World Professional Footbag

As you may know, I am exploring the founding of a professional footbag tour. This idea of a pro footbag tour really excites me and is something I have strived for over several decades of developing the sport of footbag.

I have tentatively brand-named the professional footbag tour “World Professional Footbag”, or WPF. WPF events would initially be produced by my existing footbag production company, Fancy Footwork Productions, Inc. (FFP). We hope that WPF events will be sanctioned by the IFPA and play by the rules published by the International Footbag Committee (IFC). FFP may also continue to assist the IFPA with producing non-WPF sponsored footbag events. Unlike the IFPA, which is a charitable 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, WPF is intended to be a privately-owned and operated "for-profit" tour of professional footbag players. Players and promoters may be able to participate in the ownership or management of WPF under terms to be determined at a later date.


WPF intends to initially produce footbag tournaments worldwide for live and taped viewing, campaign for corporate sponsorships, and offer a award cash prizes to event winners. I hope to work with a representative of footbag players (WPF Player's Representative) to help manage the potential future relationship between WPF management and the WPF professional footbag players. We will need to explore what management-player relationship structure works best for Footbag and adjustments that would have to make for various world regions. Compensation will grow with successful efforts by the tour management and players. I have seen a lot of progress with this project and we are moving forward.


Taking in mind a reasonable time line for starting a professional sports tour, our plan to develop this tour is to use the 2009 and 2010 seasons to produce an expanding demonstration tour of WPF events while targeting the official launch of the World Professional Footbag (WPF) Tour for early-2011. I will be looking to create relationships worldwide with event organizers looking to bring future WPF Tour events to their country.

Let know your thoughts?

As I've said on posts in other forums on this same topic, you can count on my full support in any way I can lend it, and you can count on Chicago to host one of these events on an annual basis. Whether its incorporating the Windy City Cup into this tour or running a seperate event each year, the Chicago Lake Coast Kickers are excited to be a part of this wonderful advancement in our sport.

Also, like I've said on posts in other forums on this same topic, this effort will require existing tournaments and events to "step it up" in their organizational efforts. We must run professional looking, consistent tournaments that meet a minimal set of requirements that include (but are not limited to):
A high-traffic finals site
A great looking finals court surrounded by banners (hopefully corporate sponsored banners)
A sound system with a grown-up operating the mic
Bleachers for fans
Vending for fans (beer, hot dogs, etc)
Quality competition on the court that grabs the attention of passer-bys

We can't convince major corporations to give us money if we can't deliver a quality product. It's just that simple. We need to extend every effort we can RIGHT NOW to show that we do have a quality product worth putting money behind. Let's get on it!!

(Oh, and I'm not sure if I like the WPF name, but I don't have an alternative to offer, so I'll just shut up about it for now.)

Hey Chris,

Thanks for the efforts, Chaos fully backs this too. And I see the Green Cup being a major component of it!

THANKS and keep us posted.

PT

Chris, one thing that individual tournament could greatly benefit from a serie/tour , could be to have a common insurance contract. I don't know if actually possible to have one insurance contract to cover events in 2 or more countries. Is that something that you thought about?