August 2, 2012 by Charlie Eisenhood in Interview, Other with 0 comments
Michael Potter, the head coach of the AUDL’s Indianapolis Alleycats, left this comment on our post about NexGen’s chances at a National title:
[quote]“Imagine a world in which 75 percent of a club Ultimate team’s roster did not have to come from the same region. And imagine that a group of fifteen super-talented college kids that travels together on a cramped bus for over a month isn’t ready to splinter apart by the end. Could that group take on the country’s top teams on the sport’s biggest stage and win?”
Welcome to the AUDL. It isn’t the biggest stage yet, but it is growing on you. I know it is. How about 16-18 webcast games per year with 600 – 1000+ fans in the seats. Games in Chicago, Madison, Toronto, New York, Philly, and Indianapolis. Hmmmm, those cities and this format sound familiar.
Pick your city gentleman and make it happen.
Why give any attention to the AUDL? Because this is what the ultimate community wants to see. Secretly the community is rooting for this to happen while they outwardly pick it apart. The best want to play with the best, the community wants to show the best, and the fans want to see the best.
Ultimate![/quote]
If the AUDL can work through its significant issues in this offseason and convince the best players to fill its rosters, this is a realistic possibility. The big difference right now between the AUDL and NexGen right now is talent.
Every NexGen game is a match-up between two great sides: an established elite club team and a college all-star team. It’s a showcase game, every time. The AUDL can’t say that yet.
However, if the upstart league can start to convince the sport’s top athletes to postpone their USA Ultimate club season to play for their local AUDL franchise, games could become must-watch events.
There’s a long way to go to get there, but spectator ultimate seems here to stay.
