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The Inevitable 2017 Pros Switching Sponsors Thread

onemilemore said:
I mean, you don't generally see sports teams cut ties with players over suspensions for on-field incidents. Off-field? Sure. However, you will see sponsors drop players of major sports for various transgressions. Which leaves us with this: Is Innova, in this situation, a team, or a sponsor? With disc golf's current structure, I'd say it's a pretty gray area and you could make arguments for both.
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Ooooo I like that, very well put and interesting food for thought!!!!^^^^ :clap:

I fail to see how Innova is the bad guy here for being the good guy. Can someone explain this to me in a coherent more than one troll sentence manner? (I'm asking for it I know it haha)

From the statement, Innova is not supporting BW except for the fact of funding a few discs (I would not classify this as a sponsorship by ANY means), and hoping he makes improvements off the field. Technically from a PR side, this seems like a light and very smart way of a dealing with it, taking in either side: contract annulment or assistance attached with an ultimatum. Neither of these are enabling a behavior, he has been punished by the PDGA and now is on the line with his sponsor aka both forms of his income have ceased for 18 months. If that isn't consequence then I don't know what is. If they were to flat out say we don't support people with psychological blemishes, or if you are on the other side of the fence, we don't support bullies, that would be bad PR either way and cause them more drama, and not a platform for which they need to take a stance on.

Innova is not responsible for placing him with a ban, the PDGA is, and I think that is starting to get blurred here.

Either way I hope some of the rumors become public or more rumors are generated so this page can revert to its purpose and not get pushed to the sin bin by moderators haha:

I for one am curious about the PP and Jerm rumors and how that will play out/what will come of it.
 
onemilemore said:
I mean, you don't generally see sports teams cut ties with players over suspensions for on-field incidents. Off-field? Sure. However, you will see sponsors drop players of major sports for various transgressions. Which leaves us with this: Is Innova, in this situation, a team, or a sponsor? With disc golf's current structure, I'd say it's a pretty gray area and you could make arguments for both.
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They are a sponsor. Period. No grey area. If they were like a team, the implication would be that Bradley (or anyone else) could not continue to be "employed" as a disc golfer without being on the team (or another). But Bradley can continue to seek "employment" (i.e. play tournaments) with or without Innova's assistance. Being sponsored is never a prerequisite for playing in tournaments.

The thing is, it all comes down to contracts. Sports teams don't cut ties with players for on-field transgressions because contractually they aren't allowed. That's the purpose of collective bargaining agreements between the league/teams and the players union.

Sponsor contracts are different but they still typically include morality clauses, or more likely language about properly/positively representing the brand. No idea how Innova's contracts read, but sponsor contracts I have read have always had something in them about representing the brand and how behavior/actions that reflect poorly on the company could result in loss of sponsorship. It's not automatic, but it certainly gives the company the ability to terminate the contract at any time if there is a violation. Whether they use that ability is entirely up to them.
 
JC17393 said:
They are a sponsor. Period. No grey area.
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Again JC, you are spot on and the voice of reason. I still think you should apply for the ED position, I think I've only disagreed with you one time and I can't even remember what that was about. ;)
 
I find it interesting that we are discussing how and if sports franchises cut problem players. Everyone here who thinks teams hold onto problem players because they are trying to help that player or are concerned about that player's well being, please raise your hand. If you raised your hand I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you.

I'm not really interested in semantic arguments. I like old school parents. You remember, if you messed up you were sent to apologize, and they weren't interested in excuses. If you weren't in the mood to apologize, Mom let you have it once or twice on the back side.

BW acted like a donkey. It's simple enough. "I messed up and I'd like to apologize to my card mates and the organizer." Instead we got this, "it's been blown out of proportion, and that isn't what I said." In fact, every time he blows it, we get the same thing. "I drank the beer before the round, my card mates were wrong. The basket wasn't bolted down and my disc knocked it over.". Okay, I made that one up.

If Innova wants to help BW, have him memorize this: "I screwed up, I'm sorry.". They can stamp it on his signature disc, the I'm Misunderstood.
 
lyleoross said:
I find it interesting that we are discussing how and if sports franchises cut problem players. Everyone here who thinks teams hold onto problem players because they are trying to help that player or are concerned about that player's well being, please raise your hand. If you raised your hand I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you.
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Thing is… you're wrong. While I appreciate the cynicism, it's sometimes true that a company will hold onto a problem player out of loyalty and concern/care.

Just as sometimes players take "hometown discounts," sometimes companies DO operate out of care, concern, loyalty, etc.

Particularly when you're talking about, what, giving the guy a few discs he can sell while he's suspended or something? Whatever Innova is doing, it's probably not that much. Disc golf is still a relatively small community.
 
