From britdisc-owner@csv.warwick.ac.uk Thu Sep 6 18:42:57 2001 Received: (from daemon@localhost) by pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.11.6/8.11.6) id f86Hc9V17984 for britdisc-outgoing; Thu, 6 Sep 2001 18:38:09 +0100 (BST) Received: from daffodil.csv.warwick.ac.uk (root@daffodil [137.205.192.30]) by pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id f86Hc7817973 for <britdisc-real@pansy.csv.warwick.ac.uk>; Thu, 6 Sep 2001 18:38:07 +0100 (BST) Received: from mail4.svr.pol.co.uk (mail4.svr.pol.co.uk [195.92.193.211]) by daffodil.csv.warwick.ac.uk (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id f86Hc7N16981 for <britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk>; Thu, 6 Sep 2001 18:38:07 +0100 (BST) Received: from modem-425.blotto.dialup.pol.co.uk ([62.25.145.169] helo=ben) by mail4.svr.pol.co.uk with smtp (Exim 3.13 #0) id 15f36K-00052i-00 for britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk; Thu, 06 Sep 2001 18:38:04 +0100 Message-ID: <002401c136fb$de5b4860$a991193e@ben> From: "Ben Ravilious" <ben@ravilious.net> To: "BRITDISC" <britdisc@csv.warwick.ac.uk> Subject: Fw: The UFDA, Me, and The UFDA College National Tourney Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 18:46:15 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 Sender: owner-britdisc@warwick.ac.uk Precedence: bulk posted to the rec.sport.disc newsgroup today..... Ben ----- Original Message ----- From: "D'Haas" <UFDA@mn.rr.com> Newsgroups: rec.sport.disc Sent: 06 September 2001 03:09 Subject: The UFDA, Me, and The UFDA College National Tourney > Hi Folks, > > Dan Webster here, President of the Ultimate Flying Disc Association, > Inc. > > Many people have been barraging me with e-mails regarding the > specifics of the expected Nationally Televised, and Internationally > Webcasted tournament coming up next June (2002). This is great to > read. It actually is also what the network televising the event, and > sponsors want to read--whether favorable or not. > > First, The UFDA was created as a company to assist in the promoting > and developing of our sport of Ultimate. > Why The UFDA was created had to due with three years of extensive > research regarding Ultimate's relationship(s) with the media and > prospective advertising sponsors. > What was overwhelmingly concluded was that for the sport of Ultimate > to elevate itself into the mainstream sports mindset of Americans and > marketplace had to do with the sport making itself an accessable > commodity, not only to the players who like playing the sport, but > those who can't play the sport--and could become tremendous fans, as > well as to those who may be gifted athletes in the sport but have > never been presented with how the sport can be worthy of their time. > > It's hard for me to ever doubt the significance of the UPA. What the > UPA has meant for Ultimate has consisted of significant positives for > it's players. I've always equated it (agree or disagree) with FUBU, > which stands for "For Us, By Us." > However, it's been significantly apparent the growing frustration > between some very gifted and passionate players and the fact that this > sport has very little recognition on the main sports' stage to flaunt > what greatness these men and women possess. > You may argue "That's because Ultimate was meant to be an alternative > to regular sports. Look at what other sports figures are portraying > to our youth." > It's tough to argue with that. But such an argument has NEVER meant > that Ultimate was supposed to be unmarketable! > You may argue, "What about the Japanese television coverage of the > World Games in Japan, or the 5,000 spectators that filled the UPA > College Nationals this year? Aren't those success stories in > themselves?" > My answer is "Yes." > However, the fact is that Ultimate in it's current structure is not an > accessable commodity to Americans, because it has not been an > accessable commodity to the media--meaning it has not been an > accessable commodity to sponsors. Because these sponsors and media are > either unaware or turned-off to Ultimate, many of our youth continue > to be tuned-out as to what Ultimate can offer them, and offer the UPA > in terms of growing memberships. > I'm going to Tune-Up this weekend, in Chicago. I've read how there is > someone that's coming out from some suburban newspaper, or something, > that may do a write-up of the tournament. I'm sorry, but Tune-Up to > me resembles something of national significance, if not at least a > major mention on Chicago's nightly news. > But why will it probably not make it on the news? > 1) The Bears season opener > 2) The Cubs chase for a division pennant as they face Atlanta. > 3) Any possible White Sox coverage > 4) Any Nascar or other auto racing > 5) The U. S. Tennis Open in New York > 6) Some Golf tournament coverage--especially if Tiger is playing. > 7) Possible college football highlights > 8) Possible mentions regarding the Chicago Fire MLS soccer team, or > to-do's with the Bulls, or Black Hawks. > 9) Or maybe some short feature how some football player at Penn State > overcame the odds and is walking again after a crushed C-5 vertibrae > injury (actually, I like this one). > The reason why Ultimate never gets significant mentions on mainstream > media is because the sport has not been an accessable commodity for > the media representatives to believe their audience will want to see. > ***I've worked 7 years as a sports anchor, play-by-play announcer, and > reporter for television and radio. I've been fortunate to (I guess) > know what makes a sport capable of breaking the ice of public > notariety verses one that for decades continually tries to chip away > at the ice with a soft plastic spoon. > > This is why The UFDA was formed.....to allow significant sources in > the media to become aware and