The Inevitable 2024 Pros Switching Sponsors Thread

[dehaas]

I think you're selling Ricky short here tbh. While awkward in front of the camera, few players play with as much joy and athletic fervor as Ricky.

You're proving my point.

Sure dude can play, and definitely has enthusiasm on the course and wants to win all the time but he doesn't do much to move the needle.

Paul got to where he is because he was talented enough on the course and smart enough to put himself in a position to continue to make money in disc golf after he's done playing.

Ricky is just extremely good at playing disc golf and talked DD into matching Paul's deal. Would anybody right now claim he's worth a million a year?

 

[Shallows]

You're proving my point.

Sure dude can play, and definitely has enthusiasm on the course and wants to win all the time but he doesn't do much to move the needle.

Paul got to where he is because he was talented enough on the course and smart enough to put himself in a position to continue to make money in disc golf after he's done playing.

Ricky is just extremely good at playing disc golf and talked DD into matching Paul's deal. Would anybody right now claim he's worth a million a year?

Who said anything about Paul? I thought you meant Gannon Buhr.

 

[mostlynorwegian]

Gannon will become the next Ricky…

Really good at playing disc golf, but not so good at being a pro athlete.

There's a difference.

Gannon is literally going to become an adult in front of a camera. Is that what you mean by being a pro athlete? What difference do you perceive in how a pro athlete (who is 18, btw) has over a really good 18 year old who has already shown in a very short time. He can take down anything he wants to, and also still hold it down as an 18 year old who needs to explore what being 18, and also in control and doing EXACTLY what you LOVE is like.
Having only been around disc golf less than ten years. I can already see the huge steps forward in 'professionalism' in terms of pay scale are doing. But, what do you mean by pro-athlete?

 

[Al Dente]

Wysocki was awkward on camera when he was younger, but that's no longer true.

McBeth was never personable or really likable. He was simply an extraordinary player for a handful of years.

Buhr is too young to judge as a person or a player.

 

[elmexdela]

that rise of the eagle stamp is legit af

just saw it in gggt email

also that jawbreaker z flx raptor looks amazing too

 

[hurricaine]

i was really confused and concerned who the target audience was with that video

hes a young disc nerd, nerding out and having fun?

 

[geebob]

Gannon will become the next Ricky…

Really good at playing disc golf, but not so good at being a pro athlete.

There's a difference.

There is a difference, but you are dead wrong about the individuals.

Ricky is a great ambassador for the sport, is an interesting interview, and is very friendly in person.

I've worked with many young athletes over the past 40 years and I have to say that Gannon is probably in the top 10% in all the aspects of being an athlete - he knows the history of the game, can speak articulately about mechanics and strategy, and interacts really well in person. He also seems to have cultivated a solid group of friends which is important. Hoping that DM promotes him well.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

GGGT has this pic up. I like the orange one best...

 

[elmexdela]

hes a young disc nerd, nerding out and having fun?

your bff already longwind answered it

got the point thank you and im glad a few people enjoyed it

 

[biscoe]

There is a difference, but you are dead wrong about the individuals.

Ricky is a great ambassador for the sport, is an interesting interview, and is very friendly in person.

I've worked with many young athletes over the past 40 years and I have to say that Gannon is probably in the top 10% in all the aspects of being an athlete - he knows the history of the game, can speak articulately about mechanics and strategy, and interacts really well in person. He also seems to have cultivated a solid group of friends which is important. Hoping that DM promotes him well.

Having the capacity to be self-deprecating at his age speaks well to me too.

 

[DanJon]

That Alden Harris in the bag video was a nice commercial, but I lost count of the amount of times Babcock said, "like."

Was a little cringey at times.

Plus did anyone feel like Alden already had his bag figured out and this was just for promotional purposes?

At least he is advertising a stock offering bag.

 

[TheOtherBill]

IMO Eagle's new stamp seems more "grown up" than some of his others. But Simon's a dad, they both have mortgages, etc - they aren't "boys" anymore. Also, DM sure seems to rotating back to another younger demographic for their marketing.

 

[runningDoc]

I'm super happy there's a lot of pro disc golfers can make living wages (and top tier ones making nice substantial salaries) from sponsorships now.

