Artist Tournament Vendor

[Martin Dewgarita]

Some thoughts are battling it out in my head (scary I know). Maybe it's crazy, or maybe it's brilliant. I am a disc golf artist - Treasures of the Forest (see my thread Hand Turned Wooden Minis browse towards the end to see where I'm at now) and a vendor (In the past, I have vended at a handful of tournaments, only on the side accepting cash, no funny money payouts).

Now I'm imagining finding a TD or two to work with to provide my services. This would be trophies for the event (for a fee, trophies created by Treasures of the Forest, or possibly in collaboration with another artist), players packs (again, for a fee, either Treasures of the Forest or collaboration with other artists) and managing all payouts (bouncing some funds back to the event).

Now my biggest question is can this be done without an inventory of discs on hand, what if all I carried was disc golf related art (my minis, glass minis, hand made bags, paintings, hand drying bags, birdie beads, zipper pulls, etc), and then if someone still can't find anything to spend funny money on, I could transfer it to an online store to buy plastic from a third party.

This brainstorm is coming from several years of working with the Purple Turtle Artisan collective, a collection of about 150 artists that we push all over the region. The Purple Turtle in collaboration with Treasures of the Forest would be the title sponsors of this event promoting disc golf artists.

So I guess 3 things

1. Speaking mostly to the Am players - Is this something you would play in, be excited to win some payouts in, and support as a player? Or do you imagine that players would be in support of such an event?

2. As a TD, would this be a service you might consider?

3. As an artist would you consider providing product for a commission?

Other thoughts or comments, pile them on!

 

[biscoe]

I think it sounds great provided the numbers work for both you, the other artists and the TD's. Not an Am player but run a bunch of events and I think it would be well received by the players. I would consider it as a TD.

I don't think you necessarily need disc inventory for it to work.

 

[ru4por]

I help run a club. We run 7 or 8 tournaments a year and 3 to 4 leagues. We have a mission statement that esentially dictates our goal, to provide quality disc golf experience and opportunities, while looking to turn a profit to put back into the disc golf community, in a variety of ways. Interesting/unique trophies and player pack items could be a way to draw players into our tournaments. A handful of really cool pieces could make a nice couple CTP and mystery CTP prizes for league, to also attract some players. A few donated items for raffles could make you a banner sponsor. We would gladly direct as much traffic to your site and promote you in any way possible. Payouts are where we make a lot of our AM money to accomplish our community outreach and disc golf area improvements.

I love your work, man. But in the tight budgets we run for our events and leagues, I am not sure there is room for profit sharing. No offense meant, just my selfish, but honest take.

 

[DavidSauls]

I'm afraid a great many players would choose the option of trading in the art for an online disc vendor.

I also caution that you'd encounter people griping about the values placed on the art. It's bad enough with discs---if an event has a $20 players pack and they value it as MSRP, with a star disc ($18) and mini ($2), someone will complain that those prices are inflated, because they can get star discs for $16 somewhere. I can only imagine the complaints about a piece of art: "$25? That can' be worth more than $10!"

Here's your test: At an event with payouts in vouchers, include art along with the other merchandise to be selected from. See how many people will choose art, over more discs. I suspect a some will, but not most, and probably only a few.

*

The best chance would probably be a charity event, with low payouts, most of the entry going to charity, and what payouts there are being done in disc golf art.

 

[filobedo]

I have run a few fundraiser tournaments for my local club in the past where I donated an 11"x14" matted print on every hole played (18 total) either for a ctp or longest drive. The entry was $10 and I sold mulligans at 2 for $5 or 5 for $10 which most people buy to try to win a print. I marketed this at least a month prior for each event and I did not take the cost of the prints out of the donation. Typically we have raised $200 - $250 for the club each time. Innova/Throw Pink also donated hats, minis, discs, Adidas cards, etc. for players packs and raffles. I also sold my prints at the event that almost offset what I donated and kept my brand out there. I have not done this since 2018 because the club no longer seems interested in this and it is difficult to find dates where there is not an event nearby taking away from attendance.

www.somanyroads.smugmug.com

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

I just committed to vending at the indoor disc golf experience series of events here in the midwest - the month of Jan, in IA, WI, and IL. If you don't hear from me for the next 3 weeks, it is because I locked myself in my shop to make minis!

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

As an update.

It is going very well, I have taken this on full time and I now have several TD's I am working with - vending and accepting funny money, also trophies. I am as busy as I can handle and have seen that as long as I keep pushing, I can keep succeeding!

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

I'm also working harder than I've ever worked before... but I'm loving it.

 

[roadtripstuff]

I'm also working harder than I've ever worked before... but I'm loving it.

After seeing your work in person I have no doubt that you are full time with this. Stellar work, if we ever get back to normal down here we would love to have you at our women's event at the very least.

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

Going into my second season of doing this full time, showing no signs of slowing down. The state of the sport right now has been very welcoming and really a dream manifested into reality.

You're seeing my minis out there at events across the country. Artists are vending with them and their own product and other artists. We all carry each other's work, we're all making it happen, and we all are incredibly overwhelmed in the best possible way. ❤

I'll be making a social media post in a couple weeks commemorating the 10 year anniversary of the first mini I made, I'll do a timeline of minis over the past 10 years and call for shares of pictures of minis from any point in time out in the wild.

Minnesota spring opener and Hansen winter league this weekend. Beautiful and breezy!

One month until ddo.do.

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

One note. The biggest change in the original business model laid out in the op, is that I am not running events, besides my one in november (8th annual this year). I am piggy backing on other events, to provide an alternative to the disc vendor already on site.