Major League Ultimate
Upcoming season or competition: 2015 MLU Season | |
 | |
| Sport | Ultimate |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 |
| Inaugural season | 2013 |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Country |
United States (7 teams) Canada (1 team) |
| Continent | North America |
| Most recent champion(s) | Boston Whitecaps (2nd title) |
| Most titles | Boston Whitecaps (2) |
| Official website | MLUltimate.com |
Major League Ultimate (MLU) is one of two semi-professional Ultimate leagues in North America, the other being the American Ultimate Disc League. It is composed of 8 member clubs: 7 in the United States and 1 in Canada. It was formed in 2012, and began its inaugural season in April 2013. The season concludes with a championship game, the most recent champion being the Boston Whitecaps in 2015.
About
The league began in 2012, with the help of the Philadelphia Spinners and their staff, including former GM Jeff Snader. The Spinners left the AUDL.[1] Snader brought together a core group of individuals, referred to as the Founders.
Unlike some ultimate leagues and games, MLU allows double-teaming of an offensive player. Also, like most sports, referees make all of the calls (this is similar to the AUDL).[2]
The MLU plans to expand the league in the hope to be seen as the premier ultimate league in North America. There are plans to add a Midwest Conference to the league sometime in the future.[3]
Highlights of the 2013 championship game were broadcast on Fox Sports 1 as part of an anthology show co-hosted by former NFL player Dhani Jones and Olympic gold medalist Jonny Moseley. Before that, ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10 and SportsNation featured the MLU on a few occasions, bringing national attention to the league.[4]
In 2013, Five Ultimate was the official uniform manufacturer for all eight teams. For the 2014 season, Puma became the official jersey sponsor.[5]
In 2015, Canterbury became the official jersey sponsor. [6]
Teams
| Teams | City/Area | Stadium | Founded | Head Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | |||||
| Boston Whitecaps | Medford, MA | Hormel Stadium | 2012 | Sam Rosenthal | |
| DC Current | Washington, DC | Cardinal Stadium | 2013 | Will Smolinski | |
| New York Rumble | Jamaica, Queens, NY | Benson Stadium | 2013 | Anthony Nuñez[7] | |
| Philadelphia Spinners | Plymouth Meeting, PA | Colonial Stadium | 2012 | Darryl Stanley | |
| Western Conference | |||||
| Portland Stags | Hillsboro, OR | Hillsboro Stadium | 2013 | Danny Quarrell | |
| San Francisco Dogfish | Berkeley, CA | Yellowjacket Stadium | 2013 | Justin Safdie[2] | |
| Seattle Rainmakers | Renton, WA | Renton Memorial Stadium | 2013 | Steve Gussin | |
| Vancouver Nighthawks | Vancouver, BC | Thunderbird Stadium | 2013 | Andrew Lugsdin | |
Founders
| Name[8] | Title |
|---|---|
| Jeff Snader | President |
| Nic Darling | Vice President |
| Matthew "Skip" Sewell | Creative Director and Brand Manager |
| Billy Maroon | Director of Personnel |
| Ian McClellan | Director of Competition |
| Marc Stachowski | Director of IT |
Championships
| Season | Date | Champion | Score | Runner-Up | Venue | Location | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | July 13, 2013 | Boston Whitecaps[9] | 20-15 | San Francisco Dogfish | Franklin Field | Philadelphia, Pa | Jeff Graham (Boston) |
| 2014 | July 19, 2014 | DC Current | 23-17 | Vancouver Nighthawks | PPL Park | Chester, PA | Markham Shofner (DC) |
| 2015 | August 8, 2015 | Boston Whitecaps | 31-17 | Seattle Rainmakers | PPL Park | Chester, PA | Jeff Graham (Boston) |
See also
References
- ↑ Eisenhood, Charlie (4 October 2012). "Philadelphia Spinners Leaving The AUDL, Starting New Pro League". Ultiworld.
- 1 2 Gackle, Paul (16 June 2013). "In debut season, San Francisco's Major League Ultimate Frisbee team flourishing". San Francisco Examiner.
- ↑ jessonnf (8 June 2013). "Future of the AUDL and MLU". Semi Pro Ultimate. Wordpress.com.
- ↑ Eisenhood, Charlie (8 June 2013). "MLU, Ultimate Get Praise From ESPN Commentators". Ultiworld.
- ↑ Eisenhood, Charlie (18 November 2013). "MLU releases new Puma Jersey Designs". Ultiworld.
- ↑ Des Marais, Paul (25 March 2015). "MLU Teams Unveil the 2015 Canterbury Uniforms". Ultiworld.
- ↑ http://newyork.rumble.mlultimate.com/anthony-nunez-signs-as-head-coach/
- ↑ "Founders". Major League Ultimate. 2013.
- ↑ "Boston Whitecaps 2013 Highlights". nohuck.