AWESOME Sanctioned Events

[Golden Tuna]

Ok DGCR Friends,

I need your help with some market research.

By providing feedback, you re helping improve the "product offering" at sanctioned events in St. Louis now and in the future.

Please quote the questions and add your answers:

Geography
1) What part of the country do you live in?
2) How big (annual membership) is your local club?

Financial Performance
1) What division would you play in a PDGA A-Tier?
2) How much do you expect (not want) the entrance fee to be (for your division) in a PDGA - A-Tier?
3) What do (AMs) want in a player's pack to consider an equal return on their entrance fee investment (noted above)?
4) What makes a sanctioned event great? Please list all that apply.

Volunteer
1) Do volunteers in your city get compensated for helping at large events?
2) If so, how are they compensated?
3) If so, do you feel they are fairly compensated for their efforts?

Growth & Registration
1) In your opinion, what is the best way to grow a PDGA A-Tier?
2) In your opinion, what is the best way to attract players to an A-Tier?
3) In your opinion, what is the "next big thing" in disc golf tournament?

Media Engagement
1) How do we get Jomez or CCDG out to our event?
2) Please share any anecdotal comments you feel can help us improve our efforts.


* I have a couple new discs & some other DG swag that I'll raffle off for all the participants/respondents to this thread. I'll try to pull together at least the prizes for the raffle. Keep an eye on this thread in coming weeks/months for the raffle results.


Please answer as many of the questions as you can and be honest. This feedback will be included in our annual planning documents for the 2019 St. Louis Open.

Thank you,
St. Louis Disc Golf

 

[mfcastillo17]

Here are my responses as someone who owns a small disc golf company that runs 6-9 events per year depending on the year and a sponsored MPO player

Geography
1) What part of the country do you live in? New Mexico
2) How big (annual membership) is your local club? n/a

Financial Performance
1) What division would you play in a PDGA A-Tier? MPO
2) How much do you expect (not want) the entrance fee to be (for your division) in a PDGA - A-Tier? At least $150
3) What do (AMs) want in a player's pack to consider an equal return on their entrance fee investment (noted above)? Ams love swag, nice artwork on discs/apparel, provided meals is always a plus.
4) What makes a sanctioned event great? Please list all that apply.
- Well organized, ran on time, lots of pre tournament information (schedule, layouts, course rules) easily accessible through multiple mediums (social media, website), great payout, well marked and great courses.

Volunteer
1) Do volunteers in your city get compensated for helping at large events? I wish we had volunteers.
2) If so, how are they compensated?
3) If so, do you feel they are fairly compensated for their efforts?

Growth & Registration
1) In your opinion, what is the best way to grow a PDGA A-Tier? Payout
2) In your opinion, what is the best way to attract players to an A-Tier? Payout, and advertise the amount of added cash beforehand if possible.
3) In your opinion, what is the "next big thing" in disc golf tournament?

Media Engagement
1) How do we get Jomez or CCDG out to our event? $$$ and timing of your event relative to the established tour
2) Please share any anecdotal comments you feel can help us improve our efforts.


Hope this helps! I've ran a bunch of event over the years including A tiers so if you'd like to chat let me know!

 

[ru4por]

Geography
1) What part of the country do you live in? Southern Michigan
2) How big (annual membership) is your local club? Free to 30 bucks (with swag given for membership)

Financial Performance
1) What division would you play in a PDGA A-Tier? MA50+
2) How much do you expect (not want) the entrance fee to be (for your division) in a PDGA - A-Tier? 75 bucks
3) What do (AMs) want in a player's pack to consider an equal return on their entrance fee investment (noted above)? A couple discs, towel, other misc swag (hopefully creative, not the same swag I have a ton of at home)
4) What makes a sanctioned event great? Please list all that apply. Well organized (all pre-reg), old guys on close opening holes, well defined OOB, comprehensive players meeting...anticipating potential issues, TD availability for rules issues, timely check in and payout, well stocked script redemption....well run and organized, short intermission time.

Volunteer
1) Do volunteers in your city get compensated for helping at large events? Some.
2) If so, how are they compensated? Free food, beer. Great Lakes Open and USADGC provided volunteers shirts and a disc an hour for work....in addition to food.
3) If so, do you feel they are fairly compensated for their efforts? Yes

Growth & Registration
1) In your opinion, what is the best way to grow a PDGA A-Tier? Well run
2) In your opinion, what is the best way to attract players to an A-Tier? Great course and well run
3) In your opinion, what is the "next big thing" in disc golf tournament?

Media Engagement
1) How do we get Jomez or CCDG out to our event? No idea...ask them?
2) Please share any anecdotal comments you feel can help us improve our efforts.

 

[Halcón]

Just talk to Three Putt.

