The Inevitable 2017 Pros Switching Sponsors Thread

[colucc43]

Gavin Rathbun from Innova to Latitude 64. That makes 3 sponsors in 4 years for the young Am Nat Champ (previously with Innova and Discraft)!

Was he just with Innova for one year (2016)? And how long with Discraft before that?

Hey Dana - what year was your last with Vibram?
What year was your first with Discmania?

2014 was last with Vibram, 2016 was first with Discmania.

 

[Rob Martin]

2014 was last with Vibram, 2016 was first with Discmania.

With Prodigy in 2015.

3 sponsors in 3 years.

Really though, both moves in 2015 and 2016 totally made sense and I would have done the same thing.

 

[colucc43]

With Prodigy in 2015.

Really though, both moves in 2015 and 2016 totally made sense and I would have done the same thing.

For sure, same here.

 

[Dana]

That's correct for me- last year with Vibram was 2014, Prodigy 2015 and Discmania 2016 (and current). In regards to Gavin, I'm not quite sure what his timeline looks like. I don't know if he was Discraft for a full season or not (2015).

As for me, I'm glad to throw the same discs two years in a row!

Looks like some Team Legacy announcements came today. I wonder if they'll pick anyone new or lose anyone other than Don.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

I liked seeing you throw vibram. Wish the company had other touring pros, good, that we've heard about. With Steve dodge and the tournament thing he's doing, really missing that piece of the puzzle eh?

Their discs appear to get next to no exposure. I smusualy see the odd man out that may have one beat up one in their bag. But they're not prevelant. All this to say, what's up with that?

 

[phrumphkin]

I liked seeing you throw vibram. Wish the company had other touring pros, good, that we've heard about. With Steve dodge and the tournament thing he's doing, really missing that piece of the puzzle eh?

Their discs appear to get next to no exposure. I smusualy see the odd man out that may have one beat up one in their bag. But they're not prevelant. All this to say, what's up with that?

Yeah, I've been wondering the same thing. I have to wonder if they're taking a loss in their DG division, or maybe in other regions they are selling better...

 

[DanJon]

DG is a tiny little side project for Vibram.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

DG is a tiny little side project for Vibram.

This doesn't answer or address anything.

You would think they want their "side business" to grow and make money? Crazy I know

 

[cjman]

Steve said something about leaving his position with Vibram to fully focus on the Pro Tour. May be related?

 

[GoldeyeGolf]

I'd like to know what the situation is with Vibram, also. Dodge appears to be out of the picture now. I asked him about this directly on one of his threads, but he didn't respond. I suppose it will be like most things on here, where the people who know won't say and the rest of us speculate based on very little.

One of the first tournament videos I watched soon after I started playing had Dana in it throwing some Vibram. It led me to check out the brand-which I had no knowledge of to that point as a disc golf company-and eventually to try some of the discs. After he left, I never saw another Vibram disc thrown in a tournament. I think they need to rethink their marketing approach if they want to stay relevant. Some savvy product placement could do wonders for them.

 

[AndyJB]

Might also explain the email I got this week about them totally revamping the Birdie Bash....

 

[GoldeyeGolf]

How is it being revamped? I assume they will drop the price to be more in line with the other companies promotional tournaments. I think going to $40 was a mistake if they were trying to introduce new players. In the one I played last spring, I was the only participant who had not played in any sort of tournament before. People took it pretty seriously, which was not what I was expecting. It could of been more fun, for sure.

 

[GoldeyeGolf]

I'd like to see Vibram sponsor Valerie Jenkins. It would generate a bunch of positive free publicity and generate some video product placement. The risk involved is that if her quality of play dropped off, it would be blamed, justly or not, on the brand. That's the downside of being associated with only one high profile player.

 

[AndyJB]

How is it being revamped? I assume they will drop the price to be more in line with the other companies promotional tournaments. I think going to $40 was a mistake if they were trying to introduce new players. In the one I played last spring, I was the only participant who had not played in any sort of tournament before. People took it pretty seriously, which was not what I was expecting. It could of been more fun, for sure.

They didnt say. It mind of sounds like they arent doing it this year. It was kind of a "we're doing something totally different, stand by for more details" email.

 

[araytx]

Hey, I just went with what was on the web site while in the middle of a quick and dirty debate concerning Innova's rampant sexism. I didn't realize some one was going to fact check me. Of course if I thought that someone might, I would have guessed it would be ARay.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

Who's Barsby with this year?

 

[phrumphkin]

Who's Barsby with this year?

Innova champion team, if their website's current:
http://www.innovadiscs.com/team-innova/team-champion/

 

[@iDiscGolf]

Innova champion team, if their website's current:
http://www.innovadiscs.com/team-innova/team-champion/

Good. I know he's been dropped a few times and wasn't playing last year due to injury. Glad to hear he's still touring with innova.

 

[lyleoross]

Good. I know he's been dropped a few times and wasn't playing last year due to injury. Glad to hear he's still touring with innova.

He played the Australian Open and even did a commentary. Good to see him healthy!

 

[DiscBaltimore]

Barby can definitely play.
I so wish vibrant would go form some more disc exposure. They need it. They have a pretty good local pro in my area, but they need a top pro. Like if they find the next Eric okley.. for them, shame DD has that locked up now.