Bragging about my league

[davetherocketguy]

So bear with me here...

Last night I had the most people I have ever had for our little disc golf league since I took it over. In the beginning of the summer we probably had 4 or 5 guys showing up weekly. The last two weeks we've had 12 people. While that doesn't sound like a lot whats cool for me is I have a few selling points to try to get new players to come to our league. Now, I hear current league players (who've heard my little selling points over and over) repeating my sales pitch to other new players. I think this little league is going to grow not because of me but because of the great group of guys I have playing here. It's awesome.

If that weren't enough, I have a tourney coming up to raise money for park improvements and almost everyone in league is trying promote it every way they can. One guy works at a brewery and sounds like they might sponsor it and provide lunch.

This is just one of those "restoring faith in humanity" type things I guess.

Ok. Bragging done. Thanks for reading.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

What's your sales pitch?

 

[davetherocketguy]

What's your sales pitch?

Whenever I ask folks to join the first thing they say is, "Oh I'm not good enough for a league." Far and away the most common response.

So I bring up the following:
- We have players from all skill levels
- Our scoring system is based on averages. You are only playing against your previous average. Whoever beats their average the best in terms of percent wins the round.
- For every 3-4 people that show up we give out a disc. If you don't have an average built up then we will do a CTP or longest putt or something like that so even the folks new to the league has a shot at winning plastic.
- We also have a $1 ace pool and right now it's up to around $25.
- Typically we do singles but every 3 or 4 weeks we will do something different like best shot random draw doubles.

So something like that basically. Nothing real refined like a professional salesman might do but it works I think.

 

[DatRedDude]

I hit up Gateway last year and they sent me a box of putters. May not seem like much but its good to say league CTP is brought to you by Gateway. While it may not be sponsored you could see about gateway or any of the big manufacturers sending some stuff for CTP's.

Does not come out of your pocket or the clubs pocket and it brings attn to those manufacturers. just a thought to help you move along a little more.

 

[davetherocketguy]

I hit up Gateway last year and they sent me a box of putters. May not seem like much but its good to say league CTP is brought to you by Gateway. While it may not be sponsored you could see about gateway or any of the big manufacturers sending some stuff for CTP's.

Does not come out of your pocket or the clubs pocket and it brings attn to those manufacturers. just a thought to help you move along a little more.

Yep. I've been thinking that exact thing. It'd sure be nice to have a pile of good beginner discs in some cheap plastic I could just hand out....putters would a great option.

 

[Stardoggy]

Wow, you've been able to convince 8 whole new people to show up for leagues.

Seriously...this is what you brag about? Pretty sad.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Wow, you've been able to convince 8 whole new people to show up for leagues.

Seriously...this is what you brag about? Pretty sad.

Yep you're right it isn't very many especially in comparison to what you probably do for the disc golf community - right? But hey, I've only just started out leading a league so every new face feels like a victory for me. Give me some time and with my perseverance maybe one day I'll have some numbers that will impress even you.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I hit up Gateway last year and they sent me a box of putters. May not seem like much but its good to say league CTP is brought to you by Gateway. While it may not be sponsored you could see about gateway or any of the big manufacturers sending some stuff for CTP's.

Does not come out of your pocket or the clubs pocket and it brings attn to those manufacturers. just a thought to help you move along a little more.

Plus it makes the league seem more legit, because it's basically seen as some level of sponsorship of the league by a manufacturer (even if only in a very small and limited way), and it shows the League officers have at least some relationship with disc manufacturers.

It's a nice symbiotic win-win-win:
1) Manufacturer wins: positive exposure among active players and gets their product into hands.
2) Players win: CTP's are just plain fun. Sure, only one person wins the CTP, but everyone gets the thrill of thinking they have a chance to park one... because they do.
3) League wins: More ways to win and things to win makes for happier players. Happier players make for a more robust league.

 

[ru4por]

Wow, you've been able to convince 8 whole new people to show up for leagues.

Seriously...this is what you brag about? Pretty sad.

This post is pretty sad. Social media at it's best.

 

[riltim]

Wow, you've been able to convince 8 whole new people to show up for leagues.

