Rules Experimentation at 2014 Philly Invite



Boulder, Colo. (July 15, 2014)—Next weekend’s Philly Invite in Allentown, Pa., a Select Flight tournament on USA Ultimate’s

Next weekend’s Philly Invite in Allentown, Pa., a Select Flight tournament on USA Ultimate’s Triple Crown Tour , will be played with experimental rules, the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States announced today.

USA Ultimate’s Spirit, Observers and Rules (SOAR) Committee approved two specific experimental rules in addition to those previously approved for the 2014 Triple Crown Tour ("contact" call and 20-yard end zones). The two additional and specific experimental rules implemented for the 2014 Philly Invite include:



WFDF Travel Rule 18.2.7 (no stoppage for an uncontested travel without a throw)



WFDF timing between points



The timing between points will work as follows, from the time a point begins (when the previous point is scored):



The receiving team has 15 seconds to indicate whether it will play with 4 men or 4 women during the ensuing point. If a player on the receiving team fails to so indicate, both teams will play with the gender ration of the previous point (or 4 men and 3 women at the start of the second half)



The receiving team has 45 seconds to establish stationary positions on the end zone line, providing the pulling team with an unobstructed view of the players on the receiving team.



The receiving team has 60 seconds to signal readiness.



The pulling team has 75 seconds to pull.



The WFDF Travel Rule 18.2.7 experiment allows play to continue without stoppage for an uncontested travel call if no throw is made. When a player calls a travel, the thrower shall immediately announce "contested travel" and stop play, OR announce "travel, no contest" and play will continue. The player who called the travel will then indicate the spot where the thrower’s pivot foot should be. In the case of an uncontested travel, the stall count pauses and the thrower may not throw the disc until a pivot foot is established at the indicated spot (to do so is a travel). The marker then resumes the stall count with the word "stalling" at the count reached, plus one (or 9 if over 8).



In addition, downfield players should always continue to play until the thrower clearly acknowledges a call and stops play. If a pass is thrown or the travel call is contested, pay stops. By saying "contest", a thrower acknowledges the call and play stops according to rule XVI.C, so any subsequent pass will not count. For an uncontested travel, by yelling "travel, no contest", the thrower will alert the other players that play is continuing under the experimental rule.

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