was Connecticut Constitution Vs Rhode Island Rampage. It was held in Providence, Rhode Island. The final score was 29-23. This marked the start of the AUDL’s season. It was a new turn for the sport, as unlike with the UPA, the Owners, locations, and rules were different. The season did not come without its difficulties, but they prevailed. They did, however, specifically introduce the use of refs, which continues to be used in higher levels of the sport. https://shorturl.at/U0jEP

  • USAU secures ESPN broadcast

    The agreement meant live coverage for college championships, the US Open, as well as Club championships. It was a big win for the USAU and took a big step towards their goal of mainstreaming and publicizing Ultimate.

  • NexGen League plans get scraped

    Similar to C1, the plan ended up not coming to fruition. It is attributed like C1 to the UPA/USAU’s rapid development, which made the need and reason for the new league no longer necessary, as the current league had adapted to the community's wishes.

  • AUDL’s second season

    This season was much smoother than the first. It ended up with all its scheduled games being played, unlike the many lapses in the first. It also saw the rise of the Madison Radicals and the Toronto Rush. So, the season gained back respect for the AUDL and showed a new level of structure in the league not previously seen.

  • Beginning/First of the Triple Crown Tour

    The TCT was a new structure for competitions. It had club teams compete in a series of tournaments in specified tiers that ended in the national championships. It was a result of the Ultimate Revolution and was praised for the regular season it created and for its ability to match similarly skilled teams.
    https://tct.usaultimate.org/pro-championships/history/

  • Fury's decline and DC Scandals rise

    In 2013, after Fury had gone on to get 7 straight championships, DC Sandel beat them, winning the 2013 National Championships. The team had only reached nationals in 2009 with the addition of Jenny Fey, Molly Roy, Sandy Jorgensen, and Sarah Itoh. This end to Fury's streak by such a new team sent ripples through the division.
    Where: Frisco, Texas

  • Samantha Salvia’s letter

    The letter took on the Fly girls. It claimed the sport was sexualizing women by putting them on the sidelines, not simply growing support for Ultimate. It directly called out the sports placement of women on the sidelines, highlighting how they had excluded women from physically playing the sport on the professional level but were happy to portray them on the sidelines.

  • Taylor Kenmore op-ed

    It was also published in Skyd following Salvia’s. The op-ed called “Gentrification: Women's diminishing role in Ultimate” called out the MLU and AUDL for not honoring the values of equality and inclusivity. Hence, as those leagues were acting currently as exclusive Men’s leagues, they were damaging not one but both of those values. Her op-ed and the question she asked the community about women's place in Ultimate became a central point in the conversations around what Ultimate was.

  • First large scale discussion on gender equality in Ultimate

    Previously, some of the AUDL teams had limited the team to men, and the first cheerleaders were also introduced that year (The Fly Girls). So, during this period when professional Ultimate was growing and developing, questions arose about where the sport would go and what gender equality in the sport would look like. One of the first commentaries is attributed to Samantha Savias' letter in Skyd.

  • Drag’n Thrust builds stage for Mixed Ultimate

    The team from Minneapolis went on to break the Bay Area's grasp on the division. In 2013, they won the Mixed championship in the 2013 USA Ultimate national championships.
    Where: Frisco, Texas

  • MLU's path to failure

    The league, although having more success initially than the AUDL, used tons of money on advertising and other media. It was, hence, a much more flashy league than the AUDL. So, unsurprisingly, due to all those coverage expenses by the end of the season, they had burned through their funds. This didn't initially cause their downfall, as their investor came back with more money. Ultimately, the league's high expenses brought its demise.

  • USAU Full Club restructure Plan released

    This was the official notice that they had gone with the Triple Crown Tour Structure.
  • Period: to

    Drag'n Thrust (Mix) wins 3 straight national championships-

  • Pro Gear Program Created

    It was run under the MLU, which had a deal with PUMA. It produced jerseys for teams and fans. It ultimately highlighted the tensions with the USAU when the USAU banned the use of the MLU’s jerseys in their championships.

  • D3 Champions:Bentley's Icehouse (M)

  • NexGen folds

    The company came before media coverage had come into full fruition within the sport. So, with the new rise, filling in the past gap, in public coverage, the market and need for NexGen had gone away. Hence, financial problems stemming from this lack of demand on their part meant the end for the organization.

  • USAU issues official statement

    The statement called out the other semi-professional league for the values they were promoting. Their policy from then on out prohibited the promotion of the AUDL and MLU. They went so far as to ask teams to reconsider playing teams aligned with the two leagues.
    https://archive.usaultimate.org/news/statement-of-official-position-on-semi-pro-leagues/?pg=23

  • USAU proposes club series/nationals from October to August

    This made sense, given that the weather in parts of the US made hosting a competition unseemly, as well as October meaning the sport was competing for the public's attention against other major sports events. The news, however, was not received well by a significant portion of the Ultimate community. The college-level players were some of the loudest voices, as it meant they wouldn't be able to join club teams till halfway through the season.

