Pro Only Tour: Would you pay extra?

[Ripper]

Would you allow 10 dollars out of your membership to goto a Pro-Only tour? Or maybe an additional 5 - 10 on top of current PDGA? Honestly think that I would. That way at least your regular disc golfers could bring friends and family to watch. Maybe it would a kick start that they need?

 

[TalbotTrojan]

Would I pay it? Yes! Would I be happy about paying it? Not until I can play on that tour which is still a few years off by my calculations.

I am honestly not sure what an extra $10 per member would do to help other than just add some cash. Even then, that money divided amongst all the tournament doesn't seem like it would really help all that much, but based on that math it would be thousands of dollars per tournament on the NT right now. I guess I would expect better coverage of the tournaments in exchange for that money.

 

[scarpfish]

No. I didn't join the PDGA to be a spectator.

That way at least your regular disc golfers could bring friends and family to watch.

I don't see why regular disc golfers can't do that now.

 

[Tpro]

more money from Am's to Pros....? Just give it to Innova, theyll take it off your hands. Look at the USDGC* $$$$$

 

[John Rock]

Many of us are already paying an extra $25 per year because "we" get more out of membership than AMs do.

 

[Tpro]

not against the Open division, sorry if it came across that way.

 

[craftsman]

Absolutely not. To be completely honest, i feel the reason pros dont make more is due to their lack of touring. Not one player that i know of even makes all the nt's. While many of you well off guys seem to feel bad for the pros, i dont. 30-40k is, imo, pretty decent to be doing something you love. I know tons of amazing folks in punk and/or ska bands that tour for way less while providing the soundtrack for my life.

And before you guys start talking about travel costs and such, i have to pay for gas to travel back and forth to work- with out seeing the country's beaytiful views, all while wearing exspensive fancy clothes. One could buy a car for what ive spent in 5 yrs on dress clothes.

 

[Danger]

That way at least your regular disc golfers could bring friends and family to watch. Maybe it would a kick start that they need?

What is stopping you from bringing friends and family to watch now? I don't get it?

And what does "Maybe it would a kick start that they need" even mean????

Maybe English learn to speak?

 

[scarpfish]

While many of you well off guys seem to feel bad for the pros, i dont. 30-40k is, imo, pretty decent to be doing something you love.

It should be noted that the reported winnings you see on these guys PDGA stats pages are their gross winnings. Unless they have sponsorship dollars coming in to make up for it (and many of them do in varying degrees) you'd have to deduct their tournament entry fees to find their real "income".

That being said, I agree that their situation is no tragedy that needs the rest of us to come rectify. Disc golf "pros" chose their station in life and they can change it and get day jobs like the rest of us anytime they want.

 

[megamerican]

I wouldn't pay extra, but if I had the choice of deciding where $5-$10 of my membership went to I'd choose to give it to pro tour winnings.

 

[LukeButch]

no way I am giving the PDGA any more than I do already.


They should figure out how to stop wasting so much money, and how to retain members before considering a increase in fees of any sort.


could have had a really nice payout at their event this year(PDGA Championship) if they stopped wasting money on marshals, sending the ED to NTs- if you have an elite tour series, these events should not need any help at the event. The PDGA needs to trust TDs to do a good job, and if they don't, not sanction events they run in the future. Every year there are more and more events, but with the exception of a tiny few no increase in the quality of these events.

 

[biscoe]

no way I am giving the PDGA any more than I do already.


They should figure out how to stop wasting so much money, and how to retain members before considering a increase in fees of any sort.


could have had a really nice payout at their event this year(PDGA Championship) if they stopped wasting money on marshals, sending the ED to NTs- if you have an elite tour series, these events should not need any help at the event. The PDGA needs to trust TDs to do a good job, and if they don't, not sanction events they run in the future. Every year there are more and more events, but with the exception of a tiny few no increase in the quality of these events.

correct on all points...

 

[Ripper]

What is stopping you from bringing friends and family to watch now? I don't get it?

And what does "Maybe it would a kick start that they need" even mean????

Maybe English learn to speak?

Typing on phone. Sorry, Dbag for the grammar. Maybe because they are usually playing on the AM side, while Pros are playing. Also, not too many disc golfers bring friends and family to tournaments.

Also, starting a sentence with a conjunction isn't proper .

It was a poll, I'm neither for it or against it. Thought would be a topic after listening to Dave Feldberg interview.

 

[Violets caddy]

I'm for the idea of trying to build a better pro tour, but not like this. Who decides where the money goes? Would states with the most pdga members have the biggest tourneys? Would a smaller state (in terms of memberships) even get a stop on the tour?
I would go watch the pros play except as ripper pointed out I'm usually playing at the same time. Plus unless the tourney is being held on a boring wide open bomber course there isn't really much room for spectators. Would we all hide behind a tree on the tight technical courses?
I'm all for a sustainable pro tour, but until the money can come from outside the dg community I just don't see it happening.

 

[Danger]

I am also all for a big pro tour, but ultimately the people that play disc golf are the ones keeping any money from being involved.

-A thread is out there complaining about how awful it is that an online store raised their prices by a DOLLAR.
-Most people mark it as a CON when they have to pay a green fee, which can be as low as a DOLLAR.

