Fellas,
This is my last post as the Boomland Travel’s blogger. I seem to have an increased amount of work due to physical therapy, getting back into shape, and trying to get into law school or something like that. It just seems that I am unable to give you guys the kind of attention you deserve as respected men of the Ultimate community. I may have some random posts throughout the year, but nothing on a consistent basis. No worries though, your media crazed minds will be left in the extremely capable hands of Mark and Wego. I cannot think of a better tandem to take over this huge honor.
McLain
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Ultimate: A Cultural Perspective
I. Introduction
We all love playing the game of Ultimate or else we wouldn’t practice, lift, and workout every week. However, our love is not felt by the majority of the world. Keeping these two views of Ultimate in mind, let’s examine the question of whether Ultimate is a mainstream novelty or an accepted athletic endeavor.
What exactly does it mean to be inducted into mainstream culture? What even is the mainstream? The mainstream, as reported by Wikipedia, consists of the common and current views held by the masses. These ordinary and usual beliefs are tied to corporate or commercial entities. Mainstream culture is propagated by the mass media to the popular culture. For an activity to be considered a novelty of mainstream culture it must be dropped from popular consciousness in a fad-like fashion.
On the other hand, how does a sport become accepted by culture? To be accepted, a sport most be respected enough to be played by athletes that will further the game. To have people play a sport does not necessary ensure that sport’s success, they must be organized and passionate.
II. Disc and Ultimate History
1871 – 1958 = The Frisbie Baking Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, makes pies sold in tins with “Frisbie” imprinted on them.
1920’s = Supposedly Yale students begin tossing the tins as discs.
1948 = Walter Frederick Morrison and Warren Franscioni invent a plastic version of the Frisbie tin.
1957 = WHAM –O buys the rights to the plastic disc and begins production soon after.
1958 = WHAM–O modifies its plastic disc and trademarks the name "Frisbee.”
1967 = The International Frisbee Association is founded.
1968 = Joe Silver designs a team disc game (the early form of Ultimate) at Columbia High School in New Jersey. The first game is between the Student Council and school newspaper.
(Side Note: There were no limits to the amount of players on the field, you could run with the disc, and it had a series of downs. Soon after running with the disc and the downs were eliminated. Also, defensive rules were made and fouls were defined “as any action sufficient to arouse the ire of your opponent.” Instead of Spirit of the Game, the players used the term “gentlemen’s game.”)
1970 = the first printed version of Ultimate’s rules were printed and sent to surrounding New Jersey high schools.
Nov. 7, 1970 = the first interscholastic game between Columbia high School and Millburn High School was played (43 – 10).
Nov 6, 1972 = the first intercollegiate competition was held between Rutgers and Princeton (29-27).
1974 = World Frisbee Disc Championships held at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA.
1975 = the first organized Ultimate tournament is won by Rutgers.
1978 = Frisbee Disc "Hall of Fame" established in Houghton, MI.
1979 = UPA founded.
1980’s = Joes Cuervo sponsors several Ultimate tournaments throughout the nation.
1985 = First World Flying Disc Congress held in Helsingborg, Sweden with representatives from 19 nations in attendance.
1986 = Cub Scouts introduce activity badge for participation in Ultimate.
1987 = The General Association of International Sports Federation accepts the World Flying Disc Federation as a member.
1993 = The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports accepts flying disc sports as a new category for Presidential Sports Award.
2001 = Flying disc sports become part of the World Games in Akita, Japan.
2003 = CSTV broadcasts the College national Championships.
Information from: http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa980218.htm
http://www.whatisultimate.com/history/history_game1_en.html
http://www.frisbeedisc.com/about/history.html
http://www.metroactive.com/metro/04.11.07/ultimate-frisbee-0715.html
III. Reasons Ultimate Players Don’t Want Mainstreaming:
Purists believe that if Ultimate goes “public” much of the game’s tradition will be lost. They contest that the more popular something becomes, the more money will be a controlling factor in how it is seen and thought of. It is difficult to think of the media having a frenzy due to an Ultimate doping scandal or kids rushing out to buy some Air Korbesmeyers on the first day they come out. It recent years, the more well know sports have lost some of their allure due to situations like these. Also, society has gawked at Ultimate for decades, why give them the satisfaction? Many contend that because Ultimate started in a grassroots fashion, it should stay that way to keep its homegrown reputation.
