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True, though you'll find a lot more people with Discraft in their bags in the Bremerton area than in other regions. But in any case, no matter the brand Scott was/is a great ambassador for the sport. Some pros, the extent of their growing the sport, appreciation of the game is a mumbled "thank you blahblahblah" at the awards ceremony. I suppose it does something to promote that particular company, but if I were the one paying the bills, I'd be trying to think of better ways of advertising.
It really is amazing how much stock people put in "elite" level pros selling product for, and maintaining their sponsor's market share/solvency. With Discraft, they probably make more per quarter off Ultimate sales, than a few disc companies make yearly.
Even Innova's biggest buyers don't really care or understand who the 3x World Champion is. They just know that it's a sweet tye-dye frisbee. Or that it shares the same name as their grandpa's awesome hot rod. Only our small percentage actually cares.
Look at it this way. All those chuckers out there with Champ Bosses. You think they know or care who Dave Feldberg is?
Several posts ITT that dismiss the pros ability to impact disc sales and i think that's not at all true. Prodigy is a concrete example of this. They bought market share through hype generated by their pro team. There are other companies that sprang up in the same time frame that have had a shadow of prodigy's success and pro sponsorship is the major separator.
Paul Mcbeth's in the bag video for this season has over 37,000 views on youtube (and collectively all his in the bags are well over 100k). It may not be casual disc golfers who watch these but its also not casual disc golfers who buy 50 discs a year and have 500 in their garage. This stuff matters to people.
It's a small market but this is advertising that reaches a targeted demographic and is therefore effective for the companies who use it. I understand there that people reject the concept of disc golf celebrities and think that following pros is dumb, but i think it has been proven to affect the market.
What you're forgetting is that what made successful promotion for an upstart company was the previous dissatisfaction by pros with their established companies who essentially told them that their bennies weren't going to get any better because in all honesty, the promotion it gave the company really wasn't helping the bottom line. The discs were pretty much selling themselves and most of the people buying them don't know who they are.Several posts ITT that dismiss the pros ability to impact disc sales and i think that's not at all true. Prodigy is a concrete example of this. They bought market share through hype generated by their pro team. There are other companies that sprang up in the same time frame that have had a shadow of prodigy's success and pro sponsorship is the major separator.
Not really. When I was buying that many discs a year, I can't recall acquiring a single one because I watched some pro's "in the bag" video. They were mostly tries at new molds or repeats of ones that I already had. If Ken Climo's or Nate Doss's name happened to be on one, it was coincidental.Paul Mcbeth's in the bag video for this season has over 37,000 views on youtube (and collectively all his in the bags are well over 100k). It may not be casual disc golfers who watch these but its also not casual disc golfers who buy 50 discs a year and have 500 in their garage. This stuff matters to people.
Its a good way for upstart companies to get their foot in the door. Nothing more. Other upstart companies are having similar success with a less star studded team (Dynamic, Westside) or none at all (MVP/Axiom). There's more than one way to skin a cat, and if the established companies have proven anything, it's that once the foot is in the door and you've looked at how your discs are selling, sponsored pros really don't matter that much in the end.It's a small market but this is advertising that reaches a targeted demographic and is therefore effective for the companies who use it. I understand there that people reject the concept of disc golf celebrities and think that following pros is dumb, but i think it has been proven to affect the market.
What you're forgetting is that what made successful promotion for an upstart company was the previous dissatisfaction by pros with their established companies who essentially told them that their bennies weren't going to get any better because in all honesty, the promotion it gave the company really wasn't helping the bottom line. The discs were pretty much selling themselves and most of the people buying them don't know who they are.
I'm also not convinced that Prodigy is a success yet. They're certainly not taking over people's bags around here.
Not really. When I was buying that many discs a year, I can't recall acquiring a single one because I watched some pro's "in the bag" video. They were mostly tries at new molds or repeats of ones that I already had. If Ken Climo's or Nate Doss's name happened to be on one, it was coincidental.
Its a good way for upstart companies to get their foot in the door. Nothing more. Other upstart companies are having similar success with a less star studded team (Dynamic, Westside) or none at all (MVP/Axiom). There's more than one way to skin a cat, and if the established companies have proven anything, it's that once the foot is in the door and you've looked at how your discs are selling, sponsored pros really don't matter that much in the end.
I'd like to think I've had an impact on Vibrams success in Illinois.
If I was sponsored by Lightening, I imagine you would see an increase of Lightening sales in IL.
Players have a huge impact on disc golf sales. To say otherwise is foolish.
The key to the formula is success. If a player is successful then they will have a huge impact on uncertain players. Mcbeth uses stiff beadless PA aviars... suddenly everyone has to have them. If HE is successful, then I will be successful. The entire growth of the industry through the late 90's and early 2000's was built on "KC" plastic and Discraft's endless exposure of it's top players.
If THEY use this disc and win, then YOU can use this disc and win.
Dana is right. He has had a huge impact on his region. People respect him and when he says, "try this" they listen. They see results (which may or may not be a reflection of the disc) and they buy into it.
Brad Williams has made Texas his playground. Discraft is all over Michigan. Rico has made California his. Prodigy is spreading all over Georgia and DD/Trilogy is all over Kansas and the midwest. For a time, Gateway owned St.Louis.... And this is mostly because the better players in those regions use that disc. Im sure with Cale's new store we will see more Prodigy in Minnesota.
It's the way it works. Golfers are all unsure of themselves and looking for something to improve their game. If you put someone successful in front of them and have them say, "try this" they generally will.
I throw Discmania and Innova. Just to throw that out there.
Players have a huge impact on disc golf sales. To say otherwise is foolish.
The key to the formula is success. If a player is successful then they will have a huge impact on uncertain players. Mcbeth uses stiff beadless PA aviars... suddenly everyone has to have them. If HE is successful, then I will be successful. The entire growth of the industry through the late 90's and early 2000's was built on "KC" plastic and Discraft's endless exposure of it's top players.
If THEY use this disc and win, then YOU can use this disc and win.
Dana is right. He has had a huge impact on his region. People respect him and when he says, "try this" they listen. They see results (which may or may not be a reflection of the disc) and they buy into it.
Brad Williams has made Texas his playground. Discraft is all over Michigan. Rico has made California his. Prodigy is spreading all over Georgia and DD/Trilogy is all over Kansas and the midwest. For a time, Gateway owned St.Louis.... And this is mostly because the better players in those regions use that disc. Im sure with Cale's new store we will see more Prodigy in Minnesota.
It's the way it works. Golfers are all unsure of themselves and looking for something to improve their game. If you put someone successful in front of them and have them say, "try this" they generally will.
I throw Discmania and Innova. Just to throw that out there.