2019 Pros Switching Sponsors Official Thread

[lyleoross]

Discraft began posting to Youtube again this year with disc reviews, in the bags, and technique videos. They publish stories daily on Instagram and add new posts regularly. Same goes for tweets. Maybe you aren't seeing them because you don't follow or search for them, but new unbiased players will see the same exposure for them as any other company.

I've always rooted for Paul, being a Cali native. If he joins Discraft, I'll have more reasons to cheer him on, because I can definitely see the "Discrap" backlash if he doesn't play well. It's a gamble, but I'd place my bets on Paul crushing it with whichever company he goes with. That dude loves pressure.

Okay, go do a search for them and look at their hit totals. Compare that to what you see for events. Yep, Discraft gets some recognition for having their covered events on youtube, and I do remember the Nate ads, now that you've mentioned it. My bad, but clearly, the Discraft ads aren't impacting me the same as other ads are. I remember the DD ads, and Innova's ads, I even remember the rather staid Lat ads and the even more staid Prodigy ads.

Discraft products aren't crap. I don't think you have to look far. I think they've made some mistakes in how they present their material. Their flight charts stink, no really, they do, and the resistance to go to the Innova flight numbers, because it was Innova, was a mistake.

But let me concede the point. Let's assume that Discraft is doing a very good job with the presentation of their product in ads. I'll stick with my point, why aren't they on this change like white on a marshmallow?

 

[Glide]

I'm driving down to Panama City this weekend to launch all of my Innova discs into the ocean, then probably just sit alone on the sand sobbing quietly for a while.

I'd be sadder about someone throwing more plastic in the ocean than I would Paul switching sponsors.

 

[discNDav]

FYI, Barsby was using flicking Eagles last month when I saw him playing last month.

 

[Dcinmd]

But that is exactly what they are doing. They are hinging their sales and marketing on past performances by Paul. Those performances might translate into future wins, but I don't see how? Yes, Paul will win, but not like he did. That notion is simply impossible. The field is thick with challengers (pun intended).

Who was that guy who had -18 round and had an exclusive segment on sports center in 2018?

It think it was William Shakespeare maybe?

 

[lyleoross]

I'm driving down to Panama City this weekend to launch all of my Innova discs into the ocean, then probably just sit alone on the sand sobbing quietly for a while.

Can I send you my Jokeris? Those and a six-pack will ease the pain. And please note, you win best post of the day for me.

As an aside, I'm not giving up my Innova products, nor my Discraft products. The Buzz series are the best midranges in full size, for me, I've ever used.

I do find the fanbois, no matter what the product, to be interesting.

 

[steinkecm]

Their flight charts stink, no really, they do, and the resistance to go to the Innova flight numbers, because it was Innova, was a mistake.

Agreed. But they've remedied this.

 

[blake833]

I can't read anymore. Keeping up with this thread today is exhausting. I'm going to take all my destroyers, teebirds, roc3's, aviars, and go play now

 

[rj29274]

From my experience traveling the country for work and moving from Indiana to Tennessee, popularity among brands is regionally based. In the Midwest you will find a lot of Discraft throwers and rarely any Prodigy. Move down to Tennessee and Prodigy has Schusterick, Dickerson, and Joey Lutz sponsored and the brand is hugely popular. I get ripped on for throwing Discraft in Tennessee and people in Indiana seem to have no idea what a D1 does vs. a D7.
If you think Prodigy is barely keeping their head above water, go down south and look at all those awful, faded green, wall of chains that Prodigy keeps installing all over the place. People actually say they like the baskets... woof.

they have since retooled the T-1, the T-2 is much more player friendly.

 

[broomerang]

O don't be so pedantic, you know what I meant

Sorry. You're right, I did. Love you Ian! <3

Barbsy Champs for Chumps.... Spill!

 

[SkyDog]

I will admit to being influenced by social media when it comes to buying discs. Watching JoMez and CCDG videos as well as other YouTube and Facebook content has definitely introduced/influenced my purchases. When I first started disc golfing in the 90's, it was Innova and Discraft (with a couple of Lightning discs). After a lengthy layoff, it was all Innova for a few years. After another lengthy layoff, the exploding social media exposure has definitely influenced my current bag. I started buying Innova again following videos like Champs vs Chumps and seeing what discs the chumps threw well. Of course, watching McBeth and Sexton throw their discs also influenced me, too. Dynamic discs social media presence is phenomenal, and their series of videos like "Is this disc right for you?" has definitely lead me to buying Dynamic discs and replacing Innova discs in my bag.

If McBeth's new sponsor can nail the social media content, I can definitely see it boosting their plastic sales. The Innova social media content has gone stale over the past few years and they are now lagging behind some competitors.

 

[DiscFifty]

I do think over time Avery will transition to full time Discmania as he fades out his playing days, he's told me he never wants to play Masters, etc...he just wants to play Open until he feels he can't, then retire.

With the utmost respect for Mr. Jenkins, I don't blame him, the masters division is very tough and is only going to get tougher.