Thats the real thing driving pro's to switch sponsors. Its not like professional athletes playing on teams switching teams which means having to move to another city etc, its kind of the best of both worlds when it comes to flexibility because they just have to switch discs.

I started playing in 2014 and seeing what Paul and Simon make today compared to what their lifestyles were back in that World Championships in Portland Oregon... Paul posting videos while living with a bunch of dudes sharing in a house in southern california practice putting in a hallway and he was already a 2x champion....

We have guys playing for $100-500k year contracts and with their first and only major (or even no majors at all) now. Thats a ton of progress in a decade.

 

[RowingBoats]

GGGT has this pic up. I like the orange one best...

I asked DFX for that purple plate green rim one lol.

 

[Snaques]

Wysocki was awkward on camera when he was younger, but that's no longer true.

McBeth was never personable or really likable. He was simply an extraordinary player for a handful of years.

Buhr is too young to judge as a person or a player.

Ricky doesn't really produce content that gets people interested. It's true he's way more comfortable in front of camera, but doesn't create much of a cult following.

Paul was completely different than the younger guys today. Sure he was great, but what really set him apart was his pure professionalism towards the sport. He was constantly pushing for thing to make the sport credible and approachable for the big audience. That is completely different to the current hot take business everyone seems to be in.

Also, it's going to be pretty easy to compare the impact those two had on their companies with Paul basically transforming Discraft completely while Ricky is just playing for DD.

 

[mostlynorwegian]

Ricky doesn't really produce content that gets people interested. It's true he's way more comfortable in front of camera, but doesn't create much of a cult following.

Paul was completely different than the younger guys today. Sure he was great, but what really set him apart was his pure professionalism towards the sport. He was constantly pushing for thing to make the sport credible and approachable for the big audience. That is completely different to the current hot take business everyone seems to be in.

Also, it's going to be pretty easy to compare the impact those two had on their companies with Paul basically transforming Discraft completely while Ricky is just playing for DD.

You mean Pablo never went for being a complete cheeseball for the camera, like say. Gannon, who orders $60 worth of lettuce?
Some people don't mind being total dorks. Others just can't. Some people are way more measured. Others can enjoy being in the moment.
To compare Ricky and Paul. AGAIN. Paul rarely puts his heart out the way Raptor legs does when all the pistons are firing in the same direction. Ricky is the type who would dance in the end zone. Pablo would raise a single fist of acknowledgment and move on to the next station.

 

[Snaques]

You mean Pablo never went for being a complete cheeseball for the camera, like say. Gannon, who orders $60 worth of lettuce?
Some people don't mind being total dorks. Others just can't. Some people are way more measured. Others can enjoy being in the moment.
To compare Ricky and Paul. AGAIN. Paul rarely puts his heart out the way Raptor legs does when all the pistons are firing in the same direction. Ricky is the type who would dance in the end zone. Pablo would raise a single fist of acknowledgment and move on to the next station.

Not quite sure what your point is, but I suppose I'm just saying that Paul has been much more impactful in terms of growing the sport as well as his sponsors.

Maybe in NFL terms, Paul is Brady and Ricky is Gronk.

 

[hurricaine]

your bff already longwind answered it

got the point thank you and im glad a few people enjoyed it

youre a fucking weirdo

 

[geebob]

Not quite sure what your point is, but I suppose I'm just saying that Paul has been much more impactful in terms of growing the sport as well as his sponsors.

Maybe in NFL terms, Paul is Brady and Ricky is Gronk.

My take is that my enjoyment of watching the pros is the variety of personalities. I admire the stony professionalism of Paul or Kristin, but enjoy the emotional play of Ricky and Ohn. I also like seeing the more "problematic" players making lead cards, as it's good to have a villain in the mix.

In short, Paul is great, but I'd be way less likely to watch a tournament with 50 Paul clones.

 

[texasissouth]

Honestly Paul is just good at maintaining that PR-approved squeaky clean image. If he wasn't beating the pants off everyone for years, it wouldn't work, and I'm honestly surprised it works as well as it does. I think his best moments are when he loosens up in like champs v chumps or when he was trash-talking a couple years ago. Otherwise he's good at appearing a little bland. I think you can see the ideal salesperson in Simon, he doesn't have any WCs but moves plastic by being heartfelt and doing fun things on camera all the time.