2015 Pros and Their Manufacturers

[ZAMson]

I strongly disagree with this statement. There is a reason that having sponsored players on tour is highly sought after from all the new start up manufactures; it puts the company on the map. Where would prodigy right now if they had just rolled out a lineup with no pros advertising for them? Why are all the small start ups (deity, salient, ect) targeting tour players if their isn't significant benefit for them?

Yup of all the advertising strategies for DG companies, paying for an endorsement is the quickest bang for the buck. In my experience it's preferable in the long run to have sincere actual users of the product, rather than paying someone to adopt, but it's a great short-term strategy. McCray brought a lot of legitimacy to Salient during that brief endorsement.

I'm wondering if MVP/Axiom will take the plunge and bring on a pro.

Christian Sandstrom and his wife have been using them in a mixed bag capacity, that'll be better marketed next year now that we've got some apparel to shoot them in. He liked the distance class and approached MVP, and I think he's a great match as a geeky technique guy, so that should be interesting.

I'm all for supporting actual users (who meet the ROI on ad-spend for sponsorship), but in past jobs we've dropped/fired 100% of the insincere endorsers... "hey I'd be willing to try your discs if you can pay me $X annually and $X event bonus" ... "I never buy discs but for $X you could be my favorite shop". Nope. In fairness sometimes it comes down to a player liking a smaller brand but going with the cash from a larger offer to make their career work, like Brinster being huge into Millennium (and former-team) but moving to the Innova umbrella.

 

[Three Putt]

I'm wondering if MVP/Axiom will take the plunge and bring on a pro.

This is where we all just blow smoke. Are MVP discs selling like hotcakes? How would we know? I guess the big distributors like DN,GGGT, and Marshall Street would know. Would they benefit from the exposure? Do they have a niche market cornered with gyro disc geeks? It's all a guess.

I know that somebody on tour throwing or not throwing one makes no effect on me since I know that what the Pro's throw is dictated by who decides to give them discs. If MVP decides to give a Pro discs to throw, it doesn't change how the disc flies for me. On the other hand, if I'm new and trying to figure out what to throw by watching "in the bag" videos (which must happen since there are so many of them out there) maybe it does matter. I really don't know.

My general reaction is that the pro tour needs the manufacturers waaayyy more than the manufacturers need the pro tour, but that's just my guess.

 

[TalbotTrojan]

Not sure why I love a thread like this so much but I do.

I think all of the top pros are looking out for their own best interest and will find companies that give them what they think will be best for them.

I thino JohnE made a good decision moving to Latitude. We will see if he can find the right putter to keep his game strong.

I have heard rumors that Paige Pierce is looking to move. Innova seems to be her desire but I would not be surprised to see Dynamic make a play for her.

In the category of names you will soon know. Eagle Wynne McMahon signed with Discmania. He and his dad are already loving their new Grip bags.

In the category of what makes sense, Prodigy has to stop paying so many people to make it financially viable for those who do stay.

 

[Three Putt]

In my experience it's preferable in the long run to have sincere actual users of the product, rather than paying someone to adopt,

This is a great argument against MVP moving toward sponsorship. They have developed a loyal following of sincere actual users without sponsoring anyone.

What I don't know is how large that following is in the real world, so I really don't know how well it's working.

 

[Three Putt]

In the category of what makes sense, Prodigy has to stop paying so many people to make it financially viable for those who do stay.

When Prodigy came out I'd see people post on facebook where they bought 25 of this disc or that disc...it was the new CE and people were banking on the proto Prodigy discs being very valuable. You don't see that much anymore. They probably have a much more realistic idea of what their sales are going to be after year two.

Prodigy doesn't get a lot of love on DGCR, but Prodigy has more facebook fanboys than MVP has DGCR fanboys. Somebody is buying them, and from all the "I got this from Will" of "I got this from Ricky" posts I see the connection to the sponsored players is a big part of that. Again, I have no idea how many somebody's there are and how the bottom line is working out.

 

[WhiteyBear]

When Prodigy came out I'd see people post on facebook where they bought 25 of this disc or that disc...it was the new CE and people were banking on the proto Prodigy discs being very valuable. You don't see that much anymore. They probably have a much more realistic idea of what their sales are going to be after year two.

Prodigy doesn't get a lot of love on DGCR, but Prodigy has more facebook fanboys than MVP has DGCR fanboys. Somebody is buying them, and from all the "I got this from Will" of "I got this from Ricky" posts I see the connection to the sponsored players is a big part of that. Again, I have no idea how many somebody's there are and how the bottom line is working out.