learn how special Ultimate is. > > What does this mean for The UFDA's version of Ultimate? > Yes, it does mean some changes. Some (I perceive as) minor rules > changes--all of which blend more marketable tension in the action of > the game while seeking to make the sport safer to its players. > I can't get into the specifics on these changes until after the > network has signed the committment portion of the contract. I have > been allowed the authority to state an "agreement of intent" is > present. This is why I'm able to state the event as Nationally > Televised and Internationally Wecasted. > However, because of this, I am contractually obligated not to mention > who the network is until that portion has been signed. The reason > that the committment portion has not been signed is because part of > the stipulation in that portion of the contract states there must be a > "sustained and irrevovable financial interest to perform" in the > tournament. > Before I can even ask if that portion is present, I have to present to > you that this large tournament will be televised and webcasted. While > I run a significant risk of perceived "baiting", the legal reality is > that if these 160 team slots are filled to the $4,000 per team entry > fee (with all what that offers), the network and advertisers will > understand the sincerity and passion of it's players. I was told by > the network it was me taking the risk, but I knew I also would risk > not even having this opportunity to put on this tournament--and > getting the opportunity to speak with significant network decision > makers--without risking my own neck (and $4,000 to $6,000). > The reason why there has been no "baiting" is because I have not > accepted and kept for personal use any money from any team. > At this time, I am only trying to learn who and how many teams are > interested in this world's first mamouth endeavor. > > By November 1st, 2001, I have to show the network that at least 96 > men's/open teams and 64 women's Collegiate teams have expressed in > writing an interest in playing in this tournament. If that occurs, > the network could do some preliminary planning as to selling airtime > for a prospective "Special Television Event". > By January 1st, 2001 (possibly sooner), I have to show $640,000 to the > network, and other possible investors(based on all 160 teams wanting > hotel rooms). There is a hotel chain that is a marquee sponsor of the > television event--provided we have the television event. > This money will then sit in a money market fund earning interest while > the actual events leading to the tournament, and "Special Television > Event", are physically being produced. > You may ask, "Hey! This is a lot of money being handed to this UFDA > prospect project of yours Dan. How do we know you aren't just going > to take the money and run?" > The answer is simple: The money is not mine, and never will be mine > to begin with. Thus, I will never be able to dip into this money/fund > for any personal reason--EVER! This money is yours, with the intent > on having your team come to the Twin Cities next June to play in this > breathtaking event. > So how do I get paid? > Quite honestly, I really don't think I will be paid anything. I'm not > asking for any cut for this or that, like I've heard some organizers > do at other tournaments. I earn no salary as President of The UFDA. > Every dollar that I've had to spend to meet with people--on their > time, and pay for travel and producing a show called The UFDA > Today--has come from my own prsonal expense. Taking financial cuts > from your intent money is NOT why The UFDA was set up. > > ***The reason why $4,000 has been asked as an entry fee for each team? > Yes, I agree that's quite much to ask. However, it is an amount > that's not too far out of line with what a person would pay for 7 > nights hotel, dinners, food, water, fields, medical assurance care, > and other emenities at any other tournament. Plus it assures > advertising costs are covered, production costs are covered, thus > solidifying this "Special Television (and Webcast) Event". > Ask most any other person having to play at World's, and maybe even > Nationals, or even Tune-Up, how much it costs personally to play, and > on a relative scale the 2002 UFDA Collegiate National Tournament is > not too out of line. > ###And you have my assurance that you will not need to pay anything > more as an entry fee, and any excess money above costs will be > proportionately returned to the teams. If and when there's extra > money provided from (I don't know) concessions (there are no ticket > sales), or advertising dollars, or something else along those lines, > that money will become part of any excess pot of money, available to > be returned to the teams. > > Folks, I've basically spelled out what I can at this time. Please > believe me, I have absolutely no motive of deceit or intent for > wanting to swindle anyone out of anything. And everyone else will > have priority to all the money and glories associated with this > undertaking before I ever will (my now ex-fiancee--as of last week was > never fond of this). > But as to you, as I have painstakingly tried to convey to her (she not > an Ultimate Player), it's time for Ultimate to be showcased on a > National Television stage, and International Webcast stage. > > If you want it, I've done--and will continue to do--much of the grunt > work to make this a reality. I simply ask for this chance. I really > worry that it will never be able to happen again, if it doesn't occur > June 2002. > > There's a lot of volunteers waiting to make your visit to the Twin > Cities an extremely favorable and memorable one. There's some kid out > there I believe waiting for an Ultimate hero to look up to as an > athlete. > > I was once that kid. > > Dan Webster, The UFDA.