Ok, that wasn't very helpful. What I mean is, I think finding some local experts will also help in producing a good event for YOUR area. In other words, what works in one area might be detrimental in another.

 

[Halcón]

Just ignore my post. I should have just deleted it. Sorry.

 

[Golden Tuna]

Stuff I apprecite

Thanks for your input and for what you do for the SW scene.

2) How big (annual membership) is your local club? Free to 30 bucks (with swag given for membership)

Apologies for the confusion. I meant, how many members typically join your local club each year?

3) What do (AMs) want in a player's pack to consider an equal return on their entrance fee investment (noted above)? A couple discs, towel, other misc swag (hopefully creative, not the same swag I have a ton of at home)

Could you please expand upon, "creative, not the same swag I have a ton of at home"?

2) If so, how are they compensated? Free food, beer. Great Lakes Open and USADGC provided volunteers shirts and a disc an hour for work....in addition to food.

Do I understand this correctly, volunteers are rewarded with 1 (free) disc (from club inventory) for each hour they volunteer. Is that right?

Just talk to Three Putt.

I actually ran the event in question back in 2008-09. I very much appreciate and value Three Putt's input and experience. That said, I am fairly confident in my ability to attract folks of that...er...um...era*...
Today, I am really after understanding the "new" expectation.

* No disrespect to Three Putt

Just ignore my post. I should have just deleted it. Sorry.

You could also add your own opinions in here too...

Thanks again folks, keep the replies coming...

 

[ru4por]

Apologies for the confusion. I meant, how many members typically join your local club each year? Hmmmmm.....I don't really have those numbers. Took a look at DGS and did not find any stats. I do belong to several area clubs.



Could you please expand upon, "creative, not the same swag I have a ton of at home"?
Gift certificates to local restaurants and sponsors. Pint glasses, socks, snacks, polo shirts, no tee-shirt type, disc retrievers, unique or really cool mini's, umbrella, coolers....


Do I understand this correctly, volunteers are rewarded with 1 (free) disc (from club inventory) for each hour they volunteer. Is that right?
Crazy, huh? Discraft actually does this for us. Really brings out the spotters for the bigger events. Spotters are a great A-Tier perk!!

Above are some responses.

 

[MikeK]

Please quote the questions and add your answers:

Geography
1) What part of the country do you live in?
New Orleans
2) How big (annual membership) is your local club? About 150

Financial Performance
1) What division would you play in a PDGA A-Tier? MP50
2) How much do you expect (not want) the entrance fee to be (for your division) in a PDGA - A-Tier? $90
3) What do (AMs) want in a player's pack to consider an equal return on their entrance fee investment (noted above)? Discs, dri-fit shirt, towel, etc.
4) What makes a sanctioned event great? Please list all that apply. 1. Runs smoothly 2. Added cash 3. Great courses 4. Lunch included 5. Great players pack 6. Large # of players

Volunteer
1) Do volunteers in your city get compensated for helping at large events? Sometimes
2) If so, how are they compensated? Free food, event discs
3) If so, do you feel they are fairly compensated for their efforts? Sometimes

Growth & Registration
1) In your opinion, what is the best way to grow a PDGA A-Tier? It takes a couple or a few years of running a quality event to grow it, but the process can be quickened by big payouts, big sponsorships, and big promotional effort by the TD/staff.
2) In your opinion, what is the best way to attract players to an A-Tier? See above
3) In your opinion, what is the "next big thing" in disc golf tournament? Ya got me there, I don't even know what the last big thing was.

Media Engagement
1) How do we get Jomez or CCDG out to our event? Pay them
2) Please share any anecdotal comments you feel can help us improve our efforts. Try to entice the 1030+ rated players to your event somehow, like free entry & free hotel. If you draw the big names, lots of little names will follow.

 

[JTacoma03]

I'll try to answer more from a player perspective, my bigger thoughts on the sport from a media perspective are pretty public already.

Geography
1) What part of the country do you live in? San Francisco Bay Area
2) How big (annual membership) is your local club? ~375-400 paid tags, many many more casuals

Financial Performance
1) What division would you play in a PDGA A-Tier? MPO
2) How much do you expect (not want) the entrance fee to be (for your division) in a PDGA - A-Tier? $100-150
3) What do (AMs) want in a player's pack to consider an equal return on their entrance fee investment (noted above)? 2-3 cool items that are local in some way (artist, product itself, etc.) and feel like care and thought was taken when curating them. Past that, I believe the experience of the event is worth money. I take that fully into account, not just what stuff I get in a bag.
4) What makes a sanctioned event great? Please list all that apply. Give me an experience. I want to feel like the event has a particular vibe and 'soul', I guess. Do the basics right, make sure the players needs are met on the course and they feel cared for (for the most part, can't please everyone), and then put the soul of the local club or course into it. Events shouldn't be sterile, carbon copies of the A-tier down the road.

