From Frisbees to a Pot of Gold: How We Help Clients Grow in Unexpected Ways

Here's a question nobody asked us: "What do professional frisbee and alcohol-free St. Patrick's Day celebrations have in common?"

The answer? Us. We're the common thread. And honestly, we're just as surprised as you are.

At Y Associates, we've always said we help our clients "find unique ways to grow and thrive." But even we didn't expect that philosophy would lead us from helping a professional ultimate frisbee team land their first-ever retail deal... to becoming the sponsorship sales partner for a 15-year-old nonprofit celebrating Irish heritage and inclusive celebration in New York City.

Yet here we are. December 2025. Two announcements in one month. And both feel like striking gold.

Chapter One: The Frisbee Chronicles

Let's start with the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds. If you're not familiar, they're Pittsburgh's professional ultimate frisbee team—and yes, professional ultimate frisbee is a real thing. A very cool real thing, actually. These athletes are incredible, the sport is growing fast, and the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) is building something special.

The problem? Like many growing sports organizations, the Thunderbirds needed more than just digital ads and social media posts. They needed strategic partnerships that could expand their reach and create real-world touchpoints for fans.

So we got creative.

We helped facilitate a partnership between the Thunderbirds and Play It Again Sports Pittsburgh—making them the team's first official retail partner. Official team merchandise is now available in an actual store, on an actual wall, that actual humans can walk into and purchase.

Why does this matter? Because it's the first brick-and-mortar merchandise deal in UFA history. Ever. In the entire league.

Read the full Thunderbirds press release here → https://watchufa.com/thunderbirds/news/play-it-again-sports-first-official-retail-partner-thunderbirds

Is it the Super Bowl? No. But for a growing sport trying to establish mainstream credibility, having merchandise on retail shelves is a huge step. It's the kind of win that doesn't show up in a typical marketing report, but absolutely shows up in long-term brand building.

Chapter Two: Finding the Pot of Gold

Now, about that pot of gold.

We're proud to announce that Y Associates has been named the Sponsorship Sales Partner for Sober St. Patrick's Day®—a nonprofit organization celebrating its 15th anniversary of creating inclusive, alcohol-free St. Patrick's Day celebrations in New York City.

"Wait," you might be thinking. "A marketing agency that helps with sports retail deals is now working with a sober celebration nonprofit?"

Yes. And it makes perfect sense. Allow us to explain.

The sober curious movement has grown over 300% in recent years. That's not a typo. Three hundred percent. More and more people are choosing to reduce or eliminate alcohol from their lives—not necessarily because of addiction, but because they want to feel better, perform better, and engage more authentically with the world around them.

This represents a massive market opportunity for brands in wellness, fitness, food and beverage, and lifestyle categories. And Sober St. Patrick's Day®, with 15 years of credibility and a flagship NYC event on March 17, 2026, is perfectly positioned to connect those brands with this audience.

Our job? Build those bridges. Connect sponsors who align with the mission to an engaged, values-driven audience. Help a nonprofit grow so they can continue doing good work.

Sound familiar? It should. It's exactly what we did with the Thunderbirds, just with different jerseys and a whole lot of Irish pride.

The Philosophy Behind the Madness

Here's the thing about digital marketing: most of it is pretty predictable. Run some Google ads. Post on social media. Send some emails. Track your conversions. Rinse and repeat.

And look, we do all of that. We're actually really good at it. (Humble brag? Maybe. But also true.)

But we've always believed that the best growth opportunities come from unexpected places. From asking "what else could we do?" instead of just "what are we supposed to do?"

Sometimes that means helping a sports team think beyond game-day sales. Sometimes it means helping a nonprofit monetize their influence in a way that serves their mission. Sometimes it means connecting two organizations that would never have found each other otherwise.

We're not just trying to increase impressions or click-through rates (though we do that too). We're trying to create real, tangible value that compounds over time.

What This Means for You

If you're reading this and thinking "that's nice for frisbee teams and Irish celebrations, but what about my business?"—great question.

The truth is, every organization has untapped opportunities for strategic partnerships and creative growth initiatives. Most just haven't found them yet.

Maybe you're a local business that could benefit from a community partnership. Maybe you're a nonprofit that hasn't fully explored corporate sponsorship opportunities. Maybe you're an agency looking for a partner who can bring fresh thinking to your client work.

Whatever your situation, we'd love to talk. Because if there's one thing we've proven this month, it's that the most interesting opportunities are usually the ones you didn't see coming.

Let's Build Something Together

Ready to find your pot of gold? Let's talk.