Pros that plays for their preferred brand.

[Jolt]

Might be a weird tread but i Do wonder. .
How many players does really play for their Preferred/favourite brand?

Most players would presumably just play for the brand that gives them the best contract and does not really care about the brands as long as they have all the discs you need.

For an example- - i DO think Simon really likes to play for Discmania and it IS his preferred brand.
MJ is another player in that category..

A player like Ricky i think could probably play for any brand as long as he would be that brands top player.. . but what would he throw if he could have an open bag?

But how many players under contract would rather throw another brand?

 

[jupiterboy]

How many would prefer to not be tied to one brand?

 

[Rastnav]

Well, it kinda depends on what we mean by "preferred", doesn't it? Simon might prefer Discmania, but at this point it doesn't really have anything to do with what discs he would actually think are the best. Making an assumption, he may feel like he is an integral part of Discmania, was there to to catalyze their explosion and independence, and wouldn't really care to think about what it would mean to split with them. Someone like Natalie Ryan might prefer Neptune forever just based solely on the fact that they were the ones to actually step up and help her when she needed it.

That's different than Paul going to Discraft or Ricky to Dynamic based on a contract and the feeling that a successful business partnership could be forged. They might (hypothetically) remember Innova fondly as the manufacturer of their first "go to" disc, but I doubt we will ever really know what is in their heads.

I'm going to guess Koling really is throwing the discs he loves, though. But, you are probably going to find more of people who favor the discs over the sponsorship in the lower ranks of the pros. The ones who need to perform in order to be able to keep touring and maybe make it. That would be due to them not getting any better offers, but doing well enough not to get dropped.

Also, do we distinguish between preferred brand and open bag? For instance, Oakley and Gibson are sponsored by Infinite Discs and therefore throw an open bag, but does that mean they are really playing for a disc manufacturing brand? Yes, Infinite has their line of discs, but those guys don't have to throw them.

 

[ThrowBot]

Cale Leiviska comes to mind.

 

[ChrisWoj]

A player like Ricky i think could probably play for any brand as long as he would be that brands top player.. . but what would he throw if he could have an open bag?

Probably predominantly Innova. As a teenager he turned down Discraft to wait on an offer from Innova. His bag was heavy Innova before his initial deal, aside from his Zone. But he's been sponsored by Innova, Prodigy, Lat64, or Dynamic Discs for well over a decade now, so who knows what company's discs would dominate his bag nowadays.

I'd still guess Innova.

 

[jenb]

I think mixed bags would dominate. Back in the day, conventional wisdom was that unsponsored players should throw wizard, discraft mids, and innova drivers. Gateway actually allowed niko to use a mixed bag.

So many more choices today, I bet we'd see a lot of variety.

 

[BillFleming]

I think mixed bags would dominate. Back in the day, conventional wisdom was that unsponsored players should throw wizard, discraft mids, and innova drivers. Gateway actually allowed niko to use a mixed bag.

So many more choices today, I bet we'd see a lot of variety.

The smaller brands tend to allow the players to 'supplement' their bag with discs from other brands to fill spots that their main sponsor doesn't carry. I have a friend who was sponsored by Legacy and his bag had to be (I think) 75% Legacy.

 

[Jolt]

Oakley and Gibson are sponsored by Infinite Discs and therefore throw an open bag, but does that mean they are really playing for a disc manufacturing brand? Yes, Infinite has their line of discs, but those guys don't have to throw them.

Oakleys "building his bag" series was interesting, but in the end it still looked like he got "extra" for baging TSA and infinite discs...and he got extra from Kastaplast for using the Berg

 

[runningDoc]

preferred discs for top pros is coins.

 

[wolfhaley]

My guess would be most started playing with lots of Innova. At least the 30ish year old guys. There used to be a lot less options. Hell, Discraft was kind of an afterthought brand up until a few years ago. Gateway does putters really well. Innova molds Millenium and Infinite currently and Discmania until just recently. Now they still make Discmania molds but not stamped Discmania.

I throw whatever, but if Clash threw some money my way I'd throw a Mango or Soda or Popcorn or whatever. Anything but a tantrum.

 

[ru4por]

This is another thread attempting to pretend to know pro disc golfers. I don't know any of them. I have NO idea how any of them think, feel or prioritize disc preference. I do think most have a strong drive to win and play well. I don't think disc choice has that big of an impact on that outcome.

Most major brands are offering a full compliment of discs, to fill all the slots in a bag.

There are quite a few major brands. With more, rounding out complete line ups all the time.

If I were to play along and utterly speculate, I don't see much loyalty over money scenarios in sports. Most loyalty examples, can be dismissed as convenience or marketing.

 

[dmoore1998]

My guess would be that "preferred discs" for most pros equates to "whatever company I've mostly played for in the past 5 years" because those are the discs they are used to and those are the discs they've beaten in over that time.

 

[Rastnav]

My guess would be that "preferred discs" for most pros equates to "whatever company I've mostly played for in the past 5 years" because those are the discs they are used to and those are the discs they've beaten in over that time.

I tend to agree with this as a default stance. All things being equal you are going to choose the discs you know (as long as you are playing well! )

Generally speaking, though, each of the major manufacturers offer enough variety in molds, plastics and runs that anyone should be able to find what they want. And there does really seem to be enough artisinal knowledge within the industry that manufacturers can create runs that satisfy the desires of the pros.

We certainly have plenty of examples of pros switching and playing lights out right out of the gate. Ricky and Dickerson both had amazing runs during this year, James Conrad won worlds last year, etc.

But another way to look at this is that some people adapt to the discs they have, while others find discs that they feel suit them. I'm not sure the second really describes many pros, though. Seems like they have to be too adaptable. They throw too much plastic, in too many different conditions, so they have to be adaptable.

 

[BionicRib]

I would venture to guess that most pros understand it's the archer not the arrow.

 

[Dcinmd]

I am old enough to remember people stating McBeth couldn't/wouldn't throw a Buzz since it wasn't a roc.

 

[acrosley]

I think Chris Clemons has said something like he hopes to be with DD forever

 

[ru4por]

I think Chris Clemons has said something like he hopes to be with DD forever

If you are a sponsored player......this is simply part of the script.

 

[ejvogie]

I think Chris Clemons has said something like he hopes to be with DD forever

Isn't McBeth in an ad saying he can't imagine throwing anything but Innova?

 

[ray1970]

Preferred brands change. Especially if the money is right.

 

[RowingBoats]

I would venture to guess that most pros understand it's the archer not the arrow.

I agree mostly, but watching pros throw those random discs at islands on Jomez is pretty funny sometimes too.