  • Scandal(W) claims consecutive national championship win

    Scandal is so important because their streak had ended the one of the once powerful West Coast Fury. They thus represented a change where the East was matching the West yet again in the sport.

  • Ohio State (W) wins 2014 D1 college championships

    This game broke the stronghold the West had previously held on the sport. However, the West Coast-residing Oregon and Stanford teams were close behind.

  • D1 Champions:Colorado Mamabird (M)

  • Revolver(M) takes U.S open and World Club championships

    This team that had made a name for itself in its early years is seen to continue to do so. Thus, it had become a notable team to know in the world of Frisbee history.

  • West coast holds grip on Division 1

    In the past 13 years, the champions across leagues have resided consistently on the West Coast.
  • Period: to

    The development of Game coverage

    From 2014 to 2018, it went from being hard to watch an Ultimate game in your own home to almost all the games having live coverage.
  • Period: to

    D3 Champions:Rice Torque(W)

  • Period: to

    Checking in on the mixed division

    The division was still and had been for a while trying to find its footing with players who wanted a more professional versus laid-back style of play.
  • Period: to

    MLU and AUDL’s race for power over Semipro divisions

    The MLU early in the period seemed a lot more stable and professional than the AUDL and even had its logo put into the PPL stadium in Philadelphia that year. The AUDL, however, was still moving forward, expanding in its own right to 17 teams that year. In the end, the AUDL gained stronger players and continued to grow, while the AUDL started to weaken and ultimately collapse.
  • Period: to

    USAU and Semi Pro league tensions rise

    The USAU and Leagues like MLU and AUDL had very different messages. The USAU was all about inclusivity, equity, and the spirit of the game, unlike the other two, which promoted male-based play and referees/organized game play. This, on top of the USAU’s Triple Crown Tour semi-pro league competing with them for players, put the different organizations at odds during these years.
  • Period: to

    West Coast hands in youth division

    The division was dominated by West Coast teams, with a few exceptions coming from DC youth teams stealing titles in boys and Mixed divisions over the years. The USAU also devoted resources to encouraging high school championships across states, with 26 being held in 2018.

  • USAU announces an inaugural beach championship

    Beach Ultimate wasn't new, but was a small subset of the sport with no organized championships. So, this change marked a new level of organization and recognition for the sport at this level. It is still held in Virginia Beach every year with five divisions, from regular gendered ones to grandmasters.

  • D3 Champions: Franciscan University's Fatal(M)

  • D1 Champions: UNC Darkside(M)

  • Resignation of MLU CEO and commissioner

  • Oregon Fugue (W) wins D1 2015 college championships

    Final game: Oregon Fugue V Stanford Superfly

  • All-Star-Tour

    The tour happened during the summer and took place in the women's league. It was a celebration of women's Ultimate with the 16-player team traveling all over the country to play high-level club games.

  • AUDL has a 9 team expansions

    This made their total 26. The additions from: Asheville, Atlanta, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, San Diego, Jacksonville, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Atlanta.

  • Ultiamte recognized by International Olympic Committee (IOC)

    The WFDF was recognized by the IOC in 2015. As the WFDF, the World Flying Disc Federation, is the
    governing body of the sport, this recognition opened the door for the sport's inclusion in the Olympics.
  • Period: to

    Boston Brute(W) squad wins Women's final of the National championships

    The Brute squad following Scandal’s wins marked yet another Strong East Coast team. They won the national championship in both 2015 and 2016.

  • USAU board vetoed club timeframe change due to communities responses

  • Boston sweeps 2016 club nationals

    All three of Boston's teams won during that year's national championship. It was an unprecedented show of Ultimate power from the East. The following year, yet another Boston team rose to fame.
    Teams: Ironside, Brute Squad, Slow White

  • D1 Champions: Minnesota Duck(M)

  • D3 Champions: Georgia college(M)

  • Ultimate players make it onto the CBS show “The Amazing Race”

    Brodie Smith and Kurt Gibson, both top Ultimate players, appeared in the show in 2016. It allowed for Ultimate to reach a completely new audience as the viewers of the show were quite different then those already watching ESPN cover Ultimate games. Hence, it was a significant step towards the visibility of the sport to the general public.

  • Stanford superfly (W) wins D1 2016 college championships

    It marked the first championship title for Stanford in 9 years.
    Final game: Stanford Superfly V Whitmon team

  • End of MLU

    It was an expected event with their championship being heavily attended. The cause was attributed to Financial stress and conflict in the league operations.