 

[BlueMonk]

In the kind of numbers that justify this? Be interesting to see.

Yeah, I dunno. Maybe I'm reading into things because of these rumors, but Discraft seems to be updating their public profile a little bit lately; adding standard flight numbers, updating their website, these new "Full Foil" discs... it feels like maybe they're going all-in on rebranding themselves.

Whatever is going on with Discraft, I have to think Paul is in on the big plans if he really is going there. I don't think he's just coming in as a warm body to fill the shoes of Nate Doss when he steps away to focus on his brewery. Maybe it's just a pile of cash or stock in the business and that's enough. Or maybe he's seen enough to believe that Discraft is really going all-in and redefining themselves.

I agree that the gamble here is with Discraft. I think it's a slam-dunk for Paul no matter what.

 

[MakersTeleMark]

I don't believe these rumors one bit until I hear it out of McPablo's mouth.

Fact checking is a lost art, and Innova likes to play pranks. It is Halloween you know, and life ain't all about treats.

Can you really see Paul not throwing SDS, Roc's, Aviars, and the Nova?

Plus, Paul is business savy enough that if here were to make a move, he would take the lead on the press/sm.

If I'm wrong, I'll eat another bird, but people will believe just about anything these days.

 

[lyleoross]

Who was that guy who had -18 round and had an exclusive segment on sports center in 2018?

It think it was William Shakespeare maybe?

I think it was Paul McBeth? But maybe you're right. How many -10 rounds or better were there at the event? How many guys shot -20 or better? Who came in second place? How many of the top ten, or top twenty players were there? Personally, I think a -18 is an embarrassment to the sport. On the other hand, I was impressed at the margin.

 

[Lazerface]

We are going to find out soon enough. It is neither Paul or DC hating. It is simply looking at the whole picture. The number of top players dogging Paul has increased. And they're learning, image, marketing, positioning. I'm not saying Paul isn't going to be good, or that he won't do good things, he will. But a big chunk of what he did was based on his dominance. He's gonna win, lots, but not in the dominant way he did. Remember, we've doubled the number of signature events, thanks Steve Dodge, that get your attention. Paul's marketing position came into place prior to Smash, and DGPT, and Jomez. To pull the eyeballs, Paul has to dominate the landscape. I don't see that happening. If it does, I will be impressed.

To recreate what Paul did for Innova will take him dominating the NT scene, DGPT, Majors and possible a couple of events in Europe. That isn't being a top three player, that's winning. Maybe, but I think, Eagle, Simon, Conrad, Nate, KJ, Ricky, and others (Chris Dickerson for one) are going to have some say in that. Paul may even be the most popular talked about guy. But the distance between him and these other guys won't be like it was.

Your kind of acting like all he has "done" counts for nothing. Lots of athletes stay in the spotlight long after their peak performance years. McBeast is McBeast, and I think you are way off in this being strategically bad for either party.

 

[Three Putt]

I'll stick with my point, why aren't they on this change like white on a marshmallow?

I don't think we know what McBeth and Discraft are legally allowed to do right now. I'm assuming he is signed to Innova through the end of the year, and traditionally players didn't announce the switch until the old deal ran out. Maybe Innova announced he wasn't resigning but didn't free McBeth and/or Discraft to announce the new deal, so that by the time it is announced in two months it's such old news that you take the impact out of it.

Maybe? I mean I have no idea what I'm talking about. Maybe the Innova announcement just caught them off guard and they are scrambling together a rollout that they thought they have two months to plan. Who knows?

 

[jfraney43]

With the utmost respect for Mr. Jenkins, I don't blame him, the masters division is very tough and is only going to get tougher.

Yeah, MJ.

 

[lyleoross]

I don't believe these rumors one bit until I hear it out of McPablo's mouth.

Fact checking is a lost art, and Innova likes to play pranks. It is Halloween you know, and life ain't all about treats.

Can you really see Paul not throwing SDS, Roc's, Aviars, and the Nova?

Plus, Paul is business savy enough that if here were to make a move, he would take the lead on the press/sm.

If I'm wrong, I'll eat another bird, but people will believe just about anything these days.

Yep, I wouldn't bet against you. Especially, since we've not seen a darned thing from Discraft. Of course, that is interesting too. An, um, we got no idea what you're talkin' about statement would be fun as heck.

 

[lyleoross]

I don't think we know what McBeth and Discraft are legally allowed to do right now. I'm assuming he is signed to Innova through the end of the year, and traditionally players didn't announce the switch until the old deal ran out. Maybe Innova announced he wasn't resigning but didn't free McBeth and/or Discraft to announce the new deal, so that by the time it is announced in two months it's such old news that you take the impact out of it.

Maybe? I mean I have no idea what I'm talking about. Maybe the Innova announcement just caught them off guard and they are scrambling together a rollout that they thought they have two months to plan. Who knows?

Darn it, why do you mods always have to be logical and smart.

 

[lyleoross]

BTW - if this turned out to be a prank, I'd go buy some Innova product, just because. I love good pranks, and this would be one of the better ones.