I turned 50 a couple of weeks ago, which for those who are unaware, is really god damn old. But hey, you're only as old as you feel, and I feel pretty good. I suspect most of the people reading this are younger than me, and if I had any advice (us old people LOVE giving advice!), it would be to just do the damn thing and don't spend all of your time worrying about the end result. We've become such an outcome-driven culture and have lost the ability to create just to create and let the universe have its way with the creation.
I have no idea where this newsletter is going, I just really love this sport and this league and I want to be creatively involved. For awhile, that meant taking a small % ownership of the Phoenix and throwing myself into as much of it as I could, from social media to Gameday fun to jersey design (ngl,I think the powder blues Adam, my buddy Art, and I designed last yearwere some of the best unis in league history). But that wasn't quite the right path moving forward, so I stumbled onto this instead. That's something else I've learned from getting old: if the first attempt at something doesn't work, don't give up on the whole kit and kaboodle (us old people love using terms like “whole kit and kaboodle”), find a new angle. So that's what this is.
What's the goal? There is none. What's the endgame? There is none. I just want to create something fun and well done that people who also like this league enjoy reading. Type-A people have taken over the world, I think it's time for us Type-Bs to fight back with our wacky hodge-podge of ideas, lack of direction, and attention deficit disorders. You know the best thing about having ADD? It's that you…hey look, a squirrel!
But enough of this old man rambling, let's get down to business. We start with an interview with one of my favorite people I met during my time with the UFA, Matt Smith. One of the league's all-time best players and one of its nicest guys, Matt recently decided to retire after an illustrious career. I also talk with Pawel Janas, perhaps the league's greatest passer ever and also one of its best trash talkers. Shaggy takes a look at some of the league's great international players, and also tells us which Friday Night Frisbee games are must-watch…and which one he refuses to watch under any circumstances. I am a stats nerd, so if you'll indulge me, you'll see some of my favorites below. And we wrap it up with my favorite segment, the Mailbag. As an insufferable know-it-all, I love answering people's questions!
If you enjoy this newsletter, we simply ask that you share it with someone else who might dig it. And be sure to join us on Instagram, where I've got hot takes aboutthe season opener and the long-awaited UFA video game, and I take a look at former teams like theSalt Lake Lionsand theNew Jersey Hammerheads. Alright, away we go! -JGT
After 9 seasons with the Atlanta Hustle (and one with the Rhode Island Rampage), Matt Smith recently called it a career. Few people have had a bigger impact on the UFA. Matt is not only the league's 3rd all-time leading goal scorer, he's also been an indefatigable ambassador for the league, running youth camps and being heavily involved with the league's inclusion initiative. Here he talks about his career, why he stepped away, and what the future holds.
Why did you decide now was the right time to step away?
There wasn't one particular thing that made me think it was the right time, it was a myriad of factors: I can still do it physically but it certainly isn't getting any easier and my body is definitely tired. My wife and I had our first daughter in 2024 and I wanted to prioritize time with them. I just wasn't having as much fun at practices which made me realize I wasn't enjoying the process anymore. The team vibe was great but less of my close friends were on the team.
I say this half-jokingly but one moment that sticks out was when, after the coaches' pre-game brief in the locker room, the team turned on the speakers and I had to leave because it was just too loud. No one else seemed to mind and I'm not sure I've ever felt older.
You actually played with the Rhode Island Rampage in 2012. Any special memories you have of that inaugural UFA (then AUDL) season?
That 2012 season was actually a lot of fun even though it was kind of a mess all around. There are a few memories that do stick out: It's special to me that I played in the first AUDL game ever when the Rampage took on the Constitution. I don't remember how I played but I saw Huseyn Carnegie make an insane defensive bid and that felt like a "welcome to the pros" moment. I'd only played on one mid-level club team before the Rampage so that was my first crack at playing some really high level guys.
I made a couple big plays down the stretch against the Buffalo Hunters midway through the season and the idea started to form that maybe I could actually be an impactful player in the league. (Game highlightshere.)
Fun fact: Ben Katz actually moonlighted as "Matt Smith" for one game since I couldn't go that weekend and he didn't have a jersey. Unfortunately I believe the only stat he got for me was one TO.
What are the biggest differences you've seen in the league between 2012 and 2025?
The league has grown in so many ways it's almost hard to grasp but two facets stick out to me: ownership groups and media. The 2012 owners group was a wild one and it really didn't take much to get into the league then. As far as I understand, if you had $10k and weren't actively in prison you could own a team. I remember the RI owner came to the team after day 1 of tryouts and said "this is the first time I've ever seen ultimate in person and it's AWESOME."