Volunteer
1) Do volunteers in your city get compensated for helping at large events? TD gets a small gratuity from the club for running our B-tier (takes 6 months of work). Volunteers are often given non-monetary perks, benefits, etc.
2) If so, how are they compensated? The most crucial volunteer staff is allowed to pre-register for the following year (our event sells out in 4-5min. online, 150 spots), they get players packs, lunches, beers (at appropriate times), lots of love.
3) If so, do you feel they are fairly compensated for their efforts? Yes. We all do it for the love of club, course, and culture. Rarely do we get any complaints. We are lucky.

Growth & Registration
1) In your opinion, what is the best way to grow a PDGA A-Tier? Be very clear about what kind of event it is. IMO A-tiers are more strenuous, formal, and professionally minded in terms of the competition (even among Am divisions). Tier makes a difference IMO.
2) In your opinion, what is the best way to attract players to an A-Tier? I think A-tier competitors expect a more professionally strict, less backyard/generous/casual experience. A-tiers are stepping stones to the tour, or the one-off majors. Find a way to make the title coveted.
3) In your opinion, what is the "next big thing" in disc golf tournament? I ramble about this weekly on the podcast, I'll let others be heard here.

Media Engagement
1) How do we get Jomez or CCDG out to our event? Pay them a reasonable rate. Don't waste time lowballing or offering couch surfing + beer deals (we've all gotten those emails from TD's angry that we're not tripping over ourselves at the prospect of losing money to film their C-tier). You get what you pay for.
2) Please share any anecdotal comments you feel can help us improve our efforts. I tell people that if they're waiting for the media to discover them, they'll end up salty and angry. If you want any kind of media, seek it out. Explain to that person or group what stories are available to tell.


No need to include me on the raffle (or if I win, pull the next name). Happy to (hopefully) help.

 

[Golden Tuna]

I'll try to answer more from a player perspective, my bigger thoughts on the sport from a media perspective are pretty public already.

Thanks Jamie,
I always appreciate your input!

 

[DavidSauls]

Geography
1) What part of the country do you live in? South Carolina
2) How big (annual membership) is your local club? About 100, I'd guess from my lofty bag tag number.

Financial Performance
1) What division would you play in a PDGA A-Tier? MA60+
2) How much do you expect (not want) the entrance fee to be (for your division) in a PDGA - A-Tier? $80 or $90 (Ams)
3) What do (AMs) want in a player's pack to consider an equal return on their entrance fee investment (noted above)? A voucher with a large selection of discs and other merchandise to choose from. Bonus for some good custom stamps.
4) What makes a sanctioned event great? Please list all that apply.Great courses, and then just run smoothly.

Volunteer
1) Do volunteers in your city get compensated for helping at large events? No, though the largest is a B-tier with 100 players.
2) If so, how are they compensated?
3) If so, do you feel they are fairly compensated for their efforts?

Growth & Registration
1) In your opinion, what is the best way to grow a PDGA A-Tier?The most important ingredients are the course(s), and the calendar---where it falls in relation to other events. For the pro side, dollars.
2) In your opinion, what is the best way to attract players to an A-Tier? Same
3) In your opinion, what is the "next big thing" in disc golf tournament? No idea

Media Engagement
1) How do we get Jomez or CCDG out to our event?No idea. I would imagine where it falls on the calendar, in relation to other events they're doing, would have some impact.
2) Please share any anecdotal comments you feel can help us improve our efforts.

 

[biscoe]

I have run several A tiers and am on the organizing committee for a PDGA Major in 2019.

Geography
1) What part of the country do you live in? Virginia
2) How big (annual membership) is your local club? roughly 100

Financial Performance
1) What division would you play in a PDGA A-Tier? MP50
2) How much do you expect (not want) the entrance fee to be (for your division) in a PDGA - A-Tier? $100-120
3) What do (AMs) want in a player's pack to consider an equal return on their entrance fee investment (noted above)? varies from player to player- in general items which speak to individualization of event
4) What makes a sanctioned event great? Please list all that apply. courses, competent management, effective communication between staff and players

Volunteer
1) Do volunteers in your city get compensated for helping at large events? yes
2) If so, how are they compensated? generally a token gesture such as lunch or a disc
3) If so, do you feel they are fairly compensated for their efforts? yes- they are volunteers

Growth & Registration
1) In your opinion, what is the best way to grow a PDGA A-Tier? sadly for the pros it is all about the $ and the schedule. Establishing a reputation for well run events regardless of tier would be a more general answer
2) In your opinion, what is the best way to attract players to an A-Tier? same as above
3) In your opinion, what is the "next big thing" in disc golf tournament? eventually the pdga will get out of its own way regarding amateurism and there will be gigantic am events with low entry fees, change on the pro side will remain more incremental

Media Engagement
1) How do we get Jomez or CCDG out to our event? schedule and $, plenty of advance time to plan
2) Please share any anecdotal comments you feel can help us improve our efforts.


