Ultimate Frisbee Association

The Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) is a professional ultimate frisbee league in North America. It has 22 teams split into four divisions: South, Central, East, and West. Each team plays 12 regular season games from April to July.

After the regular season, the top three teams from each division go to the playoffs. The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament that ends with the UFA Championship Weekend in late August. The championship is a two-day event.

The UFA started in 2012 as the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL) and changed its name to the Ultimate Frisbee Association in 2024. The New York Empire has won the most championships with three titles. The current champions are the Boston Glory, who beat the Minnesota Wind Chill in the 2025 UFA Championship Game.

History

Founding and inaugural season

The UFA began in 2012 by Josh Moore. It was first called the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL). The first game was won by the Connecticut Constitution against the Rhode Island Rampage, 29 to 23. The first championship that year was won by the Philadelphia Spinners.

At the start, the league had eight teams in two groups. Jonathan "Goose" Helton from the Indianapolis AlleyCats was named the league’s best player that season.

2012 lawsuit

In 2012, the AUDL wanted to add teams in New Jersey, New York, and Boston. But the owners of the Connecticut Constitution and Rhode Island Rampage thought this would break their agreements. After talks failed, the league took legal action. This caused the Connecticut Constitution to stop playing and lose games. By the end of the season, both the Constitution and Rampage had left.

2013–2023

By 2013, only two teams from the first season stayed in their cities. The league grew, reaching 17 teams by 2014 and adding a West Division. In 2015, it expanded to 25 teams with new clubs like the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds and Los Angeles Aviators.

In 2015, Jessi Jones became the first woman to play professionally in the league. In 2017, Jesse Shofner became the first woman to score goals in a full season.

Some teams stopped playing over the years, including the Cincinnati Revolution and Charlotte Express in 2016, and the Nashville Nightwatch and San Francisco FlameThrowers in 2019.

The 2020 season was canceled because of health concerns. In 2021, Canadian teams played separately due to travel limits.

In 2021, three new teams joined: the Colorado Summit, Salt Lake Shred, and Portland Nitro. The Dallas Roughnecks changed their name to the Dallas Legion. In 2022, the San Jose Spiders moved to Oakland.

After 2022, the Houston Havoc joined while the Tampa Bay Cannons and Ottawa Outlaws left.

2024 rebranding

In January 2024, the league changed its name to the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA). They worked with Sport Dimension Inc., the owners of the Frisbee brand, to create a new look. In 2024, the UFA began showing top games for free on YouTube.

After the 2024 season, the Portland Nitro became the Oregon Steel, and the Dallas Legion stopped playing. In 2025, the league changed its divisions again and added the Vegas Bighorns.

After 2025, the Detroit Mechanix and the Los Angeles Aviators left. The Colorado Summit renamed itself the Colorado Apex, and the Bighorns moved divisions.

Rules

Further information: Ultimate (sport) § Rules

The Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) has some special rules. The field is bigger, measuring 53 and a third yards wide and 80 yards long, with end zones that are 20 yards each. Games have four quarters of 12 minutes each, with a 15-minute break in the middle. If the score is tied at the end, there is a five-minute overtime period. If it's still tied, another overtime period is played until one team scores first.

Some key changes include referees who help keep track of time and call fouls, a shorter time limit for passing the disc, and different types of fouls with set penalties. These rules help make the game run smoothly and fairly.

Teams

The Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) has 22 teams in North America. The teams are split into four groups based on where they are located. During the regular season, teams can have many players on their list. But for each game, they must choose between 12 and 20 players to play.

Active teams

Former teams

* Team was a founding member of the UFA

Championships

Ultimate Frisbee has big tournaments where teams from around the world come to compete. These tournaments are called championships.

MVP

Ultimate Frisbee players work hard and aim for their best. The Most Valuable Player, or MVP, is chosen each year. This award goes to the player who shows great skill, teamwork, and spirit.

The MVP is picked by the players, coaches, and sometimes fans. It is a big honor and shows that a player is truly excellent.

League commissioners

The Ultimate Frisbee Association has had many leaders. Josh Moore led from 2012 to 2013. Steve Gordon led from 2013 to 2018. Steve Hall led from 2018 to 2024. Tim DeByl has been the leader since 2024.