Companies don't need pros, pros need companies.

Exception....Prodigy just might need pros. They based their sales model off of it, and had such a huge emphasis on the "team" aspect of disc golf (which I don't get, this is an individual game).

I do remember watching that early-released 750 series Prodigy disc selling for $1,250 on an online auction though...for Uli. That was insane. Of course, most of the auctions online I see for new "rare" discs are insane anyways.

 

[AndyJB]

Not sure why I love a thread like this so much but I do.

I think all of the top pros are looking out for their own best interest and will find companies that give them what they think will be best for them.

I thino JohnE made a good decision moving to Latitude. We will see if he can find the right putter to keep his game strong.

I have heard rumors that Paige Pierce is looking to move. Innova seems to be her desire but I would not be surprised to see Dynamic make a play for her.

In the category of names you will soon know. Eagle Wynne McMahon signed with Discmania. He and his dad are already loving their new Grip bags.

In the category of what makes sense, Prodigy has to stop paying so many people to make it financially viable for those who do stay.

I heard some guy from Colorado named Scott Leader might be next in line for a Dynamic Discs sponsorship

 

[TalbotTrojan]

I heard some guy from Colorado named Scott Leader might be next in line for a Dynamic Discs sponsorship

Wouldn't that be nice. I doubt that is going to happen anytime soon unless I really pick my game up next year.

 

[DesertFox]

Me thinks Pierce might jump to Dynamic Discs

 

[btothej89]

It would be cool to see some more german guys (or other europeans) getting sponsored by bigger companies in the future.
We got some highly talented guys over here.

 

[dwayne.hoffman]

I'd like to see more of the Euros touring over here. That would bring an extra measure of depth to the tour.

 

[Rob Martin]

I'd like to see more of the Euros touring over here. That would bring an extra measure of depth to the tour.

I agree

 

[Rob Martin]

Here in the middle of DD country (Kansas), I see much more Prodigy than I do MVP.

 

[skizzle34]

I see a lot more of any other manufacturer other than MVP. Every once in awhile there will be the random Ion or Anode but very rarely.

 

[ZAMson]

MVP was the 3rd/4th (tied with Lat) best selling brand at DN (then largest retail/wholesale) when I was able to leave my cushy management position to join MVP full time. I'd say it's selling a-ok. Great example here of the type of market that Prodigy speaks to -- the kind you see frequently at the course/events, who follows pros, and buys at most 5% of the discs being sold.

 

[professorkevlar]

Where does Discraft fit in all of this? Thoughts?

 

[dwayne.hoffman]

I am thinking that myself re: Discraft. Outside of Nate Doss, they do not have anyone else on the Elite Team (they do have a fair number on their Tour Team). I think they need to make a strong move just for the relevancy element of it.

 

[steinkecm]

I am thinking that myself re: Discraft. Outside of Nate Doss, they do not have anyone else on the Elite Team (they do have a fair number on their Tour Team). I think they need to make a strong move just for the relevancy element of it.

You have to wonder who would move to Discraft, though.

I think that Simon Lizotte's game would fit well within their strong molds, but he's not moving.

Who else could make a Discraft bag work?

 

[scarpfish]

I am thinking that myself re: Discraft. Outside of Nate Doss, they do not have anyone else on the Elite Team (they do have a fair number on their Tour Team). I think they need to make a strong move just for the relevancy element of it.

When a company sells more ultimate discs than their entire disc golf line, I'm not sure they need relevancy.

Although it does seem from the disc golfer's perspective that Discraft is to the sport what Burger King is to fast food. Once a trendy alternative to the behemoth competitor. Now, sort of meh with all of these enthusiastic upstarts, but you still might go there on occasion.

 

[steinkecm]

When a company sells more ultimate discs than their entire disc golf line, I'm not sure they need relevancy.

Although it does seem from the disc golfer's perspective that Discraft is to the sport what Burger King is to fast food. Once a trendy alternative to the behemoth competitor. Now, sort of meh with all of these enthusiastic upstarts, but you still might go there on occasion.

This is fairly accurate.

I think the unfortunate part for discraft is that many of their greatest molds are not meant to be friendly.

The Force and Predator come to mind. They're great discs, but don't suit everyone's game. They don't have a true Fairway setup that makes a ton of sense for people, either. The Buzzz is obviously solid and the Challenger is fine, but it's a niche company, even with their large lineup.

Even Doss has to know he's pushing it with the Pred cycle.