The early legal battles and merry-go-round of teams entering and exiting the league are indications of sub-par ownership groups. You can contrast that to SLC and CO coming into the league recently and immediately competing for championships and having functional front offices, youth programs, and marketing efforts. Team ownership groups are so much better financed and competent now which is a huge step forward for the UFA.
The second thing is the rise in quality of game footage and the ability to share it on social media. 2012 was a different time and capturing high definition footage was much more challenging. There weren't consistent slo-mo replays, onscreen player graphics, or anything of that nature on AUDL broadcasts. I think the league can thank Luke Johnson for really upping production value and standardizing content capture around the league. It was getting better before him, but his attention to detail is second to none and is a big reason the UFA's production team is the best in the business.
What's your favorite memory of your time with the Hustle?
Too many to count and pick one as my favorite. When you give so much of yourself to a cause over 9 years it feels like I could write a book on all the memories from the experience. I will say that my favorite overall season was probably 2021 and that I remember the biggest games the most, even though I wasn't on the winning side of some of them. Making Sportscenter 3 times will also stick out since that was a childhood dream that came to fruition.
What will you miss the most by stepping away from the team?
Games and interacting with fans. The team camaraderie was great and the travel trips were grueling in a bond-inducing type of way, but nothing will stick out like competing under the lights in front of a big crowd.
Head coach Yuba Benson-Jaja jokingly called this "your first retirement". What's it gonna take for us to get you back for one last run towards Championship Weekend with this Hustle team?
Ha, we'll see! I told Tuba that I would stay in shape and that I'd be open to doing a 1-off game in 2025 if they're lacking for numbers on any given week. I still got game but didn't have the grind of a full preseason and 12-game regular season in me and I don't want to take spots from guys who are working hard and deserve it. Hard to imagine me having any significant contributions moving forward but I'll be ready if they call.
The Toronto Rush have made quite a splash this off-season, signing numerous players from Europe such as Tom Blasman of the Netherlands and Arvids Karklins of Latvia to try to compete for a playoff spot after a tough 1-11 season in 2024. The Union, meanwhile, signed European Player of the Year Daan de Marree and Belgian star Sofiene Bontemps (the league's second Goodtimes!) While the Rush and Union are certainly making waves, this is only a continuation of a big international push in the UFA the past few years. Here are a few players from overseas who have had a big impact on the league recently.
Akifumi Muraoka, Toronto Rush - Japan
Muraoka has played just two seasons in the UFA: 2019 and 2024. His 2019 season was electric, winning Rookie of the Year and putting up an impressive 30 assists and 27 goals. Blisteringly quick, Akifumi could get open in a phone booth and throws without a conscience, making him a fan favorite. Muraoka’s decrease in production in 2024 is likely due to playing fewer games on a much worse Toronto team. This guy is one of my favorite players to watch in UFA history. I'm hoping he returns for the 2025 season, Toronto has not announced his signing yet.
Ben Oort, Free Agent - The Netherlands
Another foreign national with gaps in his resume, Oort played first for Toronto in 2018, then returned to the UFA with a 2023 campaign with the Breeze. Oort was top 20 in goals scored per game during both seasons, and is happy to take advantage of space allotted by wary defenders, with a 77% huck completion rate in 2023. Oort did not return for 2024, but could be a game-changer if any team manages to bring him in for 2025.
Andres Rodriguez, NY or Philadelphia - Colombia
While lacking the overall impact of the other individuals on this list—Andres has played 13 games over 2 seasons with the Philadelphia Phoenix—Rodriguez is responsible for one of the greatest highlights in Philadelphia Frisbee history. The biggest win in franchise history was a 2023 win over Carolina, and the victory was cinched when Rodriguez laid out to intercept a reset, ending any hope the Flyers had for a comeback. Whether he stays in Philly or goes to New York, given his natural feel for the game and athletic playmaking on defense, Andres could be in for a breakout 2025 season.
Elliot Bonnet, DC Breeze - France
Bonnet burst unto the scene in 2024, racking up 31 goals and 11 assists as a rotation piece of the Breeze O-line. The two time European Champion with the French U-17 and U-20 national teams, Bonnet combines a vicious first step with elite frisbee instincts to score goals in bunches for a DC team filled with creative throwers eager to dish the disc. However, Bonnet has decided to focus on playing for France in the World Games and will not play for DC in 2025.
