Welcome to the USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour.
Everyone is invited.
Think of it as the ultimate of Ultimate. The USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour consists of the BEST TEAMS, the BEST ATHLETES, and the BEST EVENTS, showcasing the sport of Ultimate at the highest level.
FOUR FLIGHTS. FOUR LEVELS OF PLAY. FOUR WAYS TO PROGRESS. USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour teams are slotted into four Flights based on competitive performance. The structure allows for the promotion and relegation of teams between Flights from one season to the next based on results. The beauty of the USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour is that anyone can form a team and compete within this structure. The excitement of the Tour is that the best of the best get to compete for the Triple Crown, and everyone will get to watch them take their shot.
TEAMS: Top 8 teams in North America QUALIFICATION: Regular Season Pro Flight Champion plus, the next seven teams based on results from the previous season’s National Championships*
* T he 2013 Pro Flight will consist of the top eight teams from the 2012 USA Ultimate Club Championships
TEAMS: 9th–16th best teams in North America QUALIFICATION: Teams placing 9th–16th, at the previous season’s National Championships
TEAMS: Up to 4 teams per geographic region, 32 teams maximum
QUALIFICATION: Based on Regional
Playoff results, in order of top teams that do not qualify for the National Championships
Beginning with the 2013 season, the USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour provides something for everyone and represents the next step in the evolution of the sport. The elements that have long made Ultimate so popular among players of all levels are the same ones that are propelling it to even greater interest within the sports community. The sport of Ultimate is growing and garnering new fans and players every day—the time for the USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour has come, and everyone is invited!
TEAMS: Unlimited QUALIFICATION: Any USA Ultimate
registered team eligible to compete in the Regular Season or the Post Season Championship Series
EVENTS—GET YOUR GAME ON USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour events span the Regular Season and the Post Season and are designed with dual purposes in mind—to provide meaningful playing opportunities for all teams and showcase the sport of Ultimate at its highest level. FLIGHT
regular season
post season
The Regular Season provides a formal competitive structure for higher Flights, flexible playing opportunities for lower Flights, and opportunities to earn ranking points that impact qualification for the Post Season.
The USA Ultimate Championship Series represents the season finale, providing a national tournament for teams within all Flights, including new teams that didn’t compete in the Regular Season. The Post Season will serve as a mechanism for promoting and relegating teams into the following season’s Flights.
The Regular Season consists of the U.S. Open, five showcase tournaments and any USA Ultimate-sanctioned event. US OPEN ULTIMATE CHAMPIONSHIP 24 best teams in the world; 8 teams per division (Top 4 teams from previous season’s National Championships + 4 International Club Teams)
SECTIONAL PLAYOFFS
Any Select or Classic Flight Team, including new teams, eligible to compete in the post season
PRO FLIGHT EVENT #1 8 Pro Flight Teams per division
PRO FLIGHT EVENT #2 8 Pro Flight Teams per division
PRO/ELITE FLIGHT CHALLENGE EVENT
12 teams per division (Bottom 4 Pro Flight Teams + 8 Elite Flight Teams)
REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
COMPETITIVE INCENTIVES well played. well rewarded.
Winning has its rewards, and the same holds true in Ultimate competition. Teams competing in the USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour are rewarded for their achievements, including: automatic qualification into the following season’s Pro Flight, prize money, an invite to the U.S. Open, wildcards to the National Championships, byes and bids to the Regional Playoffs, and more.
