Do you 'donate' to Pros?

[Mind Expansi0n]

Anyone else find it odd that Pro players (even people who won $40,000+ and a world championship last year) are asking for donations in order to support them on tour? Are these people not working during the 'off season'? If you were a pro would you spend your winnings and then ask others to cover your tourney expenses for the next year? It strikes me as leeching off the disc golf masses when 'pros' ask everyone else to support their hobby/fun for the year. (And no, I'm not giving a dime).

 

[Tpro]

How many touring pros do you know with "Real" 5 day a week jobs?

 

[Mind Expansi0n]

How many working people do I know? Lots. How many well known DG'ers do I see asking for handouts? Many. (Hint: $40,000 is a good salary for many many many people).

How many touring pros do you know with "Real" 5 day a week jobs?

 

[Thumber]

$40,000 as a salary is relative to what your expenses to earn that $40K are

The sport just isn't big enough yet to really support a "Pro Tour"

I applaud the efforts to create one though

I would not donate money to a pro to help them tour. I would like to DG all the time too. Unfortunately, I also like things like my vehicle, home, food and clothes for my family....you know, those little annoying things that get in the way of me me me having fun / end sarcasm

 

[The Hammer]

How many working people do I know? Lots. How many well known DG'ers do I see asking for handouts? Many. (Hint: $40,000 is a good salary for many many many people).

You didn't answer the question.

Yes, $40K maybe plenty for someone sitting on their ass, not doing anything. However, these guys have a little thing called "travel expenses".

 

[thrembo]

I would never give money directly to a pro, but I did play in a fund raiser tournament for a local pro, and I don't see a problem with that, or buying a pro model disc if it supports a pro player.

 

[lavon_andy]

Ehh, 40k isn't much when your getting self employment taxes on it, plus large travel expenses and things of that nature.

Most likely of you're a touring pro you don't have a very good real job if any. There's not many well paying jobs that would let you take of blocks of time like that to go play.

That said I blame the sponsorship situation not the pros. Ideally sponsors should be able to kick in and make "charity" to pros obsolete.


I wouldn't make a donation, but I would play in a sponsoring tourney that still had decent prizes where the proceeds go to the pros.

 

[Tpro]

How many working people do I know? Lots. How many well known DG'ers do I see asking for handouts? Many. (Hint: $40,000 is a good salary for many many many people).

I think I said that wrong. Basically what I was trying to say is most actual "touring pros" only have one source of income, disc golf. To answer your question I by discs from Koling but he's a friend so I guess yes?

 

[JoshEpoo]

Sometimes I play open. That's almost the same thing.

 

[chrishysell]

I erased my rant

 

[JTacoma03]

I don't think you have a realistic idea of how much it costs to stay on tour. Most of the pros I know barely get by, they spend their winnings just to stay on tour. It's not like they're winning a NT then going to vegas...they use it just to get to the next stop on the road.

Also since you're clearly referencing Nate Doss...you do realize that $7k of that was his worlds payout right?

 

[Thumber]

Sometimes I play open. That's almost the same thing.

This is funny and true.....me too

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

I want to read hysell's rant.

 

[Tpro]

I want to read hysell's rant.

Ditto

 

[lavon_andy]

I want to read hysell's rant.

3rd that

 

[jenb]

I gladly help support a local women's world champ who never would have been able to start touring if not for a fundraiser tournament. She earned 12K last year if I'm not mistaken, despite being world champ. Without continued support, how are women to tour on that kind of income? It's worth it to me to see a local lady represent and make the home town proud.

 

[Cgkdisc]

JTacoma03 - It's not like they're winning a NT then going to vegas...

No, they go to Vegas first (Gentleman's Club) to win enough to play an NT (Memorial).

 

[giles]

Yes I do.

Nobody cleared 40,000 from event payout alone last year.

40,000 isn't a lot if you are on the road non-stop.

Only Doss & Locastro cleared 30,000 from event payout. I'm sure they made more if they got cash from ace pots, skins matches, sponsor bonuses, disc sales and things like that.
Only 4 other players cleared 20,000.

Think about the miles they are traveling.

I may not have this completly correct but these tourning pros probably split a lot of the winnings with whoever they are on tour with. That is the only way that the women could possibly go on tour. Paige won just under 12,000 in 32 PDGA events in 2011.

 

[giles]

3rd that

yes please, at least give a hint at what direction you were going with it.

 

[chrishysell]

I want to read hysell's rant.

I wish the new breed of travelling disc golfers would try the old fashioned way of approaching suitable sponsors for their money. I do disagree with marking up the cost of the discs the players get for free and selling them to players at an inflated cost.