Mixed Classic Flight

[Pete]

So the Open ramifications have been looked at, but what
about mixed in terms of which of these "top-four
non-Nationals qualifiers" will even be around next year, and
if they are too close to an existing team and don't play the
Classic Flight Tournaments, won't be allowed to play?

Here's Mixed Classic Flight...
Interrobang!
Santa Maria
Prion
Steamboat
Ambiguously Grey
Death by Jubilee
Termite's Entourage
Renegade
PanIC
Minnesota Star Power
Bird
Stud Muffin
Great Northern Ultimate
Golden Spike
Bigfoot
Engine 45
Mesteno
Love Tractor
Killjoy
Beta Iota Delta
Cahoots
Whagonwheel
Southern Revival
Sabre Corp
District 5
Bluenoise
7 Express
Destructors
GrasSFace
CapitOL Punishment
Oakland Shipping Company
Either Classy or BW Ultimate (tied for 9th)

That's a strange damn flight.

--
Posted from http://www.rsdnospam.com

[colinmcintyre]

Pete, I'm not sure you have your information straight. The
teams you listed look like teams that qualified for the
Select Flight. Looks like a competitive group of teams --
should have some good games against each other, plus in the
Elite/Select Flight Challenge, for the game-to-go losers.

As for the requirements, I'm not an official resource here,
but I've quoted some relevant portions of the
http://www.usaultimate.org/triplecrowntour/#FAQs below.

-Colin

Q) Suppose a team qualifies for the Pro or Elite flights,
but declines because they cannot afford the travel or for
another reason. Upon declining an invitation to one of the
top flights, does a team have its choice of which of the
lower flights to be assigned to, or are they automatically
dropped all the way down to Classic? If a team declines a
particular flight status, how is the vacant spot assigned?

A) Pro and Elite Flight-qualifying teams are required to
participate in their regular season Flight-specific events
in order to be eligible to compete in the post-season
championship series.
. .
Q) Can a team who does not play in the "Regular Season"
still participate in the "Post-Season" and qualify for
Nationals?

A) For Pro and Elite teams, no. See above. There will be
more flexibility for Select and Classic teams to enter the
post-season at sectionals without having participated in a
structured regular season.

[Ryan]

Select Flight teams don't have to play anything they don't
want to. Select Flight roster requirements will be
announced in January.

[TheWedge]

Can Select teams bail on the Select-Elite challenge without
punishment?

~wedge

[Ryan]

From what I understand, yes, a team such as Ambiguously Grey
or Cash Crop or Bent could bail on the Select-Elite
Challenge, and still remain a Select Flight team.

The select-elite challenge should be announced in January,
and Select teams have until April 30 to commit to the Select
Flight. So that's three months to see if this will
logistically work for their team, including calculating
airfare and asking their teammates to check their calendar,
etc.

Also, we need a better word to use than "loser of the game
to go" or "top select team in each region" or "the teams
invited to the select-elite challenge." Too wordy.

[Pete]

You were right, I switched the words Select and Classic. I
meant those were the potential Select Flight teams.

I may have messed it up because the names are stupid, but I
shouldn't throw too many stones since my favorite college
team plays in the Leaders Division...

[mgd.mitch]

an important take away from this thread though is that those
teams WILL be able to play if they bail on the select
flight.

[Ryan]

let me correct myself.

Select teams have to confirm their status by the end of
MARCH (not April). I'm assuming MARCH 31 but Will Deaver
said something about March 30.

For event organizers, Select tournament applications must be
filed by April 30.

sorry if I confused anyone.

(Elite/pro teams will need to commit earlier in the year)

So yes, Select teams need to commit to the Select flight
before all the events are announced. But, you do not have
to attend any events except for Sectionals.

This would be a great time for another Ultiworld
infographic. Or for USAU to publish information.

[Ryan]

maybe a summary is in order.

TIMELINE
January: Elite/pro events are announced, including
Elite-Select challenge. Roster requirements and competition
guidelines are announced.

March 30: Select teams need to commit to the select flight.


April 30: Deadline for Select tournament applications (for
event organizers).

NOTES
If a team that made the game-to-go declines their spot at
the Elite-Select challenge, they can still be a Select team.
I'm assuming they would then take the next highest Select
team in that region to play in the challenge.

If a Select team declines their select status, the highest
ranked Classic team in the region is offered their spot.

Select teams do not need to play any regular season
tournaments to play the series, though they still need 10
sanctioned regular season games to be ranked for strength
bids.

Select teams are offered "preference" over other teams when
bids are awarded for Select events, though any team may
attend a Select tournament. This means that Select teams
get preference over Classic teams but is unclear if that
also means preference over Elite/Pro teams (I would hope
so).

You may not move up to a higher tier during the season.

One thing we are still waiting on is roster guidelines. It
is unknown if Select teams will need to return a certain
percentage of their team to play the series.

[Mozaic]

Would be surprising to hear if a Select team bailed on the
Select / Elite challenges considering a lot of the
complaints on behalf of those teams (not necessarily by
those teams) is the reduced access the select teams have to
the Elite/Pro teams.

[mgd.mitch]

I could see a team bailing on the challenge given another
complaint is possible travel costs of required tournaments.