The sport is inherently cheap and is designed to be that way, but unless the majority of its players are willing to pony up a LOT more cash, there won't be any there to pay the top pros. And sponsorship...who would want to sponsor a sport where people complain about a $2 green fee? There is just no money in it.

 

[craftsman]

Danger, while i agree that many players are too cheap ( i constantly have to pick up players at car pool lots since i have all the annual passes) we (ams) already fund the majority of the pro purse (not including entry fees). If anything, it is the ams purchasing the plastic that funds their manufactuer sponsorships.

With that said, i think sig discs and the nikko/dd set up is the only realalistic way to further a touring pro base- which is why im dissapointed in discrafts current stratagy in that area (giving emac the weak az buzz ss and no word on nate getting a 3rd mold).

 

[Danger]

Sig discs are a great idea as well, merchandising is always the ultimate money maker. I worked in the independent music bizz for years and I can tell you it's the t-shirt sales at concerts that keep the band afloat, definitely not record sales. It's no different for a pro; its not their 50k in winnings its the million dollar MERCH contract with Nike.

That being said, I don't think it's a bad thing that ams support the pros. They do in every sport; I just feel like the ams in THIS sport expect everything to just happen without putting any money toward anything. Since we don't have a non-playing fan base (ala baseball basketball football tennis golf skiing snowboarding swimming hockey and soccer), we don't have fan money to send toward the pros. I have tried to find some merch to buy but honestly most of it is pretty douchey. Disc golf baskets look lame on shirts and hats. There I said it.

I also think PDGA membership should be more expensive. When tourney buy-in can cost more than the membership to the club, that raises a huge red flag with me. I think ams should pay closer to $100 and pros closer to $250. Perhaps add an 'enthusiast' level at $50 where you can have an ssa but you cannot get a discount at tourneys would make the transition less painful.

Finally, look at our equipment. The most expensive part of the sport is the bag, which is optional.
Football: Tons of padding, ball
Baseball: Bat $100 and glove $100
Golf: Yeah, lots of clubs
Tennis: $200 racket.
Disc Golf: $15 disc
You can't seriously expect a sport to have any financial backing if it is essentially free. As I have said before, I like the fact that it's basically free to play and that's even how I got into it. However, courses that charge should charge more, and sanctioned tournaments should be much more expensive to play in.

 

[jongoff09]

Finally, look at our equipment. The most expensive part of the sport is the bag, which is optional.
Football: Tons of padding, ball
Baseball: Bat $100 and glove $100
Golf: Yeah, lots of clubs
Tennis: $200 racket.
Disc Golf: $15 disc
You can't seriously expect a sport to have any financial backing if it is essentially free. As I have said before, I like the fact that it's basically free to play and that's even how I got into it. However, courses that charge should charge more, and sanctioned tournaments should be much more expensive to play in.

I have spent more on disc golf than on tennis and softball combined, and I have played those sports for a lot longer than DG...I can buy a tennis racket from Wal-Mart for $20, and the balls are pretty cheap as well, especially the ones that aren't filled with air and last a long time. For softball, I bought a $30 pair of cleats and a $15 glove a while ago, and they have lasted me. If you ask me, those are really cheap sports too.

 

[Danger]

^OK, point taken. But they also have the merch. Non tennis players will buy shirts and shoes from Head and Prince but how many non-discers do you see out there wearing an Innova dry fit shirt?

 

[Stud Muffin]

Would you allow 10 dollars out of your membership to goto a Pro-Only tour? Or maybe an additional 5 - 10 on top of current PDGA? Honestly think that I would. That way at least your regular disc golfers could bring friends and family to watch. Maybe it would a kick start that they need?

Let me relate it like this.
2 nights ago, Michael Angelo Batio came to my small little village of a town. MAB is a world class talent. If you do not know, he is considered the fastest guitar player in the world.

Now with this world class talent, he still has to come to little towns, like mine, and still has to give sales pitches for Dean Guitars. I seriously doubt he is making $millions$ doing guitar workshops.

On the + side, he is doing what he loves, and is very passionate about doing. He travels the world, and is celebrated as a hero.

On the -, maybe he could make more $ in other areas and ways.

And these are the choices we make in life.

Now, concerning Disc Golf pros, you are winning, and you have world class talent, because you are competing against the best in the world. Ignore the haters who say derogatory things about DG.

That said, you have to make a choice:
-Make a modest-decent living, depending on how good you are at self promotion, doing what you love and are passionate about, DG.

-Drop DG to a hobby, and invest your energy and talent into finding a good paying job or investment opportunity.


I am new to this forum, and already hearing about 'growing' the sport has grown old. You want to know who would go watch a tour of pro DGers? Us. The DG ams.

Nobody watches DG for entertainment. You are either a player who enjoys watching the game performed at a high level.

You know, ESPN shows poker. I don't watch it. I don't play poker. You know who does watch poker on ESPN? Poker players.

And my full circle. If you want to grow the sport, invest in the ams, not into the pros. Engler park in Farmington, MO is building a course. Gateway is building it. You know who will show when it opens? The DG players. You know who will show if they invite Nikko there opening day, and give free DG lessons? The same DG players. Outside of the DG world, no one knows who Nikko, Ken Climo, Feldberg, or Nate Doss is, just like how many of you do not know who Michael Angelo Batio is.

DG is a growing sport. It sells itself. Relax, it will get there, eventually. THEN you will sit around and reflect, and wish you were back in the 'good old days'.