Discraft Named Official Disc of USA Ultimate through 2016
Posted: January 8, 2014 10:57 AM
Exclusive competitive use, enhanced retail presence, membership benefits among components of new three-year deal.
Boulder, Colo. (January 7, 2014)—USA Ultimate, the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States, announced today an extension of its partnership with Discraft through 2016. The three-year sponsorship agreement provides Discraft with product exclusivity in the disc category as the "Official Disc of USA Ultimate" for its 10 existing championship-level events and related qualifying tournaments.
While the deal ensures the nation’s best ultimate players will continue to play exclusively with the Discraft 175g Ultra-Star at the highest levels of competition in the United States, it also provides continued support of several USA Ultimate grassroots programs, including its youth and high school initiatives, event sanctioning program, women’s clinics, coaching development program and college starter kits. USA Ultimate’s 46,000 members also receive preferred pricing on custom disc orders, providing an added membership benefit to event organizers, leagues and teams nationwide.
Currently, two different models of the Discraft Ultra-Star have been approved for championship-level play by USA Ultimate’s Disc Standards Committee and a Flight Test Pool comprised of male and female ultimate players from across the country. Discs approved through this process are then eligible to become an official partner of the national governing body and support elite-level or development programs. USA Ultimate’s approval process ensures that athletes in the ultimate community continue to play an important role in deciding which discs can be used in competition.
"As we soar into a new partnership, it remains a humbling honor for the Ultra-Star to be selected by the players as the Official Disc of USA Ultimate," commented Discraft Ultimate Director Pad Timmons. "Discraft’s pledge of quality, consistency and service to the ultimate community has been unwavering since 1981, and will continue to be so through future generations."
Consumers across the country will also notice a new USA Ultimate-branded disc for sale at retail locations. Packaging and disc artwork of all currently approved championship-level discs will prominently display USA Ultimate branding as part of its stock design beginning in the spring of 2014. Additionally, retail packaging of approved discs will include a USA Ultimate membership brochure and information about the national governing body and the sport of ultimate.
"Discraft has been a valued partner of ours for a long time, and we are thrilled with this new multi-year extension of the relationship," commented Dr. Tom Crawford, USA Ultimate’s CEO. "In particular, the ability to have a retail presence that builds both of our brands nationally and generates increased awareness of and interest in our programs is very exciting."
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