Warren County gearing up for return of prestigious, international Ultimate Frisbee event

WARREN COUNTY, OH (June 30, 2022) – For the second time in five years, Warren County, Ohio, is preparing to host the World Flying Disc Federation’s (WFDF) World Ultimate Club Championships (WUCC) – one of ultimate frisbee’s most prestigious international events. Previously held in nations all across the globe, the tournament will bring 128 teams comprised of more than 2,600 male and female athletes from 30 different nations to Southwest Ohio in the weeks ahead.

Scheduled to be played July 23-30, the WUCC will be hosted by both the Cincinnati Ultimate Players Association (CUPA) and Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau (WCCVB), both of which were instrumental in bringing the event to town both this year and once previously in 2018.

The tournament in 2018 had a significant impact on the local community, accounting for more than 14,860 room nights at local hotels and filling area restaurants and shops to the tune of more than $10 million in economic impact.

Ben Huffman, Director of Sports Enterprises for the WCCVB, expects this year’s event to be similarly impactful.

“Hosting the Club Championships here in 2018 was truly an incredible experience, and we’re beyond thrilled to welcome the World Ultimate community back to town this summer,” Huffman said. “These championships have been played all around the world - from Italy to Prague to Australia to Scotland – so it says so much about our community that we’ve been invited to host them not once, but twice, and in such a short period of time.”

Consisting of more than one thousand 7-on-7 ultimate frisbee games, the tournament will be played at both Mason High School’s Atrium Stadium and the Lebanon Sports Complex. Spectators are highly encouraged to attend and can purchase tickets now through the duration of the event through the WUCC’s web site, according to Dale Wilker, Tournament Director for the WUCC.

“Attending fans will have the chance to watch fierce competition, thrilling plays, and some of the world’s most amazing athletes,” said Wilker. “The Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau went all out five years ago to help elevate the event to world-class status for the Ultimate community and with millions of players and fans throughout the world, we're excited to help bring the full-scale event back to 'Ohio's Largest Playground,' this summer."

Tourism is the leading industry in Warren County, as more than 12 million visitors drive an economic impact of $1.3 billion and support more than 12,000 tourism-related jobs in the county in a typical year. “Sports tourism has long been one of the tourism industry’s fastest growing sectors and plays a particularly important role in the county,” according to Phillip S. Smith, President & CEO of the WCCVB.

“When we bring in events like this, we don’t just put athletes on our fields or on our courts,” Smith said. “We put the athletes, their coaches, their families and their friends on our roller coasters, in our restaurant booths, in our retail stores, and in our hotel beds. All that economic activity has a huge, positive ripple effect on our entire community. Tourism in Warren County means jobs and lower taxes for our residents, and events such as the World Ultimate Club Championships are a major driver of tourism here.”

The WCCVB was recently named the nation’s No. 1 mid-market sports commission by Huddle-Up’s Sports Tourism Index – one of the country’s top resources for sporting event planners.

About the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau:
Warren County is Ohio’s Largest Playground®! With easy access from Interstates 71 and 75, visitors to Warren County can enjoy more activities within a 30-mile radius than anywhere else in Ohio. The Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau is a professional destination marketing and management organization whose mission is to strengthen the community by advancing economic growth and vitality through tourism, overnight stays, and encouraging significant participation by visitors in the local tourism economy. Tourism is the leading industry in Warren County. In a typical year more than 12 million visitors drive an economic impact of $1.3 billion and 12,000+ tourism-related jobs. For additional information, visit OhiosLargestPlayground.com, call 513-204-1900 or visit the WCCVB on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The World Flying Disc Federation is the international sports federation responsible for the world governance of flying disc (frisbee), including Ultimate (Grass & Beach), Disc Golf, Freestyle, Guts, and Overall. WFDF is a federation of 103 member associations which represent flying disc and their athletes in 100 countries. WFDF is an international federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and the International University Sports Federation (FISU), a member of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF), the International World Games Association (IWGA), the International Masters Games Association (IMGA), and the Association for the International Sport for All (TAFISA). WFDF is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, and is a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in the state of Colorado, USA. ##