The Inevitable 2025 Pros Switching Sponsors Thread
- Thread starter biscoe
- Start date
na we aint seein any pro sponsorship movement rn so might as well kill some air time
tell us about it i have no clue about that chit
TiltedFlipCurves
Birdie Member
Ken Climo and Innova are parting ways.
www.innovadiscs.com
I wonder if he's retiring, or if he's going to another team, or what...
Thank You, Ken - Innova Disc Golf
Innova expresses our heartfelt gratitude as we announce that long-time Star Team member and legend of the game, Ken Climo, will be parting ways with our team. Together, we’ve had an incredible 26+ year journey of unforgettable moments that influenced our company and sport.
www.innovadiscs.com
I wonder if he's retiring, or if he's going to another team, or what...
TheOtherBill
* Ace Member *
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2010
- Messages
- 3,207
"Ken received an opportunity that he couldn't pass up" so he's not retiring from disc golf exactly. He could have another position doing roofing or whatever and stay with Innova. Would be great to see more of the Champ on DGN, but again that wouldn't preclude Innova sponsorship. So this has to be something with another disc manufacturer...
DG Fanatic
Par Member
Didn't have that on my Bingo card...Ken Climo and Innova are parting ways.
Thank You, Ken - Innova Disc Golf
Innova expresses our heartfelt gratitude as we announce that long-time Star Team member and legend of the game, Ken Climo, will be parting ways with our team. Together, we’ve had an incredible 26+ year journey of unforgettable moments that influenced our company and sport.
I wonder if he's retiring, or if he's going to another team, or what...
stupid trees
Birdie Member
I'm guessing that If you're hiring KC, it's because his name brings legitimacy. Prodigy and Lonestar are could use some legitimacy right now, but my money is on HOD. They've had a lot of upper management turnover and mistakes lately.
Either that or he just bought a disc golf company. Then my money is on Prodigy. I'm kinda hoping it's millennium. They have some amazing molds and could use a 12X shot in the arm.
Either that or he just bought a disc golf company. Then my money is on Prodigy. I'm kinda hoping it's millennium. They have some amazing molds and could use a 12X shot in the arm.
biscoe
* Ace Member *
He's been "retired" for years and we have likely reached the point where his name recognition among disc golfers is way down. I have a hard time seeing anyone offering him a "big" sponsorship in the sense that we currently think about them. Makes more sense from Innova's side than Climo's imo.
the1discChallenge
Eagle Member
This is what I was thinking. To newer players, he's just the guy with the name on all the discs. I don't see him bringing as much value to any other company as he did with earlier Innova.
As long as they keep making KC plastic, we're good.
Based on his responses, he's either trying to save face, or he's got a deal lined up.
If it's a real post, it's a cringey approach.
I realize that both Innova and Climo benefitted from their mutual history, but they seem to have taken care of him over the years.
Not like he's done much to stay in the spotlight or promote himself, but maybe Innova should have done more with that.
I thought the last big news with Innova and Climo was that they bought out his tax debt in exchange for all future royalties?
If it's a real post, it's a cringey approach.
I realize that both Innova and Climo benefitted from their mutual history, but they seem to have taken care of him over the years.
Not like he's done much to stay in the spotlight or promote himself, but maybe Innova should have done more with that.
I thought the last big news with Innova and Climo was that they bought out his tax debt in exchange for all future royalties?
Sheep
Sir, This is a wendy's
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2017
- Messages
- 2,042
ehhhhhhhhh. not really.
Ken didn't make much from them with the 100's of thousands of discs they sold with his name on it.
I mean, like you said his tax debt. Why? Cause he wasn't making shit despite all the discs they were selling with his name. His royalty deal was just shit.
But then again, the deal was probably the same since 1964. (exagerated date)
biscoe
* Ace Member *
His deal was better than anyone else's for a long time. Unfortunately for KC his value declined as the deals got better for the still active players. In that sense he was more a victim of timing/state of the industry than anything else.
Sheep
Sir, This is a wendy's
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2017
- Messages
- 2,042
Pretty much.
seedlings
* Ace Member *
That vid says Isaac Robinson is following Prodigy and Discmana. No other manufacturers, just like Ezra is following Prodigy and Discraft only.
mostlynorwegian
Tosser with plastic
- Joined
- May 25, 2017
- Messages
- 649
Apparently Climo didn't handle his Innova cheques too well then, and got dinged hard for it. It's generous to buy him out. But, then.
As an inactive player a generation and change removed from the current batch of younglings. It would make more sense looking forward to go broadly with (still) active ones, and migrate the older ones to niche drop oriented releases.
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2018
- Messages
- 1,011
This best states why I'm skeptical of any attempt to build a business on "new" Climo discs. They might be initially successful for nostalgia reasons, but they'd have trouble breaking through to the market that buys the most discs these days (newer players).
I guess you could compare it to Stokely Discs, but Scott has worked really hard the last few years building his presence around the edges of the current Pro Tour, expanding his lessons business, really making an ongoing commitment to social media, doing a lot of charity work, etc. I'm not sure his discs will be all that successful either - but seems like they'd have more of a chance because of how active he's been.