  • Boston's Slow White (Mix) rise to fame

    The team had been a top player but never won until they dethroned the reigning winners, Drag'n Thrust, at nationals in 2016. Specifically, they had been qualifying for nationals since 2005. So, they weren't a new team to the sport.

  • Madison Radicals star in NFL halftime

    During a Green Bay Packers game that year, the team put on a halftime exhibition of the sport. It marked a milestone of the sport, although not an official game, Ultimate was being watched by an NFL stadium-sized crowd.

  • AUDL gains 2 more teams

    Additions from: Dallas and Austin
  • Period: to

    D3 Champions: Carleton Eclipse(W)

  • Master divisions continued growth

    The league was able to fill out three full divisions by the time 2017 rolled around. The importance of this development was that it showed the devotion of players. Specifically, as players aged, they continued to play.

  • Beach Ultimate gains West Coast championship

  • D1 Champions: Carleton College CUT(M)

  • U.S Open combines with YCC

    The US open combines with the Youth Club championships in 2017. It is now called the U.S open club championship.
    https://usopen.usaultimate.org/icc/history/

  • First College title games shown live on ESPNU

  • Seattle Mixtape wins 2017 national championship

  • USAU’s Pull together plan

    The surveys conducted that became the basis of the plan were conducted in 2017, while the plan was aimed at taking place in 2019. The plan was known for the shift away from public visibility to inclusion and promoting diversity within the sport. It also included an emphasis on continuing the Spirit of the Game. This plan was an extension of the debate that had been going on for years around what Ultimate was, not just the game, but the community.

  • First U.S Open game covered live by ESPN2

    The final match was between Minneapolis Drag'n Thrust and Seattle Mixtape and was covered live.

  • Riot's (W) place in the world

    Riot had made a name for themselves early on in the professional levels of Ultimate, and they continued to be around ever since doing such. However, 2017 marked a significant year for them. Specifically, for 16 years, they had made it to the final four and hence the national championships. This year, however, they were knocked out by Atlanta Ozone.

  • D3 Champions: Richmond Spidermonkeys (M)

  • Donovan Award

    It was similar to the Callahan award but meant for D3-level frisbee. Its creation is attributed to Mike Ball, who was a part of the News organization, Ultiworld.

  • Vermont recognized Ultimate as a Varsity sport

    This inclusion of the sport at the Varsity level by an East Coast state marked yet another step towards the recognition the sport had been striving towards for so many years.
  • Period: to

    San Francisco Fury(W) wins women’s nationals-

    This marked the comeback of Fury as a team. They had regained their place of glory within the league. They also went on to win in 2018.
  • Period: to

    AUDL boycott

    During these years, the league was called out yet again for its gender disparity. The boycott in itself was specifically carried out by a select group of Ultimate players for the cause of gender equality. At the time, it had no major effect on the AUDL as they did not add a women's league.
    https://ultiworld.com/2017/12/13/list-players-signed-audl-boycott-statement/
    https://ultiworld.com/2017/12/08/players-organizing-audl-boycott-push-equal-representation-women-men/
  • Period: to

    Dartmouth Princess layout (W) wins D1 college championships

    This marked the first D1 title for New England despite the many others brought home by other leagues. They won in both 2017 and 2018 and hence became the first East Coast team to retain a title in the D1 league.

  • 50 years of Ultimate Celebration

    In 2018, the accomplishment was celebrated in San Diego at the national championships and among current and past players.

  • AUDL after MLU’s fall

    The years following the MLU’s end were good for the AUDL. Their games even spread to Canadian cities. The team to beat that year was the Madison Radicals, who went on to win the 2018 AUDL championship. However, what made this team so special was that the city of Madison and the community were involved and rallied around the team with an impressive turnout.

  • AUDL’s agreement with Stadium

    The signing of this deal with another major sports network meant even more media for Ultimate. It specifically introduced a game of the week series.

  • D3 Champions: Dartmouth(W)

  • D3 Champions: Bryant University(M)

  • Period: to

    AMP (Mix) wins the Ultimate National Championships

    Their win marked the first win in a club division for a Philadelphia team. Hence, a new state was making a name for itself in the sport.

  • Ultimates hopes for 2028 olympics crushed

    In 2022, Ultimate Frisbee was removed from the shortlist for potential sports to be included in the 2028 Olympics. https://ultiworld.com/2022/08/10/ultimate-dropped-from-los-angeles-2028-olympics-consideration/

  • Ultimate's eyes now set on 2032 Olympics

    The community has not given up hope after the 2028 miss. So, they have simply set their eyes on making the sport appealing for the 2032 games.