PDGA membership extension

[da Crippler]

What is the point of extending 2020 membership until February 28 if the renewal for the remaining 10 months of 2021 is still $50? I for one don't think the PDGA earned that $50, especially after they withdrew sanctioning for so many events early in the pandemic. A shortened and pandemic influenced season should call for a much smaller membership fee. If that becomes a financial burden to the PDGA there are programs and money available in the covid relief package just passed by congress for any organization that has lost money because of the pandemic. Any shortfall in revenue should definitely NOT come from the membership.

 

[ballgolfconvert]

What is the point of extending 2020 membership until February 28 if the renewal for the remaining 10 months of 2021 is still $50? I for one don't think the PDGA earned that $50, especially after they withdrew sanctioning for so many events early in the pandemic. A shortened and pandemic influenced season should call for a much smaller membership fee. If that becomes a financial burden to the PDGA there are programs and money available in the covid relief package just passed by congress for any organization that has lost money because of the pandemic. Any shortfall in revenue should definitely NOT come from the membership.

The whole world has become DiscTom. They want your money in their pocket regardless of right, wrong, etc.

 

[DavidSauls]

Are you a member, or a customer?

 

[biscoe]

I assume you are one of the folks who counts the value of their PDGA membership in $10 non-member fees paid/not paid and nothing else. Don't like it? Don't pay it. The choice is yours.

 

[HyooMac]

I am tempted to allow my PDGA membership to elapse this year. My only tournament last year was in February. And I don't see competing again for most of this year - certainly not enough to pay for my membership through the discounted entry fees. I'd just go back to paying uDisc direct, and consider rejoining in 2022.

The fact that PDGA has done little to really acknowledge it's dimished usability to most members during COVID is what sticks with me.

 

[GoatPaco]

Why? You still got your 4 magazines.

But in all seriousness, the PDGA provides a service (and that is being the rules body of disc golf). This service was still provided, and it's still being provided right now.

Everyone struggled during the pandemic, and the PDGA is no exception. They have to charge the full amount to keep operating, and refunding every member 20 bucks will hurt the PDGA a lot more than it will help you.

I hate how everyone looks at the PDGA membership as 5 advance payments on a $10 tournament discount. Thats not what it is at all. Also, since I pay with a club code and get UDisc Pro for free, its more like $40 a year anyways.

 

[ballgolfconvert]

Why? You still got your 4 magazines.

But in all seriousness, the PDGA provides a service (and that is being the rules body of disc golf). This service was still provided, and it's still being provided right now.

Everyone struggled during the pandemic, and the PDGA is no exception. They have to charge the full amount to keep operating, and refunding every member 20 bucks will hurt the PDGA a lot more than it will help you.

I hate how everyone looks at the PDGA membership as 5 advance payments on a $10 tournament discount. Thats not what it is at all. Also, since I pay with a club code and get UDisc Pro for free, its more like $40 a year anyways.

They do a dreadful job of making rules for this sport in my opinion. For example how can someone who wins $10,000 in merchandise still be considered an amateur?

 

[ballgolfconvert]

Are you a member, or a customer?

Apparently we are all just customers.

 

[DavidSauls]

Not all. Some of us are members.

 

[ray1970]

For example how can someone who wins $10,000 in merchandise still be considered an amateur?

Uhm... because they haven't taken any cash payouts.

Pretty sure that is pretty clear in the rules.

 

[autocrosscrx]

Uhm... because they haven't taken any cash payouts.

Pretty sure that is pretty clear in the rules.

The rule is easy to comprehend in the literal sense.

...but from the perspective of mainstream sports, where people unknowingly lose amateur status because fans send them gifts, it seems very foreign.

 

[autocrosscrx]

...and I'm not being negative. The amateur payout thing doesn't make sense to me, but disc golf generally doesn't make sense to me in that you get so much for so little money as far as memberships and tournaments, etc.

 

[ray1970]

On a related note, I have seen people playing amateur who were given cash payouts who didn't want to give up their amateur status. They were able to decline (or in some cases return) those payouts to retain that amateur status.

I'm sure the whole amateur/pro or prizes/cash thing could probably be streamlined for sure.

 

[ChrisWoj]

You know what'd be great?

If I didn't have to pay more than the amateur members. Playing in the Open Division - what benefits do the PDGA provide me over the Amateurs that warrant them charging me more?

 

[GoatPaco]

You know what'd be great?

If I didn't have to pay more than the amateur members. Playing in the Open Division - what benefits do the PDGA provide me over the Amateurs that warrant them charging me more?

Now this is a take I agree with. They're providing the exact same service to you pros as they are amateurs. I think the $50 cost is fair, but $75 for pros is garbage. I have no problem with juniors paying less because I'd rather not have a high cost of entry for them. Actually I'd even argue that juniors need to be even cheaper (maybe $10?). Junior members shouldn't be a revenue stream, but a draw to get them to continue their membership as adults.

 

[Tomphoolery]

You want a discount on your $50 PDGA membership OP?

I'm in grad school still paying full tuition, including hundreds if not thousands of dollars in facilities fees for facilities I'm not using. I haven't been inside a classroom yet. I can't go to the library. Hell, I'm even paying $300 a semester for a membership to the on-campus gym that has been closed since March. None of these fees are optional and are included in my tuition. I wrote the Dean of Students about. You know what they said? Tough ****. You don't like it defer your program til COVID is over.

Pay your PDGA dues or not. I have no sympathy for you either way. Quit bitching and go out and throw some plastic.

 

[rupet]

If no one complains, there will never be any changes.

 

[biscoe]

You know what'd be great?

If I didn't have to pay more than the amateur members. Playing in the Open Division - what benefits do the PDGA provide me over the Amateurs that warrant them charging me more?

I agree completely.

 

[elmexdela]

do we need the pdga or does the pdga need us

 

[GoatPaco]

do we need the pdga or does the pdga need us

You're probably trolling but I'd say both.

I love having a ratings system and sanctioning for amateur events. Without that you'd get extreme sandbagging going on, along with the possibility of having different rules for every tournament.

I also like having a rating to show my progress over multiple seasons, along with showing how I played on a certain day. I know ratings aren't perfect, but we really are all playing the course and my goal is to always improve against myself.