Tobe Decraene, Montreal Royal - Belgium
If Tobe Decraene reaches his enormous potential in his 2nd season, he will burn the league to the ground. The young European is one of the most athletic players in Canada, and also led a Kevin Quinlan Montreal team in assists with 52, good for fourth most assists in the entire league. But to take the next step, he'll need to throw fewer turnovers (32 last season) and raise his completion percentage (91.7%). But I think it is a good long term decision to put the disc in the exciting Decraene’s hands as much as possible. Johnny has Decraene as his long shot MVP, but he'll need to be more accurate and Montreal will need to win several more games for that prediction to play out.
I always knew Pawel Janas (pronounced Pah-vul Yahn-us) had game, but until the past few months, I didn't realize that he was a man of my own heart: a dude with a Ric Flair swagger and a wrestling heel attitude. But it's not all bluster; to paraphrase 50 Cent, “He talks a lot of sh*t but he can back it up.” Pawel has the most assists in UFA history and it's not even close…Kevin Quinlan of Montreal is the only player even within 100 assists of him. He led Chicago to the 2022 UFA Championship game, then headed out west for two years with Los Angeles. But he's back in Chicago this year, and looking to dethrone Minnesota in the Central. Those Chicago vs Minnesota tilts will be absolute must-watch TV, and Pawel doesn't say anything here to take down the temperature.
After two years in LA, what made you decide to return to the Union?
I took a long, hard look in the mirror over the offseason and realized that I’m not satisfied with how my life’s turned out. Coming back to Chicago for the dating scene, don’t really care about frisbee that much anymore. I’m not looking to throw 50 assists this year; I’m looking for 15 Hinge matches.
Were there any differences in style between playing in the Central and playing in the West?
Yeah, teams actually play defense out West. On the other hand, most West teams also cheat way more, but that’s to be expected since the vast majority of the non-SoCal losers don’t play competitive club.
If you were commissioner of the UFA for a day, what’s the first thing you’d change?
I would immediately promote Evan Lepler to a C-suite role and get someone in the booth who actually knows a thing or two about frisbee - maybe Ian Toner, or one of the Europeans with a funny accent.
Minnesota won the championship and then added two studs in Pollard and Burnett. Do you think Chicago can knock them off their pedestal?
So? Did you see who we added? Do you know anything about frisbee? It’s an insult to compare our additions to theirs. We’re not only gonna knock them off their pedestal but also make it totally uncompetitive to the point their guys will not want to come back in 2026. The Great 2024 Windchill Championship Fraud will be exposed.
What team are you most looking forward to watching this season besides the Union?
Las Vegas baby! Can’t wait to watch them suffer through a miserable on-field journey. I’m just hoping they don’t explode like the Salt Lake Lions (Joel, I want to trades jerseys either way, though).
Who’s the best trash talker you’ve ever played against?
The man in the mirror.
With the release of the UFA FNF (Friday Night Frisbee) schedule, the UFO is proud to release our watchability tiers of how excited we are to watch a given matchup. For those who don't know, while most UFA games are behind a paywall, the league does feature weekly marquee matchups for free on Youtube.
S Tier (I will cancel any plan to sit on my couch and watch these live)
5/23 Seattle vs Salt Lake
6/6 New York vs DC
7/4 Minnesota vs. Chicago
All three of these matchups feature former division champions facing off against opponents that stole their spot a season ago. Seattle faced Salt Lake just once last regular season, in a game that ultimately decided who would be the 1 seed going into the playoffs. Seattle went down big in that game, and were down 6 in the fourth quarter, before going on an incredible run that ultimately fell just short in a 18-16 loss. They followed it up by shocking SLC in the playoffs on a last second goal, punching their ticket to championship weekend.
NY vs. DC is still appointment viewing, even with DC sweeping the season series against the Empire in who knows how long.
Minnesota is fresh off a championship, but faces a retooled Chicago squad, and both teams are bringing in the best free agents in the league. Every one of these games is an absolute heater.
A Tier(I will be watching these games on my phone during family dinner)
5/9 Seattle vs Oakland
5/16 New York vs Boston
5/30 Atlanta vs Minnesota
6/27 Austin vs Atlanta
7/18 Minnesota vs Salt Lake
All likely playoff games outside of the cross-division games, and plenty of history amongst participants. Boston needs to prove their 2024 wins against the Empire were not a fluke, Seattle needs to cement themselves as the class of the division against a young and retooled Oakland team, Atlanta needs to redeem themselves against Austin for playoff failings, and the defending champions facing off against out of division powerhouses is very exciting. More telling than these games however is the team that got left off. Minnesota has four games, Seattle has two, DC has one, leaving Carolina as the only participant in the 2024 championship weekend without a single FNF game. Austin vs Atlanta is A-tier, Carolina vs Atlanta would have been S-tier.