Seriously...this is what you brag about? Pretty sad.

What a cringe worthy post.

 

[F.Luke]

Wow, you've been able to convince 8 whole new people to show up for leagues.

Seriously...this is what you brag about? Pretty sad.

One could also say that's a 200% increase in participation. That is if one wanted to be encouraging.

 

[ru4por]

One could also say that's a 200% increase in participation. That is if one wanted to be encouraging.

I am voting for encouraging those who volunteer their time to put in courses, work on courses, act as TD's and league coordinators. :thmbup::thmbup::thmbup:

 

[zenbot]

Wow, you've been able to convince 8 whole new people to show up for leagues.

Seriously...this is what you brag about? Pretty sad.

 

[HarkeyPuck]

Hey I volunteered for the PFDO!!!!

 

[HarkeyPuck]

I also gave 3 R-Pro Aviars to a newb at league when I saw he used them, instead of sitting in a box in my basement!!!!

 

[ODRB]

I also gave 3 R-Pro Aviars to a newb at league when I saw he used them, instead of sitting in a box in my basement!!!!

R-Pro is hot effing garbage. D!ck move giving that crap to a newb.

 

[John M. Fretz]

Our club raised over $300, last week, for abandoned and lost pets in Houston area; in the aftermath of Harvey.

 

[ODRB]

Bragging isn't that cool.
R-Pro is definitely not cool.
Crapping on someone for starting a league isn't cool. But I don't think that is exactly what *Doggy was doing. More about the bragging, I think.

That red card post is cool.
Not as cool as raising some money for a good cause. Good on you and your crew, Fretz.

 

[jtreadwell]

So bear with me here...

Last night I had the most people I have ever had for our little disc golf league since I took it over. In the beginning of the summer we probably had 4 or 5 guys showing up weekly. The last two weeks we've had 12 people. While that doesn't sound like a lot whats cool for me is I have a few selling points to try to get new players to come to our league. Now, I hear current league players (who've heard my little selling points over and over) repeating my sales pitch to other new players. I think this little league is going to grow not because of me but because of the great group of guys I have playing here. It's awesome.

If that weren't enough, I have a tourney coming up to raise money for park improvements and almost everyone in league is trying promote it every way they can. One guy works at a brewery and sounds like they might sponsor it and provide lunch.

This is just one of those "restoring faith in humanity" type things I guess.

Ok. Bragging done. Thanks for reading.

Nice work!! It's always amazing to me how enthusiasm can replicate itself in the right group. I run an annual indoor putting league every winter and know from experience it's not easy to grow and maintain any kind of weekly league. The first year it was run by a buddy of mine who, while well intentioned, did not really know what he was doing. We started off with 25 - 35 people a night and dropped down to less than a dozen by the end of the year. Year 2 saw about 10 - 15 folks a night until about a third of the way through the season when my friend and I took over and started promoting. Year 3 we were back up to 20 - 30 folks a night and were able to raise over $1000.00 for charity (St. Jude's Research Hospital for Children) and are planning year 4 now. My point is twofold. For one, I'm clearly bragging a bit, but the main thing is that you've planted a seed and seen evidence that it has sprouted, and I'm sure you'll see exponential growth moving forward.

I can make a couple suggestions, and you're free to use or disregard of course. The first would be to make sure you do something to keep the better players coming back. Our putting league had nightly cash prizes ($5 entry fee with $1 per person to the charity, plus nightly raffles of donated discs and swag) and kept track of our averages so newer players could track progress, but we also had a top 16 tourney at the end of the year so the better folks had something to fight over My second recommendation is to not be shy about asking for donations! We were able to offer at least one item all 21 nights that the league was run, as well as a Marksman basket and about a dozen other prizes on finals night. Donations came from locals, businesses (mostly ones that disc golfers worked for, but still), and even pros who were happy to send some swag when we reached out to them about the cause. Basically, disc golfers are generous people, and even non-golfers are generally benevolent. Sorry for the novel, but it's always good to see other gardeners out there

 

[HarkeyPuck]

R-Pro is fine, shut your mouth you filthy pirate