Okay... So, on the r/discgolf podcast last night with Anthony from DG Weekly, Ian and Alex from CCDG, they mentioned that a comment had been made on facebook or reddit about a major pro switching sponsors, but didn't want to spoil it until the player officially announced... Anyone know what they're talking about? I searched reddit and didn't know what thread the comment was made in... Any clues? My curiosity is killing me! :D
 
Reniger said:
Okay... So, on the r/discgolf podcast last night with Anthony from DG Weekly, Ian and Alex from CCDG, they mentioned that a comment had been made on facebook or reddit about a major pro switching sponsors, but didn't want to spoil it until the player officially announced... Anyone know what they're talking about? I searched reddit and didn't know what thread the comment was made in... Any clues? My curiosity is killing me! :D
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It could just be Paige officially announcing
 
Reniger said:
Okay... So, on the r/discgolf podcast last night with Anthony from DG Weekly, Ian and Alex from CCDG, they mentioned that a comment had been made on facebook or reddit about a major pro switching sponsors, but didn't want to spoil it until the player officially announced... Anyone know what they're talking about? I searched reddit and didn't know what thread the comment was made in... Any clues? My curiosity is killing me! :D
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You mean "switching teams"? :p
 
From Facebook Disc Golf Buyer Feedback Group:

I enjoy playing in PDGA sanctioned events and I am proud that I was able to build up my PDGA rating over the last year. The PDGA has decided to suspend Bradley Williams for 18 months for actions related to a shoulder bump and not moving out of the field of vision of another player. At least that is the best I can ascertain as the PDGA has disclosed next to nothing on the suspension. I can not control the grossly unfair actions of others but I can regulate whether or not my money is spent in the furtherance of such actions. I will not be renewing my PDGA membership as of now.
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Because this is the hill he wants to die on apparently. :doh::doh::doh:
 
While theres always an opportunity to act compassionately and sensitively to most any situation in life. Sponsored sports teams exist to promote the brand and impact the bottom line.

Through a skateboard company I was involved with, I lead the negotiations for the team.. My observations from studying skate and other company teams...

- there's generally a 'golden goose' member (in Innova's case it's obviously Paul McBeth) who drives sales of the brand. If you're not the number one company in the marketplace, you can anticipate your golden goose will, at some point, 'move up the ladder' to a bigger brand or, just due the nature of things, the goose can get hurt, find other interests, or burn out. Signature product sales can readily be compared to same or similar products without the goose's name.

- There's a handful of members on the team that have potential to be a golden goose. They may get signature products, but generally at much lower volumes.

We always gave our riders a cut of any signature sales and bonuses for getting the brand in print (magazine) or virally distributed across social networks.

In any case, a rider's 'market pull' factored heavily into our decisions. 'problem riders' to us were those who's demands for sponsorship were not aligned with their 'market pull' (of course, if everyone on the team disliked the member, that would be problem as well) Beyond that, it's down to marketing image - which for a skate company is different that DG. Radical, contrarian or outrageous behavior were not seen largely as problems. Oddly enough, our top rider disdained formal competitions and was able to build his following by rad skating videos alone...

Innova's call, imo, is one of their marketing image. They have a track record of forgiving their player's faults and actions when they apologize - even when others (like the PDGA) aren't structurally ready to do so. Cam Todd negotiating out of his PDGA suspension to play in the USDGC in the early 2000's comes to mind. Innova was ready to let him play in the event regardless of the PDGA's position and the org eventually capitulated on the condition he donate any winnings to charity, if I remember correctly. Their position with BW seems consistent with their past....
 
iacas said:
Thing is… you're wrong. While I appreciate the cynicism, it's sometimes true that a company will hold onto a problem player out of loyalty and concern/care.

Just as sometimes players take "hometown discounts," sometimes companies DO operate out of care, concern, loyalty, etc.

Particularly when you're talking about, what, giving the guy a few discs he can sell while he's suspended or something? Whatever Innova is doing, it's probably not that much. Disc golf is still a relatively small community.
Click to expand...

The bridge I'd like you to look at is really nice. It's a little old, but it's all stone work, metal cabling and it's got this great pedestrian walkway over the car lanes.

Franchises make economic assessments,; even in the rare cases where they stand by a player, not because of his talent, but because of "concern," it's because they think their image as an organization will benefit from said concern.

I don't understand the lack of cynicism. This stuff happens every day and it's nonstop in the news.

BTW, you can beat your wife, and as long as you've got talent they turn a blind eye. If you become a liability, "can you believe that guy beat his wife?"

All of that is irrelevant. Bradley has a problem. It isn't hard, get help. Problem is, the issue appeared several years ago. Let me see, how's he doing on the getting help thing? Not so good. Now, maybe he's doing something. Maybe Innova knows this and is standing by him. Awesome! Hope so. But if I'm a betting man, and I'm not, they're standing by his win at a major and hoping he's getting help. Me too.
 
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