Supply and Demand. As long as people are willing to pay the price, why change it? And it isn't just DM....and it isn't just disc golf.

Bad part about 'higher' prices is that it becomes harder to try new discs.

Friend: You should really try Brand X Mold Y. It would fit perfectly into your ability and game.
Me Before: I'll get one and give it a try. If it doesn't work, it can sit on my shelf and I'll retry it another time.
Me Now: I'll have to think about it....if it doesn't work for me...that means I had to put off getting a disc to replace one I have or another one that would work for me.

I like trying different discs and have several that just didn't work out for me. I would have never tried a Discmania Essence (which I bag) today because of prices and I find myself going back to Innova because I know their discs work for me and I'll use them. Which is a shame, because I've found a bunch of non-Innova/Discraft that work for me because I was able to afford them even if they were going to sit on my shelves.

I’m surprised that nobody is looking at DM’s latest releases and price points from the economics of player sponsorship.
Eagle is one of the top/elite disc golfers around and DM needs to keep him, I think, to remain relevant in today’s market.
That means DM needs to get $$ in Eagle’s pocket…
Eagle can reasonably expect to be compensated at Paul and Ricky’s level, because he wins, has a following and he moves plastic!
So the Rainmakers and IS3s are very much benefiting Eagle, as they should. DM has spent a lot of money getting the factory up and running, so these releases are intended to keep Eagle compensated while they get their supply chain issues ironed out.
It all makes perfect sense.
Jussi is no dummy…

All that is true....but, do you think DM would keep the prices where they are if people weren't buying them because of the cost? It all comes back to supply and demand. People are willing to spend the money to replace/get backups for their DM discs, and willing to spend the money to get the latest plastic/disc. If the discs were prices too high for people to be buying, then DM would have to relook at the cost so that they could sell enough to pay for the factory and the players being sponsored. They seem to have hit a good price point where enough people are buying. And those like me? Well, I'm sure DM would love to have me as a purchaser....but they aren't "missing" me since I wouldn't add enough to the bottom line for them to entice me to buy.

I feel like in the current market its more like

"Hmm I gotta fork over a little more than usual for it, but if I dont click with it, I'm likely to get AT LEAST the same price for it in the 2nd hand market when selling it"

Ive done that for stock discs like basic S-DD3s. 8/10 and still getting more than the original price.

There’s absolutely no reason why used discs, that just released, should be worth more than retail.

I don't understand the barely used ones going higher than retail either, but the full seasoned beat discs make sense to some level in case of replacement.

Sure there is. Lately runs of discs are very limited. Oh! I really like this new disc that just came out....I need to get some backups. Wait, I can't get more? They are sold out? Let me check the used options online.

People realize that if they have a disc that ended up not working for them, and it isn't available due to it being a limited run....that disc may be worth a lot to a player who ended up really liking it and needs backups.

Again....supply and demand.

Allow me to retort.
Nothing off Eagle (and/or Simon).
They're both among the very best in the world.
Both have a well established online presence and a bunch of subscribers. They've been the face(s) of the company for quite a few years, and represent Discmania they way you'd want if it were your company. Both are capable of beating any field for any given event.

But does either of them really move as much plastic as Paul or Ricky??

Multiple World's titles gives players reach and influence that's hard to match otherwise. Paul's become his own marketing machine, and Ricky's certainly learning. I'm not saying Simon and Eagle should earn more than most others, but I just don't see them at being worth seven figures.

At least not yet.

Put another way: don't tell me DM wouldn't be able to move even moar plastic if Eagle won a World's.



....or two.

Correction:

I'd be willing to bet Eagle and/or Simon move as much or more plastic than Rick. They aren't touching Paul, but I be they are there with Rick.

I'm just guessing based on what I've seen in the course. Ive seen very very few Ricky discs in the wild. Most of them were Pigs in the last year, and maybe a harp once. Basically every DM disc I've ever seen on the course has been an Eagle or Simon disc.