The Inevitable 2018 Pros Switching Sponsors Thread

[wolfmandragon]

So does gateway allow their players to throw a mixed bag?? Bc it would seem to me that would be counterproductive. But wtf do I know? Thanks for that though.

yes, they allow a mixed bag and no it doesnt hurt Gateway. They make their money off their really good putters, anything more is icing on the cake.
MVP allowed a mixed bag until the shanagians with Nikko, although that may not be the reason the went the full bag route. Right after that was when they released their 11-12 speed distance driver lineup.

I like the mixed bag model and would like to see more of it.

 

[wolfmandragon]

In ball golf, it is common to see pros have a mixed bag; of course they are limited to only being able to carry so many clubs with them.

I suspect that as the sport grows, the players will be able to make more demands on the sponsors. Perhaps one day a player can negotiate sponership by disc class. After all, Titleist may sponer a ball golfer by woods and irons and Ping sponser the putters.

 

[Grippenripp]

In ball golf, it is common to see pros have a mixed bag; of course they are limited to only being able to carry so many clubs with them.

I suspect that as the sport grows, the players will be able to make more demands on the sponsors. Perhaps one day a player can negotiate sponership by disc class. After all, Titleist may sponer a ball golfer by woods and irons and Ping sponser the putters.

To an extent the mixed bag makes sense. Innova players can throw discmania, if you're sponsored by any trilogy company you can throw trilogy plastic but beyond players being allowed to throw their sister companies products it kinda seems like it say to the world "I can't produce enough quality plastic to build a bag" idk correct me if I'm wrong but that's what I see.

 

[wolfmandragon]

To an extent the mixed bag makes sense. Innova players can throw discmania, if you're sponsored by any trilogy company you can throw trilogy plastic but beyond players being allowed to throw their sister companies products it kinda seems like it say to the world "I can't produce enough quality plastic to build a bag" idk correct me if I'm wrong but that's what I see.

To a certian point I agree, I think that is their fear(but truth). Right now the disc producers control too much of the sponsership money. As the sport grows and more money comes in from clothes, shoes, training aids, supplements, etc., I think the disc producers will have less leverage.
This would be a good thing as then there would be more market pressure to produce good discs.
I think Gateway is being forced into generalization by the current sponsor model when in realality they are putter specalists.
Take away my Envy and Atom, Gateway would be my only safe harbor for putters.

 

[Grippenripp]

To a certian point I agree, I think that is their fear(but truth). Right now the disc producers control too much of the sponsership money. As the sport grows and more money comes in from clothes, shoes, training aids, supplements, etc., I think the disc producers will have less leverage.
This would be a good thing as then there would be more market pressure to produce good discs.
I think Gateway is being forced into generalization by the current sponsor model when in realality they are putter specalists.
Take away my Envy and Atom, Gateway would be my only safe harbor for putters.

I guess I see what you're saying but still I'm not sure if more outside sponsors would force companies into making better plastics, I feel like most companies already want to make the best they can, I would like to see more companies getting in on the action though. Has anyone ever thought it maybe a good idea for the PGA to acknowledge disc golf and kind of "sister" it in?? Maybe install baskets in their championship courses and help to promote the sport? It seems as if that would bring a lot of attention to disc golf and open some doors.

 

[brutalbrutus]

I imagine it wouldn't be very cost effective to include DG on "championship" courses. A lot of those are at private clubs or really expensive to play public courses. Most DGers are not going to pay more than a small fee to play. Take Pebble Beach for instance. While it is "open to the public" you have to book a two night stay one of the Hotels and then pay roughly $500 per round. Most Country Clubs, I would imagine, aren't going to allow non-members on the property to chuck plastic around...

 

[biscoe]

Has anyone ever thought it maybe a good idea for the PGA to acknowledge disc golf and kind of "sister" it in?? Maybe install baskets in their championship courses and help to promote the sport? It seems as if that would bring a lot of attention to disc golf and open some doors.

How would it benefit the PGA?

 

[Grippenripp]

I imagine it wouldn't be very cost effective to include DG on "championship" courses. A lot of those are at private clubs or really expensive to play public courses. Most DGers are not going to pay more than a small fee to play. Take Pebble Beach for instance. While it is "open to the public" you have to book a two night stay one of the Hotels and then pay roughly $500 per round. Most Country Clubs, I would imagine, aren't going to allow non-members on the property to chuck plastic around...

I'm guessing that you're right about that. Didn't think it that far through. LOL

 

[Grippenripp]

How would it benefit the PGA?

Well I didn't take into account what brutal Brutus had said before this post. But I'm guessing that if the PGA was involved more sponsors would be made available to players to play more tournaments that would be seen by more people and so on, I'm sure the revenue stream would open up.

 

[wolfmandragon]

If disc golf keeps growing, expect to see Ping branded putters...but BB is right, the nice courses keep plebs out. Augusta National is closed half a year just for greens maintainance

 

[jjtwinnova]

It's official
AJ Risley
Legacy --> Dynamic

 

[roadtripstuff]

Did anyone else hear/read that the contract between Mcbeth and Adidas won't be renewed for 2018?

