How much of the Amateur entry fee should go to the Pro purse?

[DavidSauls]

Even the NTs are often combined with an A-tier for Ams. On the other hand, a few places run lower-tier tournaments for Ams and Pros on different weekends.

The difficulties in running pro-only tournaments, other than at the very top, include
---Lack of significant outside money. This means basic expenses must be paid from entry fees, lowering the payouts, which makes it harder to attract pros.
---Much less merchandise involved in payouts or sales, so less wholesale/retail margin, so little chance to make money for the TD or local club.
---Small number of Pros, except for the highest-level events. If local events draw 20-30 pros, no one will want to run a separate tournament just for them.
---At the local and regional levels, many events attract pros & ams together. They're friends and traveling companions, even if they play in different divisions.

 

[who-dat]

I wasn't there, but I was told the SN tourney, Southside Smackdown, had a great players pack....a mini and two single pieces of starburst chews....
From what I've read, the payouts were great, but WTF, a mini and 2 single starbursts? LAME

 

[mubhcaeb78]

Lowering the entry fees/payouts in the long run would also pretty much guarantee less traveling(am) players, when they can play for higher "stakes" just by staying home and playing league nights.

But couldn't the "tier" of tournament indicate the difference?

Have the lowest tier.. almost free.. no freebies.
Higher the tier.. the more competitive.. the higher the cost and payout.

 

[Teebird Elvis]

I am just amazed at the lack of understanding that this this thread is making. To ask: "How much of the Amateur entry fee should go to the Pro purse?" is like asking "How much of the lower end employee's paycheck should be withheld for the CEO's Bonus?" and "How much should we tax the poorest of the poor so the richest of your nation can get a tax break?"

Such backwards thinking. Amateurs are not walking out with a $1,000.00 paycheck after playing a few rounds of disc golf. At best, they get a disc and a teeshirt, or some sort of trophy.

It's like you are just looking for ways to make lower end players hate tournaments in the first place, take their money and give it to players they had no opportunity to play against anyways.

 

[who-dat]

^ Elvis, you and I agree 100% on this one buddy.

 

[DavidSauls]

At best, they get a disc and a teeshirt, or some sort of trophy.

It's like you are just looking for ways to make lower end players hate tournaments in the first place, take their money and give it to players they had no opportunity to play against anyways.

Amateurs are getting far more than you state. Not uncommon to see winners get more than $100 worth of discs and other stuff.

And---at least around here---no one's taking their money to give it to someone else.

But if we did, it wouldn't be to someone they had "no opportunity to play against". It would be to the Open division which is, well, "open" to everyone.

We Amateurs---and I'm a lifelong Am---are getting a sweet deal. As a group, we pay to play in a tournament, get the opportunity to play in an organized tournament, often for an entire weekend---and then get our entire entries back in merchandise.

 

[AndyJB]

I think someone needs to comment on the players that love to see how their rating improves/drops.

That's me! I like to win, obviously, but when I took 2nd at Kooky Noosa O wasn't that upset because I knew I played 2 phenomenal rounds (for me: 914 and 938) and I didn't lose...I got beat. The player who won beat me by 5, but it wasn't because I messed anything up. That's a great feeling. My rating, as of the last update, is 796. I wont be playing any tourneys before the next update (moving to Korea) but even with just the Kooky Noosa ratings, I should be up firmly in the 800s. I can now safely move into Intermediate and know that I can still do fairly well, and might even be up in Advanced by the end od the year. And I am more than happy with that.

But not everyone has the same attitude. Most people expect something for their hard work and quality performence...and that's not wrong per se. Especially since the PDGA has fostered that for the last 20 years or however long they've been doing payouts.

Id love to see a different format...I truly believe that going trophy only for amateurs is a good move for the sport..as long as it results in lower entry fees.

 

[samfoy]

Just commenting, not having read the thread really, because I think my perspective is uncommon at least.

As a bad intermediate player, I am a long way from ever taking cash in open. But I do not mind in the least having money taken from my entry for the pro purse. What I'd really like to see is my player's pack money being taken and used for the pro purse.

I want this sport to grow and I want the guys at the top to be rewarded for their play. The sponsors aren't there yet to pay them, and I don't mind helping pay them now.

Of course I'd also like to see the end of protected pro divisions. I'd like to see MPO and FPO and an option to regain amatuer status to play age protected divisions. Not splitting up the pro money into MPO, MPM, MPG, etc would help to keep the top guys on tour as well.