* I have a couple new discs & some other DG swag that I'll raffle off for all the participants/respondents to this thread. I'll try to pull together at least the prizes for the raffle. Keep an eye on this thread in coming weeks/months for the raffle results.


Please answer as many of the questions as you can and be honest. This feedback will be included in our annual planning documents for the 2019 St. Louis Open.

Thank you,
St. Louis Disc Golf

 

[TimSyl]

Geography
1) What part of the country do you live in? Michigan
2) How big (annual membership) is your local club? 25

Financial Performance
1) What division would you play in a PDGA A-Tier? MA 50, MA2, or MA3
2) How much do you expect (not want) the entrance fee to be (for your division) in a PDGA - A-Tier? At least $70
3) What do (AMs) want in a player's pack to consider an equal return on their entrance fee investment (noted above)?Come from a ball golf background, don't expect as much as many frolfers. Decent tourney stamped shirt is cool.
4) What makes a sanctioned event great? Please list all that apply.The course(s), info provided prior to the event, clear course details (caddy book is ideal), quick/timely payouts...math is not that difficult.

Volunteer
1) Do volunteers in your city get compensated for helping at large events? Yes
2) If so, how are they compensated? Disc or other players pack items, lunch.
3) If so, do you feel they are fairly compensated for their efforts? No. I know they are volunteers, but some cash would probably result in more workers who are more "engaged" in their duty.

Growth & Registration
1) In your opinion, what is the best way to grow a PDGA A-Tier? Other than increased prize $, I assume it's cool peripheral stuff...
2) In your opinion, what is the best way to attract players to an A-Tier? $ for pros, unfortunately huge player packs for AMS. The precedent has been set by BG, Ledgestone and others.
3) In your opinion, what is the "next big thing" in disc golf tournament? If I knew that, I'd do it myself

Media Engagement
1) How do we get Jomez or CCDG out to our event? Pay $
2) Please share any anecdotal comments you feel can help us improve our efforts. KISS. Simply do what you say you are going to do. Don't cave and change because a couple people are unhappy

 

[Hawgman]

Geo- 1 West TN
2 I am part of 3 local clubs One has 75 members the other 2 have 20-25 members
FIN- 1 ADV Gm (50+)
2 60
3 T shirt, Mini, Disc or 2 and small swag
4 To me lots of players, lots of CTPS etc winning card prize well run organized event
VOL- 1 Usually no, Just recognized at the players meeting
2 Sometimes we record hours worked and give prizes or Mulligans at next club meet
3 Not really- but we dont expect anything. we just want to grow our club
G&R- 1 Gotta gets lots of sponsors and grow the open pot so bigger names come to play
2 Advertising and players pack for ams
3 Open Winner Wins a CAR
Med- 1 Huge Payouts, Big name players commit to play
2 Maybe before the final round have a crazy fun to watch competition between the top players

 

[philstine]

Geography
1) What part of the country do you live in? Southeast
2) How big (annual membership) is your local club? 30-ish

Financial Performance
1) What division would you play in a PDGA A-Tier? MA55+
2) How much do you expect (not want) the entrance fee to be (for your division) in a PDGA - A-Tier?$50-80
3) What do (AMs) want in a player's pack to consider an equal return on their entrance fee investment (noted above)?unique discs, shirt/cap/hoodie (depending on time of year)/umbrella/etc.
4) What makes a sanctioned event great? Please list all that apply.Venue, level of competition, venue, organization, venue, communication, venue, event management. (Did I mention Venue?)

Volunteer
1) Do volunteers in your city get compensated for helping at large events? Yes
2) If so, how are they compensated? Get to listen to MPOs gripe about the venue, organization, payout
3) If so, do you feel they are fairly compensated for their efforts? NO!

Growth & Registration
1) In your opinion, what is the best way to grow a PDGA A-Tier? Massive, deep payout
2) In your opinion, what is the best way to attract players to an A-Tier?Massive, deep payout
3) In your opinion, what is the "next big thing" in disc golf tournament?No idea, except that whatever it is, it's probably not something that's currently on most players' radar.

Media Engagement
1) How do we get Jomez or CCDG out to our event?Pay their way
2) Please share any anecdotal comments you feel can help us improve our efforts. It's tempting to make a big splash right out of the gate, but you only get one chance to make a first impression, and competitive disc golfers have long memories. The quickest way to kill off a tournament is to screw-up something could easily have been avoided with experience. (See American Disc Golf Tour). Under-promise and over-deliver. Start small, take it slowly, and get it right from the get-go.

 

[Golden Tuna]

Great responses guys,love the feedback...
Keep it coming!