Call It The Players Disc Golf Association

[biscoe]

Originally Posted by Jay Dub

I guess another thing to consider is what's everyone's definition of "breaking it big".

Having a few backers outside of disc golf for golf courses is good but that's just a trickle.

Y'all act as if there is going to be a giant road sign that says "Big Time- You Have Arrived."

I have spent many years in the volunteer trenches just as you have. I am involved in a lot of different aspects of the game and things have progressed to a point where course design is now how I make my living rather than something I beg a landowner for the right to do. The train is picking up speed quickly.

Does this mean that volunteerism at the grass roots level will not remain the keystone for growth? Of course not- all sports have volunteers at their base. Patrick Mahomes makes $45 million a year but I would imagine his earliest coaches in organized football were volunteers.

McBeth owns a McLaren.

[Jay Dub]

Not looking for any sign. And McBeth owning that car could be written off as bad money management.

[ru4por]

Originally Posted by Jay Dub

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forum...d.php?t=137738

Sorry, I should not have been so cryptic. I was just trying to help the cause. Here is the info.

https://www.dgpt.com/announcements/2...cast-on-espn2/

[biscoe]

Originally Posted by Jay Dub

Not looking for any sign. And McBeth owning that car could be written off as bad money management.

I agree- gotta have the money to be able to mismanage it though.

[Jay Dub]

Originally Posted by biscoe

I agree-gotta have the money to be able to mismanage it though.

No you don't, bad money management could be spending money you don't have,

I'm much better at numbers and investing than I am at golf.

[dorseymatt]

Good article, and I think disc golf is definitely entering a new era of broader engagement. I think there should be some healthy skepticism that the growth shown during COVID will continue to this degree, but I don't think things are going back to how they were a couple years ago.

Anecdotally: I run a facebook group for my local course. It's been a fairly active group for something like two years, maybe more. Since April, membership in the group has increased close to 130%.

[Hampstead]

Whether disc golf is on the cusp of making it big time or not doesn't affect me one whit. But more power to those who may benefit.

[JRW III]

When the Pro side can self fund a stand alone organization (from sponsors, advertising dollars, ticket sales, etc...), I think we will see a split of some sort. But for now, the PDGA relies too much on the Am dollars (Am membership, "Am Scam" for tournaments, etc...) to be a pro only organization.

[ToddL]

Originally Posted by Jugular

This suggestion seems to come up a lot but I don't understand what the argument for it is based on. Why would having separate entities do the job better? If there are specific issues why can't the PDGA expand their capabilities and resolve those issues just as easily as a separate entity would do? Should I just go and read the article to help me understand?

My guess is the reason people think it's a good model is because Golf and perhaps other currently successful sports follow that model.

That's my main argument as well. Even if there was a true split between PDGA and DGPT, where would the line be? There are thousands of tournaments every year under PDGA sanctioning that have professional players. Are the professional divisions of otherwise amateur tournaments going to be handled differently? Or what happens when Paul McBeth wants to play in a local PDGA B-tier after spending most of his year on the DGPT?

DGPT is doing a great job with their tournaments, but it's just a handful of tournaments catering to a handful of players. Even if the PDGA retires the NT and gives the reins of the professional circuit over to the DGPT, what good would it do them to break off from the PDGA? Would they have to write their own rulebook? Would they have to form their own competition committees? Would they have to start their own record keeping database? It seems like a lot of effort for very little tangible benefit.

[DiscFifty]

It's obvious the DGPT/DGN is just utilizing the PDGA as a stepping stone as they solidify their brand. I think it's inevitable the DGPT/DGN will abandon the PDGA in coming years and more than likely move to an easier ranking system instead of ratings. While most ams don't like any of their membership funding the pro side of the sport, I don't see the PDGA ever abandoning pro players. Maybe the DGPT will have stricter requirements to qualify. PDGA pros may consider being able to play on the DGPT "going to the big show".