IV. Evidence of the Mainstreaming of Ultimate/Ultimate Related Topics
These videos lend themselves more to the commercialization and mainstreaming of Ultimate than to its athletic acceptance (all of them except the Disney Channel one), but it’s still cool to see.
A. Commercials:
Nike
Michelob Ultra
I Don't Even Know What This is For
Other less impressive commercials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHqUvgyGY5E = Frosted Flakes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-eq0v9779w&feature=related = Snickers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ovu-sp0Us8&feature=related = O2 (TV network)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZeuvT1L8Jc = Aquarius water
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6Z9QIHODso = Jeep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUulvQvbjpY = Country Insurance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG7N1ki4Zy0 = Fruity Pebbles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peV0saGddfs = German food
B. Television:
Cheap Seats on ESPN Classic
Disney Channel
C. Music:
Autopulver - Frisbee
D. Movie:
PCU
E. Video games
http://ultimatefrisbee.sourceforge.net/main.html
http://ds.ign.com/objects/898/898907
html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Games
V. Problems that May Arise in Athletic Acceptance:
First, many people believe that the pace of the game is too slow due to the self refereeing of games. A team sport that is self officiated is considered an oddity as call arguing on the field can hurt the flow of a game. Second, not enough people outside the sport may know about Ultimate, they just think it is a hobby for hippies. Third, a fear of change is an attribute of human nature. The big four sports (baseball, basketball, football, and soccer) are all played with balls, and as many of you know, Ultimate is not. A change in sporting equipment can be quite daunting. Last, many companies are fearful to get involved in Ultimate because of the suspected minimal return on investment. While there are some companies such as Discraft, Innnova, Five, and Gaia that have found their niche in Ultimate marketing, many larger firms remain skeptical.
VI. Conclusion
In the end, I think the UPA has been thinking about this issue and is trying their hardest to find a way to represent Ultimate in the best light. They certainly don’t want Ultimate to be just a fad and I think fact that it has been around for this long is testament to that. As ABC Family as is may sound, we view it as a true sport, but many don’t…so let’s become the best ambassadors we can be.
VI. Insightful Questions to Think About as Ultimate Grows:
Is it considered mainstream to become popular? If something becomes mainstream does that mean that it sold out?
We all love playing the game of Ultimate or else we wouldn’t practice, lift, and workout every week. However, our love is not felt by the majority of the world. Keeping these two views of Ultimate in mind, let’s examine the question of whether Ultimate is a mainstream novelty or an accepted athletic endeavor.
What exactly does it mean to be inducted into mainstream culture? What even is the mainstream? The mainstream, as reported by Wikipedia, consists of the common and current views held by the masses. These ordinary and usual beliefs are tied to corporate or commercial entities. Mainstream culture is propagated by the mass media to the popular culture. For an activity to be considered a novelty of mainstream culture it must be dropped from popular consciousness in a fad-like fashion.
On the other hand, how does a sport become accepted by culture? To be accepted, a sport most be respected enough to be played by athletes that will further the game. To have people play a sport does not necessary ensure that sport’s success, they must be organized and passionate.
II. Disc and Ultimate History
1871 – 1958 = The Frisbie Baking Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, makes pies sold in tins with “Frisbie” imprinted on them.
1920’s = Supposedly Yale students begin tossing the tins as discs.
1948 = Walter Frederick Morrison and Warren Franscioni invent a plastic version of the Frisbie tin.
1957 = WHAM –O buys the rights to the plastic disc and begins production soon after.
1958 = WHAM–O modifies its plastic disc and trademarks the name "Frisbee.”
1967 = The International Frisbee Association is founded.
1968 = Joe Silver designs a team disc game (the early form of Ultimate) at Columbia High School in New Jersey. The first game is between the Student Council and school newspaper.
(Side Note: There were no limits to the amount of players on the field, you could run with the disc, and it had a series of downs. Soon after running with the disc and the downs were eliminated. Also, defensive rules were made and fouls were defined “as any action sufficient to arouse the ire of your opponent.” Instead of Spirit of the Game, the players used the term “gentlemen’s game.”)
