In the latest UPA newsletter, members were asked how they want to go about making Ultimate a more popular sport and how to get the general public to recognize it as a real sport. These are apparently problems that need to be solved. I think the most important questions were left unasked and I find this troubling. Should we want Ultimate Frisbee to be more popular? Do we care if some soccer player thinks we play barefoot and wear tie dye instead of being athletic?
I think the answer is no for both questions. The more publicity it gets and the more mainstream it goes, the more it sucks. I don't want uber-competitive players coming in and ruining a game I love. I don't want people to see it as a "true" sport or whatever because I never want it to become like all the other sports out there. I never want to see it become professional with people playing for money not because it's fun or they love to play. It requires Spirit of the Game and it would be heartbreaking to see that disappear. According to the UPA, many of the members also want to keep Spirit of the Game, which is great, but I'm afraid it looks like that will come into direct conflict with the organization's other goals.
I'm selfish. I found a sport that is perfect just the way it is and I don't want it to change. I don't understand why someone even plays ultimate who is so insecure that they need to see it on TV or need people to think they play a "real sport." Who cares? If you want that, go play something else and leave me alone. I can send the UPA my opinion, but it's one drop in a bucket that is quickly filling with all the people I disagree with who have been brought in by past efforts to "grow" the sport.
I am grateful that I was brought in and introduced to the sport and I enjoy sharing Ultimate with new players. Obviously sharing a love of the game is important, but I don't think there's anything wrong with staying grass roots and staying below the radar.