8-16 Teams per division (based on Sectional Playoff results)
REWARD
EARNED BY
Automatic qualification into the following season’s Pro Flight
Winning the Regular Season title
A wildcard to National Championships
If a geographical region has more than one team in the Pro Flight, it is awarded a wildcard for each of those teams
A bye to the Regional Playoffs
All Pro & Elite Flight Teams automatically earn a bye to the Regional Playoffs
A wildcard to the National Championships
Final Regular Season national ranking (based on number of bids available)
Regional Strength bids
Final Regular Season national ranking (based on number of bids available)
Prize Money
• Winning the U.S. Open Championships • Winning the Regular Season title • Winning the National Championships
An invitation to the U.S. Open
Advancing to the semifinals at the previous season’s National Championships
ELITE/SELECT FLIGHT CHALLENGE EVENT 16 teams per division (8 Elite Flight teams + 1 Select Flight Team /geographical region)
SELECT FLIGHT EVENTS
Select Flight Teams given preferred access to a variety of events throughout the country during the regular season
REGULAR SEASON USA ULTIMATE-SANCTIONED EVENTS
Any Pro, Elite, Select or Classic Flight Team eligible to compete in the regular season
Sweat. Strategy. Sheer will. There’s no doubt about it, USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour bragging rights are not easy to come by. A team will be declared the Triple Crown Champion when it is the winning team in all three of the following:
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
16 Teams per division (based on Regional Playoff results)
SET YOUR SIGHTS ON THE TRIPLE CROWN what it takes to win
• The U.S. Open • Pro Flight regular season standings • National Championships
Think your team has what it takes to prevail in the USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour? Find your team’s Flight, prep your players and get ready to deliver your Ultimate best.
USA ULTIMATE TRIPLE CROWN TOUR visualize the victory
You’re going to play plenty of games this season, so begin with the end in mind. See what it takes to advance across Flights during the Regular Season and Post Season. Which Flight will you call your own in 2013?
AUG US OPEN
Top 4 Pro/ 4 International Teams
PROELITE FLIGHT CHALLENGE
SEPT PRO FLIGHT TOUR EVENT I
All 8 Pro Teams
SEPT
OCT
NOVEMBER TOP 8
PRO FLIGHT TOUR EVENT II
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
All 8 Pro Teams
Bottom 4 Pro/ All 8 Elite Teams
REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
Pro Flight & Elite Flight Teams + Sectional Qualifiers
ELITESELECT FLIGHT CHALLENGE
ST
SECTIONAL PLAYOFFS
Select Flight, Classic Flight + Newly Registered Teams
NEXT
SELECT FLIGHT TOURNAMENTS
All 8 Elite/ Top Select Team per region
SEASON FLIGHT PLACEMENT •
JULY
post season
SEASON FLIG HT PLACEMENT • NEXT
JUNE
regular season
SELECT FLIGHT TOURNAMENTS WILL PROVIDE PREFERRED ACCESS TO SELECT FLIGHT TEAMS
ST
SANCTIONED TOURNAMENTS WILL TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, PROVIDING ACCESS TO REGULAR SEASON GAMES TO TEAMS ACROSS ALL FLIGHTS. RESULTS FACTOR IN TO OVERALL REGULAR SEASON RANKINGS.
PRO FLIGHT 8 Teams
BOTTOM 8
ELITE FLIGHT 8 Teams
TOP 4 THAT DID NOT QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS
SELECT FLIGHT 32 Teams
CLASSIC FLIGHT
THE USA ULTIMATE TRIPLE CROWN TOUR SERVES ATHLETES, TEAMS AND FANS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. for teams and athletes • A formal and structured Regular Season for the highest, most competitive Flights and a flexible Regular Season for the lower Flights • Prize money to the winners of the U.S. Open, the Pro Flight Regular Season Champions and the National Champions • A prize money bonus to any team in the Men’s, Women’s or Mixed divisions that wins the USA Ultimate Triple Crown • M eaningful playing opportunities for Pro Flight teams at world-class, nationally broadcast, showcase tournaments • N ational ranking for teams in all Flights with rewards for performance • Regular Season points standings for the highest Flights • Tournament-based Regular Season and Post Season • Structured playing opportunities against teams from other Flights • M ulti-level competition structure that allows easy entry for new teams
for fans • E xciting and organized events that showcase the most competitive and best Ultimate in the world • O pportunity to come out and watch the best athletes and teams in action on a consistent basis • I ncreased television and media coverage to expand the Ultimate fan base and promote the sport • C ompelling, measurable competitive structure that allows fans to follow their favorite team • Reinforce strong loyalty to local teams • A nnual gathering of fans and the international Ultimate community to learn, grow and watch the best 24 teams in the world at the U.S. Open Championships and Convention • Tournaments in fan-friendly venues all across the United States • E xciting tournament format with the opportunity to see multiple athletes and teams compete at a single event • Storylines and stats that create stars and bring the Triple Crown Tour to life