B Tier(I am content to watch these games after they happen, but I will probably watch the full game)
4/25 New York vs Las Vegas
7/11 Colorado vs Salt Lake
If this were a year ago, I would have Colorado and Salt Lake higher, heck in 2023 they would have been S-tier, but the Summit missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history last season, and I have my doubts about their return to form. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I am only interested in the New York vs Vegas game because it is the first time I can watch Las Vegas play. I would bump them down to C or even D tier if this game were later in the season.
C Tier (I will watch this game if someone invites me to a party and offers me free food)
6/13 Minnesota vs Madison
I do not want to watch Madison play professional frisbee in 2025, and I do not think this will be a particularly good game. Its only draw is the excitement surrounding the Windchill, and I’d watch James Pollard play frisbee any weekend.
D Tier(If the UFA account tweets highlights from this game I might not even look at them)
6/20 Toronto vs New York
Toronto has not been a particularly good team since before the pandemic, and did not win any games in the East division last season. While I think the league would be remiss to not put at least one Canadian team on FNF, I do not want to watch this game happen.
F Tier(If you show me clips of this game I will close my eyes, cover my ears, and scream until you leave me alone)
5/2 Madison vs Houston
Houston has never beaten a team that currently exists in the UFA. Madison won a championship in 2018 and became immediately irrelevant. I do not think either of these teams will make the playoffs, and I will not be watching this frisbee game.
1 - Who is the only player in UFA history who averages more assists per game than Rowan McDonnell, averages more goals per game than Terrence Mitchell, and has more career blocks than James Pollard? That would be Max Sheppard of the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds.
2- Among the current franchises, there are only two players who are their franchises all-time leader in assists, goals, AND blocks. That would be Sean McDougall of the LA Aviators and Rowan Atkinson of the DC Breeze.
5- The number of players in UFA history who have put up more than 50 goals and 50 assists in a single regular season. They are:
Keenan Plow (Indy) - 2013
Justin Allen (Carolina) - 2015
Isaiah Masek-Kelly (Toronto) - 2016
Ben Jagt (New York) - 2019
Leandro Marks (Portland) - 2022
7 - Matt Smith scored at least 30 goals in 7 of his 9 seasons with the Hustle.
7 - Best +/- ever for a player who had a 1-game UFA career. That would go to Matt Johnson, who made his “Moonlight Graham” game a memorable one. Playing on the New York Empire against Boston in 2022, Johnson would score 4 goals and record 3 blocks…and then never play another game.
11-1 With the Vegas Bighorns joining the league in 2025, it got me wondering, what expansion team has the best record in Year 1 in UFA history? That would be the Colorado Summit, who went 11-1 in 2022 (a game ahead of the expansion Salt Lake Shred, who went 10-2.) The worst record in Year One belonged to the Salt Lake Lions, who went 0-14 in 2014.
24 - The first player in UFA all-time first name alphabetical order is Aaron Bacon, who played for the 2014 Cincinnati Revolution. He is one of 24 UFA players named Aaron.
49- The last player in UFA history in first-name alphabetical order is Zubair Abdullah, who played one year for the LA Aviators. He is one of 49 players in UFA history whose first name starts with the letter Z.
66 - Number of assists Jake Felton of the Detroit Mechanix had last season to lead the league.
69 - Last year was only the second time teammates have had the top two +/- in the league, as Garrett Martin and Lukas Ambrose both had a +/- of 69. In 2021, Ben Jagt and Ryan Osgar of the Empire were #1 and #2.
97 - UFA record for assists in a season, set by Pawel Janas of Chicago in 2018.
163 - Who has the most goals scored in the UFA since the start of the 2021 season? The Human Highlight Reel, Greg Martin of the Philadelphia Phoenix, who has 163.
182, 151, 91- Now that the Dallas Legion/Roughnecks are disbanded, we can take a look at their all time career leaders. Brandon Malecek was the team’s all time leader in assists with 182. Jay Froude is their all time leader in goals, with 151. Dillon Larberg is their all time leader in blocks, with 91.
