The 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 editions of the USA Swimming Grand Prix Series had just 6 stops, with a bit of a gap in March.
The 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons, however, are at least considering the addition of a 7th date in March, and in 2015 extending the series into July.
The updated quad plan, which is still a very loose framework and subject to change, includes a place-holder for a “TBD” March stop on the series that is now flush with cash after signing on individual race prizes from new sponsor Arena.
There’s not a whole lot of new information on this schedule yet, as dates and host sites are still being worked out, but it also includes a potential December Duel in the Pool meet for 2015, which would be the first since 2011.
See the most recent version of the quad plan here: http://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/USA-Swimming-Quad-Plan-as-of-June-19th-2013.pdf
The 2013-2014 Grand Prix schedule is below:
Nov 14-16 Arena Grand Prix Series – MN (SCY)
Jan 17-19 Arena Grand Prix Series – Austin, TX
Feb 13-15 Arena Grand Prix Series – Orlando, FL
Apr 24-26 Arena Grand Prix Series – Mesa, AZ
May 15-18 Arena Grand Prix Series – Charlotte, NC
June 19-22 Arena Grand Prix Series – Santa Clara, CA
Why doesn’t USA Swimming lobby FINA to host a World Cup event and turn that into the first stop on the Grand Prix circuit? For example, the dates of the Minnesota Grand Prix falls concurrently with the final stop of the World Cup in Beijing.
In future years, instead of being a regional showcase that is largely populated by college teams, that first stop could be converted into an SCM meet and attract some of the best swimmers in the world while exposing more US swimmers to the World Cup circuit and the monetary opportunities therein.
It would be lovely, but if I recall, hosting a world cup meet has some fairly ridiculous additional stipulations that USA Swimming do not want to deal with anymore.
I really can’t blame a federation for not wanting to deal with FINA more than necessary. IIRC, the old suburban NYC World Cup stop drew a decent domestic field, though not necessarily better than one of the bigger Gand Prix meets, and paired nicely with the Brazilian World Cup meet of the era because of similar time zones.
Minnesota GP is attractive as a mid-season rest option for college teams, not sure if Minnesota would still opt to host in SCM.
But yes, host federations have to put up a whole lot of cash, and with the continued emphasis on regional “legs” of the meet, they’d have to find two other stops. That means USA Swimming foots the bill for a few hundred grand in prize money, or we get other countries to play, and the last time they tried in the Americas it was a disaster.
Wouldn’t count on WC coming back west anytime soon, though I like the idea.
Would a March Grand Prix date have an availability effect on swimmers competing in the Pacific 12 Conference meet in March (Cal, Stan, USC, Arizona, etc)?
I would love to see the Grand Prix Series make a stop in Atlanta… What a great facility