 

[ILUVSMGS18]

Did anyone else hear/read that the contract between Mcbeth and Adidas won't be renewed for 2018?

This is very bad unless McBeth is going to Nike.

 

[colucc43]

This is very bad unless McBeth is going to Nike.

he basically did this same thing early last year too. meh

 

[JTacoma03]

I'm very interested to see how McBeth manages his sponsors over the next few years. He's the most marketable commodity in the sport currently, and these moves he's made are basically him trying to assert a certain monetary value on his brand. It's a risky strategy, similar to how NFL draftees sometimes hold out of their rookie contracts because they (or their agents) disagree with the monetary value dictated by their pick #.

I'm not totally convinced that any disc golf pro has that kind of leverage with a non-disc-golf-specific sponsor, because those sponsors' ROI is a) harder to directly correlate and b) just a much, much higher bar that you need to clear in order to impress.

My read on this is that Paul would disagree with that statement, based on the way he's playing his cards.

I do think he needs to capture a US Major this season to strengthen his case. He's only won 1 Major (2017 European Open) since his Grand Slam season in 2015, and while those are astronomically high expectations, the level of income and recognition he's trying to achieve seems to be astronomically more than everybody else.

 

[dehaas]

he basically did this same thing early last year too. meh

The importance of last year was he announced he was dropping all merch sponsors AKA free gear and no cash. So he did drop Adidas but only because he got them on the hook for cash moneys instead of free shoes.

I'm very interested to see how McBeth manages his sponsors over the next few years. He's the most marketable commodity in the sport currently, and these moves he's made are basically him trying to assert a certain monetary value on his brand. It's a risky strategy, similar to how NFL draftees sometimes hold out of their rookie contracts because they (or their agents) disagree with the monetary value dictated by their pick #.

I'm not totally convinced that any disc golf pro has that kind of leverage with a non-disc-golf-specific sponsor, because those sponsors' ROI is a) harder to directly correlate and b) just a much, much higher bar that you need to clear in order to impress.

My read on this is that Paul would disagree with that statement, based on the way he's playing his cards.

I do think he needs to capture a US Major this season to strengthen his case. He's only won 1 Major (2017 European Open) since his Grand Slam season in 2015, and while those are astronomically high expectations, the level of income and recognition he's trying to achieve seems to be astronomically more than everybody else.

100% agree with him being the most marketable. I think Jerm, Sexton, and Simon have personalities that a company would like but just don't have the wins like Paul. If Ricky was more polished i think he could do well externally also but he's just painful to watch speak in videos.

Ricky's performance compared to Paul's the last 2 years might make negotiations tougher with Adidas. No doubt he's helped them sell more shoes, but when 98% of those sales are from disc golfers using steep online discount codes are they really gaining much? If those coupon codes start running at like 20% off instead of 40-50% with the same type of volume then I'd say that's a much better measure. There's a definite impact on sales, but how many of these dudes who bought their shoes for $60 are going to pay $100+ for them when Adidas feels they no longer have to give them away?

 

[Aim For The Chains]

I wonder if Adidas even care about DG/ or trail shoes all that much...?

https://sneakernews.com/2017/10/20/stadium-goods-lists-ten-best-selling-sneakers-almost-all-adidas/

They are killing it with the "kicks" crowd. Who don't carr about price generally either.

 

[zj1002]

I'm very interested to see how McBeth manages his sponsors over the next few years. He's the most marketable commodity in the sport currently, and these moves he's made are basically him trying to assert a certain monetary value on his brand. It's a risky strategy, similar to how NFL draftees sometimes hold out of their rookie contracts because they (or their agents) disagree with the monetary value dictated by their pick #.

I'm not totally convinced that any disc golf pro has that kind of leverage with a non-disc-golf-specific sponsor, because those sponsors' ROI is a) harder to directly correlate and b) just a much, much higher bar that you need to clear in order to impress.

My read on this is that Paul would disagree with that statement, based on the way he's playing his cards.

I do think he needs to capture a US Major this season to strengthen his case. He's only won 1 Major (2017 European Open) since his Grand Slam season in 2015, and while those are astronomically high expectations, the level of income and recognition he's trying to achieve seems to be astronomically more than everybody else.

ROI is the key here. The only companies that can easily correlate it are disc golf companies. He will always make more money for Innova than anyone else. And not just because its him, but because its Innova as a disc maker. Unless a company throws $100k behind him to just develop a signature shoe, and then have capital to make that shoe(probably in limited sizes too from what I know about shoe manufacturing). It would take someone in a good situation that believe in or knows how hard he works. I still think his best move would be to have Innova produce his own full line of discs similar to when you see skaters start their own brands. Every disc golf store and event would want a piece of that action. He has that much demand. That would be the best way to show a shoe/clothing maker what he can bring to the table.

 

[_MTL_]

He will always make more money for Innova than anyone else.

There was a time where this was said about KC.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

I still think his best move would be to have Innova produce his own full line of discs similar to when you see skaters start their own brands. Every disc golf store and event would want a piece of that action. He has that much demand. That would be the best way to show a shoe/clothing maker what he can bring to the table.

And really innova if anyone could make a Sig. Paul shoe or whatever the hell product line if the demand is there.