1970 = the first printed version of Ultimate’s rules were printed and sent to surrounding New Jersey high schools.
Nov. 7, 1970 = the first interscholastic game between Columbia high School and Millburn High School was played (43 – 10).
Nov 6, 1972 = the first intercollegiate competition was held between Rutgers and Princeton (29-27).
1974 = World Frisbee Disc Championships held at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA.
1975 = the first organized Ultimate tournament is won by Rutgers.
1978 = Frisbee Disc "Hall of Fame" established in Houghton, MI.
1979 = UPA founded.
1980’s = Joes Cuervo sponsors several Ultimate tournaments throughout the nation.
1985 = First World Flying Disc Congress held in Helsingborg, Sweden with representatives from 19 nations in attendance.
1986 = Cub Scouts introduce activity badge for participation in Ultimate.
1987 = The General Association of International Sports Federation accepts the World Flying Disc Federation as a member.
1993 = The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports accepts flying disc sports as a new category for Presidential Sports Award.
2001 = Flying disc sports become part of the World Games in Akita, Japan.
2003 = CSTV broadcasts the College national Championships.
Information from: http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa980218.htm
http://www.whatisultimate.com/history/history_game1_en.html
http://www.frisbeedisc.com/about/history.html
http://www.metroactive.com/metro/04.11.07/ultimate-frisbee-0715.html
III. Reasons Ultimate Players Don’t Want Mainstreaming:
Purists believe that if Ultimate goes “public” much of the game’s tradition will be lost. They contest that the more popular something becomes, the more money will be a controlling factor in how it is seen and thought of. It is difficult to think of the media having a frenzy due to an Ultimate doping scandal or kids rushing out to buy some Air Korbesmeyers on the first day they come out. It recent years, the more well know sports have lost some of their allure due to situations like these. Also, society has gawked at Ultimate for decades, why give them the satisfaction? Many contend that because Ultimate started in a grassroots fashion, it should stay that way to keep its homegrown reputation.
IV. Evidence of the Mainstreaming of Ultimate/Ultimate Related Topics
These videos lend themselves more to the commercialization and mainstreaming of Ultimate than to its athletic acceptance (all of them except the Disney Channel one), but it’s still cool to see.
A. Commercials:
Nike
Michelob Ultra
I Don't Even Know What This is For
Other less impressive commercials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHqUvgyGY5E = Frosted Flakes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-eq0v9779w&feature=related = Snickers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ovu-sp0Us8&feature=related = O2 (TV network)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZeuvT1L8Jc = Aquarius water
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6Z9QIHODso = Jeep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUulvQvbjpY = Country Insurance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG7N1ki4Zy0 = Fruity Pebbles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peV0saGddfs = German food
B. Television:
Cheap Seats on ESPN Classic
Disney Channel
C. Music:
Autopulver - Frisbee
D. Movie:
PCU
E. Video games
http://ultimatefrisbee.sourceforge.net/main.html
http://ds.ign.com/objects/898/898907
html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Games
V. Problems that May Arise in Athletic Acceptance:
First, many people believe that the pace of the game is too slow due to the self refereeing of games. A team sport that is self officiated is considered an oddity as call arguing on the field can hurt the flow of a game. Second, not enough people outside the sport may know about Ultimate, they just think it is a hobby for hippies. Third, a fear of change is an attribute of human nature. The big four sports (baseball, basketball, football, and soccer) are all played with balls, and as many of you know, Ultimate is not. A change in sporting equipment can be quite daunting. Last, many companies are fearful to get involved in Ultimate because of the suspected minimal return on investment. While there are some companies such as Discraft, Innnova, Five, and Gaia that have found their niche in Ultimate marketing, many larger firms remain skeptical.
VI. Conclusion
In the end, I think the UPA has been thinking about this issue and is trying their hardest to find a way to represent Ultimate in the best light. They certainly don’t want Ultimate to be just a fad and I think fact that it has been around for this long is testament to that. As ABC Family as is may sound, we view it as a true sport, but many don’t…so let’s become the best ambassadors we can be.
VI. Insightful Questions to Think About as Ultimate Grows:
Is it considered mainstream to become popular? If something becomes mainstream does that mean that it sold out?
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