Disc Golf Pro Tour

[JC17393]

Jussi made a very strong point several times in different interviews that DGWT was completely separate from PDGA. Now, Vibram is taking another approach which is separate from the NT.

Separate from the NT is not separate from the PDGA. If the events are sanctioned (and all of them are), they're not all that separate. Rounds will still get rated, players will still earn points towards Worlds, etc.

It's basically new ways to group PDGA events so they are interconnected. The only thing that makes them "not PDGA" is that the PDGA powers-that-be aren't involved all that deeply in the organization. Which is the same thing that can be said of pretty much every A, B, and C-tier worldwide.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Interesting contrasts between the Jussi and Dodge visions. It will be telling to see if either team can garner significant support from outside the DG industry. That has always been the elusive will-o-the-wisp which tourney organizers chase.

The Dodge plan seems at least concentrated enough to support touring players travels'. Jussi's frequent flyer miles building plan, not so much, particularly as he said payouts are not a priority. Jussi has had some luck already with media in his (limited) home market, while the Dodge plan is short on substance but has big hopes for media, eventually. Neither has "numbers" significant enough to open the wallets of major contributors, I think, but we shall see.

Seems like a family/DG spectator focus from Steve while Jussi is pushing more media and outside viewership to grow.

I personally find Steves model more attractive and in line with big events such as the GBO.

 

[bballr4567]

Bingo. Having met and played with Steve, he literally breathes disc golf FUN. He wants to make it FUN before anything else. If he even remotely makes it as fun as the Birdie Bash World Championships (from all accounts, wasn't there) then the DGPT will allow the pros to actually have some fun and interact with the crowd. Go find how Steve did at the GoPro games and you'll see how the DGPT will interact with the crowd.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

When your audience can tell you are having fun... They will want in on the fun...

Doesnt matter wtf you apply it to. Peeps like a good time.

 

[Streets]

Steve > Jussi

 

[Horsman]

This all seems a bit rushed to me. To me it feels like Steve just threw a lot of this info together before it was ready to be announced just so that the World Tour would not gain as much traction as he thinks it will. The website is really poorly done in my eyes and has some good info on it but there isn't a lot that is clear.

Also every time I see DGPT I think Disc Golf Planet TV not Disc Golf Pro Tour but that's just me.

And I'm sorry but the logo is crap in my opinion. I know Paragon did it in all and they usually do amazing work but this is really under par. They just took a stock basket image that Innova gives to everyone for free and put a circle on top of it. I'd like to see something more original. My 2 cents.

 

[Moose33]

I like the idea, it would seem to support the players more and focus on driving the grassroots growth.

As someone who mostly competes and runs really fun Non-Sanctioned events I like this idea.

But it does seem like a bit of a rush job. I hope that he can refine it and pull it off, but it won't be easy. Though as a hug tournament TD and running a company he might have insight I don't.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Steve said in the interview he pitched the idea to the pdga but was voted down 0 to 7 years back. I dont think this was thrown together being hes mentioned something like this for a while now.

 

[scarpfish]

All I'm going to say with either of these ideas is that the proof will be in the pudding.

But I'm not even sure if the large majority of us are going to realize that the pudding exists, or care if we do know.

 

[BgWvDave]

Also every time I see DGPT I think Disc Golf Planet TV not Disc Golf Pro Tour but that's just me.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[bballr4567]

Steve said in the interview he pitched the idea to the pdga but was voted down 0 to 7 years back. I dont think this was thrown together being hes mentioned something like this for a while now.

He said way back in April of this year that he had something really fun planned and was going to take all the fun of the company and try to bring it to everyone.

This is not something new. If any of you know how Steve works he doesn't rush anything for anyone. He wont put out something until he knows its ready.

 

[Horsman]

To me it feels rushed. That's all I'm saying. Maybe I'm just comparing it too much to Jussi. The World Tour feels to me as though it was more thought out and professional. Not saying that the Pro Tour won't be or isn't but the Pro Tour just seems rushed to me.

 

[bballr4567]

To me it feels rushed. That's all I'm saying. Maybe I'm just comparing it too much to Jussi. The World Tour feels to me as though it was more thought out and professional. Not saying that the Pro Tour won't be or isn't but the Pro Tour just seems rushed to me.

Why though? The website? That's it? It took almost three years for Vibram to update their actual site as well. Yes, in this day and age of the internet its a shame that its not better but it CAN get better.

Dodge has had this idea for a long time coming. With Steve and Nate teaming up we can only dream what can happen in the DGPT. I know people hated on the Ledgestone but it was a great tournament that felt like a true major.

 

[DavidSauls]

I join with the skeptics. Besides, it looks like a couple more titles to go with World Champion, US Champion, NT points series, highest rated, highest ranked, most money, etc. Now we can add World Tour and Pro Tour titles.

But......I was very skeptical many years ago when Innova went out on their own with a new event. One division. Ropes. Not open to everyone, but demanding qualifiers. High entry fee. And, it seems to my fuzzy memory, without the full blessing of the PDGA. No way would it succeed, I thought.

So I'll be willing to be wrong, and more power to them if I am.

 

[Fruguy101]

The two tours are essentially focused on different aspects of bringing disc golf to the masses. From watching both Jussi and Steve on Smashboxx, they both have great ideas to grow the sport. The DGWT will be focused on media exposure and promotion of the sport, where the DGPT seems to be focused on making events a family draw by having a festival atmosphere and other activities besides the disc golf tournament.

The only thing I see hampering the DGPT is the requirement for having 10k added cash to have the event for the tourney payout since it's MPO and FPO focused.

 

[onemilemore]

To me it feels rushed. That's all I'm saying. Maybe I'm just comparing it too much to Jussi. The World Tour feels to me as though it was more thought out and professional. Not saying that the Pro Tour won't be or isn't but the Pro Tour just seems rushed to me.

From a visual perspective the DGWT is always going to win. Anything related to Innova/Discmania/Spin has always been in a sleek package, and I don't expect that to change.

But looking at the schedule being coordinated so that players can make it to the events easier - as opposed to flying back and forth from here to Europe - tells me that this Pro Tour is anything but rushed. Add in the bracket system for the Finals, the venues they have secured, and Dodge's experience with the Birdie Bash and GoPro games, and you can tell thought has been put into it. It just doesn't look flashy.

And maybe that's OK. We all saw how flashy worked for the USDGC Insider Show. Sometimes content is greater than appearance.

 

[discgman]

So the WPT is similar to PGA's world tours. The pro tour schedule appears to be all east coast which would be a upper class regional series similar to the MAD or Norcal series here. Points are calculated and overall winners are rewarded. My best guess with the information so far is the WPT will have a better chance at succeeding due to Jussi and the expanding European market for disc golf.

 

[onemilemore]

I will be curious to see how Dodge's connections at Vibram play into this. If he can bring in a sponsor that works more in the outdoor industry - a GoPro, for example - that would be a big step in the right direction.

 

[PWaggoner]

Id like both to suceed. But the pros will follow the money.

It would be nice if mcbeth wasnt at all the events. Other guys need the chance to make some dough. Wondering if he will choose one or the other or play them all.

 

[TimSyl]

Id like both to suceed. But the pros will follow the money.

It would be nice if mcbeth wasnt at all the events. Other guys need the chance to make some dough. Wondering if he will choose one or the other or play them all.

No idea what McBeth's plans are, but even at his young age, traveling is very tiring. Planes, motels, restaurants get very old.