The Inevitable 2022 Pros Switching Sponsors Thread

[elmexdela]

Interesting thought. I am interested to see how their business model plays out for the next few years.

The breakdown of the Innova/Discmania arrangement seems to have been catalyzed by Discmania starting to work with other disc manufactures. But Infinite has ALWAYS sold lots of manufacturer's discs... that's their core business.

Infinite has been "acting like" a manufacturer more and more: the pro team, their own molds, involvement in sponsoring tournaments. Even if the manufacturing stays out-of-house, Infinite is still more than just a retailer.

i suppose technically dd did the same

they used to sell everyones discs but then quit (at least online im not sure in person)

 

[autocrosscrx]

I grabbed a 2020 USDGC Champion P Model US and a Tennessee Dyed PA4 from the Dickerson collection.

Pretty excited, though I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them.

 

[ru4por]

I grabbed a 2020 USDGC Champion P Model US and a Tennessee Dyed PA4 from the Dickerson collection.

Pretty excited, though I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them.

Discs want to fly!!

 

[runningDoc]

Hot take. With infinite now having a legit pro team and some really good molds I could see them going the route of Discmania. Have Innova make their discs for now but once they get the money start making their own discs. It seems to me that infinite has taken Discmania's place in Innova's production line.

wasn't this more of dynamic discs path?

i remember buying innova and discraft discs (specifically destroyers and comets) from dynamic discs store back in the day. there's even a pic of paul mcbeth wearing a dynamic t shirt while playing and they seemed to be on the road to sponsoring players through their store and then eventually making their own discs and then trilogy thing etc

 

[dehaas]

DD started as apparel and custom dyes, then online disc retailer, then disc brand.

Dunno if disc brand was the initial goal or just kinda happened…I'd lean towards just kinda happened given Rusco said their agreement with Latitude is still a handshake deal?

 

[flatflip]

wasn't this more of dynamic discs path?

i remember buying innova and discraft discs (specifically destroyers and comets) from dynamic discs store back in the day. there's even a pic of paul mcbeth wearing a dynamic t shirt while playing and they seemed to be on the road to sponsoring players through their store and then eventually making their own discs and then trilogy thing etc

DD still sells discs from just about every manufacturer in their brick & mortar stores.

 

[thecandydan]

DD still sells discs from just about every manufacturer in their brick & mortar stores.

When I was in Emporia two years ago the store was 100% Trilogy plastic, nothing else.

 

[Leviathan]

When I was in Emporia two years ago the store was 100% Trilogy plastic, nothing else.

They sell all brands at there store here in the Dallas area.

 

[TAFL]

When I was in Emporia two years ago the store was 100% Trilogy plastic, nothing else.

Still carrying other brands in KC.

 

[Flick Maniac]

Another Prodigy departure with Cam gone, but makes sense after Orum since they are tight.

Cale had a really nice post on IG:

Yeah this was nice in a way, but dont be all like "we're just small peanuts here, we cant compete with the big boys, been only around for 9 YEARS"

Cmon when you came along, it was pretty much ONLY the big boys, and you. You had the time to grow (and you did). After you started there have been so many more up and comers and theyre not crying about it.

 

[Spectacledbear]

Lots of excuses and coping going on here.

THEY USED OUR DISCS!!!114¤¤

 

[kw83028]

You had the time to grow

They grew. From having only one D2, to having six different D2's.

In our dealer group of 32 retailers, 18 have dropped prodigy from their store over the past 3 years, including me.

 

[jakebake91]

In our dealer group of 32 retailers, 18 have dropped prodigy from their store over the past 3 years, including me.

Any particular reasons why?

 

[seedlings]

Any particular reasons why?

Low sales.

As said, the Dynamic Discs brick and mortar in KC sells many brands. When Ricky came to visit, he sat next to the counter. Behind that spot is where the have they Discraft discs. Since those shelves were empty due to no Discraft stock, they filled in with extra DD.

Anyway I have asked them about Prodigy because that's a brand they don't carry. It doesn't sell. The store gets one or two Prodigy once in a while because the vendor just drops some. The flashing is so bad, they'll never sell. Right now they have one D2, one FX2 I think that has soooo much flashing, and maybe a D model OS or some other Ace line.

 

[kw83028]

Any particular reasons why?

For me, the number one reason was lack of sales, and, in turn, average shelf life. Average shelf life was measured in months for them for the 6 years I carried them. Number 2 reason for me was when I had a meeting with them about up and coming releases, I questioned the lack of sales and that I was considering dropping them, I was told I wasn't doing enough for the company and that I wouldn't be missed. Will contacted me after that and apologized for that person, but it just made the decision easier.

In our group, the number one reason is lack of sales. The other retailers that are keeping them also have lack of sales but they don't want to drop a big name brand and fill the space with micro brands like some of us did.

 

[Moose33]

Prodigy is so weird to me. Locally some of their guys that run tournaments and are involved with them are great. Really nice people who do well for the community.

But you hear a lot of crappy stories about how they treat their retailers and some of their players.

Only a few of their discs have gelled for me, mainly just the A2, but I bag them because I've gotten so many at tournaments I won't run out for years.

 

[jmdaire27]

Guess at this point there ain't nothing better to do than let this thread drift…

Speaking of prodigy discs (2013), didn't they also rip off the name and font from some Canadian bike company (2011; looks like it's called eProdigy now, but same name/font)? Idk if it was intentional, but remember reading it somewhere some time ago. Guess I'm just throwing shade at them too now…

I've had a handful of prodigy discs, most did have some bad flashing. Their molds have also been historically inconsistent (flippy D1s to meathook D3s, the F series has always been a gumball machine).

They got KJ and Young still. They'll both make a splash occasionally.

 

[Cgkdisc]

They got KJ and Young still. They'll both make a splash occasionally.

and Cale.

 

[jmdaire27]

and Cale.

True. And I'll root for the MN golfers, but he is likely on the north side of his prime. Still a great golfer, no doubt.

 

[Cgkdisc]

True. And I'll root for the MN golfers, but he is likely on the north side of his prime. Still a great golfer, no doubt.

Here's that "fading star" just shooting a 1081 round last week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW_5GBs0DL8
I think Cale can remain a contender on the relatively shorter or more wooded courses to be played on tour. Interestingly, his own courses at the Preserve won't necessarily play to his game relative to the bombers on tour.