First place prize money of $ 7,500 is unprecedented.
April 1, 2021 from Charlie Eisenhood in messages with comments
The announcement of a new mixed-division tournament this week, the Richmond Cup, caused a stir thanks to the $ 10,000 prize pool.
The tournament will take place June 12-13, 2021 and consists of 16 mixed club teams competing for the first prize of $ 7,500. Runner-up will be awarded $ 2,000, and the semi-finalists will each take home $ 250.
The tournament is run by XII Brands, the parent company of VII Ultimate, Five Ultimate and Aria Discs.1
“We wanted to make some waves,” said XII. President Todd Curran. “I think that’s what Ultimate was waiting for. I hope it will bring excitement and talent to the event at the highest level. “
USA Ultimate Triple Crown Tour events have some cash prize for the winners, but they cost $ 2,000. Since the Jose Cuervo tournaments in the early 1990s, no tournament has offered winners this level of cash bonus.
The organizers of the Richmond Cup assume that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening tournament will mainly attract teams on the east coast. However, they hope future editions will attract teams from across the country – maybe even some teams you haven’t heard of.
“We anticipate there may be some new mixed teams playing a one-off event,” said Curran, who noted that this could be a good opportunity for players who normally compete in same-sex club divisions to team up for a preseason Tournament with money on the line.
The tournament requires both a team fee of $ 200 and a fee of $ 25 per player. An entry ticket is $ 10 for those over 12 years of age. Children have free entry.
Curran said the player and viewer fees – unusual for an ultimate regular season tournament – are intended to improve tournament economics, but are also helpful for COVID-19 contact tracing as all participants are accounted for.
COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place, including requesting masks for players (excluding those active on the field), temperature checks for players before entering the field complex, and following USA Ultimate’s Return to Play guidelines as well as the local regulations in Virginia. Players are given packed lunches to encourage social distancing during meals.
Accepted teams will be announced on an ongoing basis.