What do you guys think about disc golf? Are there any two-sports stars out there? -Art
SHAGGY: Disc Golf is fun, being serious about disc golf requires you to have a pretty different throwing style. There are Frisbee players who play disc golf at a reasonably high level, James Pollard comes to mind as a person who has done well at several disc golf tournaments. And there is a highly rated player on the pro disc golf tour now, Harry Chace, who played ultimate frisbee at Drexel a few years ago. You can see some of his ultimate background in putting, as he still has the hammer and backhand OI edges release form from his frisbee days. To be elite at either however, you have to give up some equity on the other. So there are definitely people who can do both at a high level, but no one is touring in disc golf and playing UFA.
JGT: Greg Martin of the Phoenix is a very good disc golf player. A few years ago I interviewed him and James Pollard while they played disc golf, and Gatekeeper made it into a very cool segment.
But the most famous 2-sport guy is undoubtedly Brodie Smith. Of the handful of people who have actually made frisbee a career, perhaps nobody has been as successful as Brodie. He played for several teams in the early days of the AUDL, and recorded 68 assists for the Chicago Union in 2013 in just 7 games.He then created a Youtube channel of frisbee trick shotsthat has been an enormous success; he has over 2 million subscribers. And now he plays on the Pro Disc Golf tour, winning over $40,000 in prize money over his 5 years on the tour.
What do you see as the future of the league in 5 and 10 years? -Allan
SHAGGY: I see it about where it is now. I think that there are several factors that are outside of the league's control that will hinder its growth in some areas, but there are a bunch of things that will help it expand in others, and the result is it will change slightly but remain mostly the same. Most current middle and high school frisbee players are much more connected to the UFA than they used to be, and that is a trend that has been going on for a while. The result is that top tier players are much more likely to play for their local UFA teams, a boon for frisbee hotbeds like Seattle who are finally reaping rewards for their communities youth programming. However, there are economic factors that are going to make it more difficult for people who are not interested in frisbee to decide they want to start watching and following it. So the frisbee will get a lot younger, a lot better, and a lot more interesting, which will strengthen the base of people who care about it, but the league will struggle to develop in new markets as atmosphere in those markets continues to shrink.
JGT: I disagree with Shaggy. I think we're going to see a lot of growth in the next ten years…if it stays the same the league will no longer exist. I always ask players who played or coached a decade ago how the league has changed, and they always say that it is miles ahead of where it was. I suspect it will be like that 10 years from now when we ask current players about today.
Ownership 10 years ago was a dollar and a dream (see the Matt Smith interview above). Now you’ve got ownership groups in places like Salt Lake and Colorado who hit the ground running, put on a great show, put a really good product on the field, and put butts in the seats. Recent arrival Houston hasn't seen the same kind of on-field success, but they play in a great stadium and put on a good show, and therefore draw really solid crowds. I think you’ll see the better-run organizations continue to grow, and the weaker orgs continue to struggle, and I suspect the league will lose a team each off-season and gain one for the next few years.
I also think a lot of potential growth will depend on what they can develop with media partners and whether or not they better utilize assets they already have. I think everyone agrees that a Netflix series about the league would work miracles for the sport, but how close is something like that to happening? I've heard whispers about a doc in the works the past few years, but haven't seen anything really get beyond the discussion stage. I’ve also never understood why the league hasn’t better utilized huge potential assets like Brodie Smith and Marques Brownlee. Will they do a better job of that over the next decade when new opportunities arise? That will have a big impact on the league's success.
Could we ever see a return or potential expanded version of the Northwest Cup from a few years back? (editor’s note: the Northwest Cup took place at the 2022 All-Star game, and was a game played by both UFA players and players from the Western Ultimate League, a women's pro league). I think it could have a lot of potential as a pre-season tournament to showcase the sport. -Minimum Virus
SHAGGY: The Northwest Cup was put on by the teams themselves. Lots of pro franchises currently work together: last season, both the DC and Philadelphia pro women's and men's teams had doubleheaders on the same day in an effort to boost fan attendance. If other teams, including the Northwest teams, wanted to, they could put on another Northwest Cup.
I also think that the various leagues should definitely have combined activities in the near future. My ideal scenario would be to revive the All-Star game as a mixed competition between all three pro leagues, leaning on the UFA’s greater resources and the PUL and WUL’s rabid and populist base.
JGT:I’ve put in my two cents about All-Star weekend, so I don’t know if it would work there. As far as a pre-season tourney,it's already happening! Seattle and Oregon are working together to build some excitement heading into the season. I dig it. I've always been a “rising tide lifts all ships” guy, so I think this is a fun idea. Will it work? I really don't know. “Fun ideas” don't always register with the ultimate crowd in a spectator sense. But anything that builds community is a good thing in my book, and this certainly does that.
