Today we’d like to introduce you to Jim Gerencser.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jim. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I started playing ultimate in 1979 and have always loved the sport. I had worked throughout the years to build youth ultimate in the Dallas area, and when the chance came in 2015 to buy an American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL) franchise, I jumped all over the chance to bring high level Ultimate to Dallas!
The South division, which we are a part of, had already started and this was a great opportunity because Austin had already bought a franchise and we were able to both enter the league in 2016, bringing other teams to play us in a Texas Two Step. Our first goal, with the Roughnecks, was to bring a winning attitude and culture to Dallas, and so we brought in some superstar athletes in that first year. These players knew how to win, and it worked!
We probably had the best ultimate team that’s ever been put together, and it was pretty fun to watch. We went 17 and 0 and won the championship! This first season gave every player the belief that we could win, and we have kept that momentum going since, as we have won the South Division the last three years and have made it to Championship weekend each year of our existence.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
So the hardest part about this is that nobody working with the Roughnecks is in the entertainment business. I’ve always been in the service business, with my company Nationwide Auto Services, but this was a new experience for me.
So when we first started out, we treated it more like a hobby because we didn’t have that much time to spend on it. Then, we realized that by doing this as a hobby, it wasn’t working and there was so much that we needed to do and a lot more effort that we needed to put in to create a fan base and a program that would draw people in. So we’re probably about halfway to where we want to be but’s been difficult. There’s no doubt about it.
I’ve invested a lot of my own money, and we’re working to bring in major sponsors or TV deals. We probably have more sponsors than any team in the league, and we are proud of that and proud of the fact that we can showcase local businesses as our partners. This is always a work in progress, as we continue to grow Ultimate as well as the Dallas Roughnecks.
Dallas Roughnecks – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The Dallas Roughnecks are one of twenty-one professional Ultimate teams that play in the AUDL. Ultimate Frisbee is a team sport played on a field approximately the size of a football field. As in football, the goal is to score in the endzone, but Ultimate is the only total team sport where you can not score a point without an assist from another player.
It is a non-contact, fast-paced incredibly athletic sport, that has hit the Sports Center Top ten frequently in the past few years. The Dallas Roughnecks are a team that is known for their “never quit” attitude, that helped them to win the South Division playoffs last year from an unheard of deficit of six points behind the Raleigh Flyers.
I am most proud of the fact that our games bring a whole community together. We have created a family-friendly environment, where kids can play in the bounce house and also meet their favorite players after the game. It is low-cost entertainment that anyone can enjoy! And we are proud of really focusing on building youth excitement for Ultimate.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Winning the 2016 AUDL Championship in our very first season!
Pricing:
- Kids under 14 get in free
- Adult tickets are $12
- Season Tickets are $50 for 6 games
Contact Info:
- Address: 900 Coit Road Plano, TX 75075
- Website: www.dallasroughnecks.com
- Email: melissa@dallasroughnecks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/droughnecks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dallasroughnecks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DRoughnecks
Image Credit:
Daniel Thai for UltiPhotos
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