The Rush are taking a big swing to come back this year. Do you think it will work? And how can other teams faltering teams like Houston, Detroit, Indy, Philly, LA, and Oregon avoid a slow death?
SHAGGY: The Rush have so many things working against them that I’m not sure they have a chance to make the playoffs. Despite their recent additions, they are firmly behind DC, Boston, and New York as a roster, and have a large gap in terms of recent success when held up against Montreal and Philadelphia. DC, Boston, and Philly all have larger and more successful youth pipelines than Toronto, which is why their youth movement has been exciting but not effective in terms of winning.
I’m not sure what you mean by “slow death”. If you mean that the franchises will fold, I find it very unlikely that Houston or Detroit wraps up operations in the near future. Houston is bad at frisbee, but excited about being a team, and if Detroit let losing stop them they’d have quit a long time ago. Philly’s ownership situation is relatively stable, as is Indy's, although the Alleycats are suffering from almost a decade of steadily alienating their fans and losing top-tier talent to in-region rivals like Chicago. They've also shot themselves in the foot by playing indoors, though they are moving to a really nice outdoor facility in 2025.
LA and Oregon could absolutely cease to exist, although Oregon has new ownership, and LA is not so far removed from making the playoffs.
There are 3 ways that teams can prevent themselves from going out of business:
1. Diversified and energetic ownership
2. Strong player buy-in for the program
3. Smart fiscal decisions with an eye towards the future.
Until the UFA is signing large TV deals with significant revenue sharing agreements, more teams will fold. We are still very early days in Pro Ultimate. Of the original 8 NBA teams, only 2 still exist in their current cities, and only 6 of the NBA teams in 1966 (20 years after the NBA was founded) still exist in their current form with their current cities.
JGT: The Rush are a very intriguing team, as they brought back a legend in Mark Lloyd and added numerous stars from overseas. I’m looking forward to seeing if the flurry of off-season moves pays off. But even if it does, the East is too damn stacked for the Rush to make a big jump. I think in the best case scenario, the Rush could maybe challenge for the third playoff spot. And even that will be an uphill battle. I predict the Rush are the 7th or 8th best team in the UFA, but are 4th best in the East and don’t make the playoffs.
As far as teams faltering, I don’t have any of the teams you mentioned winning more than 3 games this year. But, as the great philosopher Meek Mill so eloquently stated, “There's levels to this s**t.” Oregon has a new ownership team that did a really nice job with a rebrand and seem to be very professional and engaged. The Phoenix will take a step back competitively this year but have a strong youth program that will keep them afloat even without big turnouts at their home games. And Houston had over 1200 fans at their final home game last season. The Havoc are headed in the right direction.
On the other side of that coin, Detroit is Detroit, Indy lost pretty much all of their best players to free agency these past few months, and LA has had the roughest off-season of all, upsetting some people with the way they let go of coach Jeff Landesman, and watching Pawel head back to Chicago. Those are three really tough situations for 2025.
What is in store for the Bighorns in their inaugural season?
SHAGGY: Maybe their first win? The frisbee scene isn’t exactly vibrant in Sin City, and it is extremely hard to succeed as a new professional team without a combination of a critical mass of elite players and an established coaching system. They are bringing in a new coach who I have high hopes for in Matt Bode. But he’s still new, and they haven't made the big money free agent moves I hoped for when the team was initially announced. I think the bigger question is “Can Vegas unlock some sort of appeal to casual sports fans that other teams might be able to replicate in their own markets?”
JGT: The team won't be very good, but far more interesting to me is the business aspect of it. Vegas is such a unique city, maybe the only city in America whose citizens care more about the local NHL team (the Golden Knights) than the local NFL team (the Raiders). That’s because the Knights have done such an amazing job of building community among people who don’t really know much about hockey. Can the Bighorns do the same with people who don't know ultimate? Of course the Golden Knights were also very competitive right off the bat, and the Bighorns won’t be. So that will be a challenge. The Vegas franchise could be a shitshow, it could be a big success, or it could be some combo of the two. It’s one of the most interesting storylines to keep an eye on in 2025.
That's gonna do it for Volume 2. Any suggestions for future newsletters? We'd love to hear them! Questions for next month's mailbag? We'd love to hear them too. Feel free to shoot me a line at johnny@johnnygoodtimes.com. And be sure to follow us over on IG, we do yeoman's work over there. If you enjoyed this newsletter and know another UFA fan who might enjoy it, please tell them to sign up!
Cheers-The UFO
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