Disc market over saturation?

[ZAMson]

They'll lose investment money if their product sucks, just like a pro will lose entry money for not being on their game. Maybe they'll learn from it and get better. TBH that sh/t inspires the hell out of me, watching people grow in their craft.

 

[Mulligan]

I guess a more interesting question to me, in terms of discs, is at what point do we reach the mark where there really are no "new" molds? Don't the restrictions on size and wing essentially mean that there is some number of limited variations... or at least a point where the variations becomes so minor as to be meaningless?
Or, are we there already, lol?

 

[Aim For The Chains]

If it was an issue innova would have never have made it. Look at all the damn rocs alone lol.

 

[SD86]

I've been pondering this question for awhile now and I just noticed that in the last month 3 new companies have had discs approved, including two who started with several discs. With the costs of designing a producing the mold for a disc, it seems to me that at some point someone is gonna lose a whole crapload of money trying to start a new disc company.

Is there such a thing as too many disc manufacturers?

I have an innate belief in Market Forces, and that things will work themselves out according to those forces and things such as the Law of Supply and Demand, etc. At some point Alan equilibrium will be reached. The fittest will survive, the rest will be found on the wayside.

And we can ask Salient how all that works out...

 

[zenbot]

What a stupid ass thread. More disc golf "stuff" is being sold vs ever before and entire companies have been built from the ground up with the growth from retailers to disc makers and e everything inbetween.

Talk about ignorant... Pretty sad people dont see this as a good thing vs negative.

Do you make it a point to throw insults into every post or does it just come naturally?

Asking for a friend.

 

[Hampstead]

Do you make it a point to throw insults into every post or does it just come naturally?

Asking for a friend.

I think he's lonely and looking for love

See how easy it is to get love with just a little fun? Should try it more often around here...

 

[DanJon]

I used to ride BMX and we saw something similar happen in that industry.

Lots of manufacturers making essentially the same frames/parts.

Any guy with 10-15 thousand dollars could start a company and "sponsor" a few dudes with merch.

Well that didn't last long and the majority of the new guys closed down shop.

Disc golf, like BMX, is not a good industry in which to be a breakout company, unless you really have something that sets you apart.

Or help from an already existing manufacturer/business (Dynamic/MVP).

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Do you make it a point to throw insults into every post or does it just come naturally?

Asking for a friend.

Where is the insult? Im speaking my opinion.

You smell and are ugly. Happy? Dont make me get my sticks and stones out, snowflake.

 

[zenbot]

Where is the insult? Im speaking my opinion.

You smell and are ugly. Happy? Dont make me get my sticks and stones out, snowflake.

I guess you don't know. That's cool.

 

[loki the trickster]

I guess a more interesting question to me, in terms of discs, is at what point do we reach the mark where there really are no "new" molds? Don't the restrictions on size and wing essentially mean that there is some number of limited variations... or at least a point where the variations becomes so minor as to be meaningless?
Or, are we there already, lol?

Well innova and others could bring back and make 180 or larger drivers.

 

[bnbanbury]

The amount of discs and disc manufacturers basically paralyzed me in terms of my bag and i decided i didn't feel like trying to keep up. I feel a little boring sometimes when people ask me what i throw and i say, 4 rocs, 4 aviars, 4 destroyers, firebird, and teebird

 

[Aim For The Chains]

You dont have to try every new disc made...?

 

[Twmccoy]

Frankly I think there are too many different discs available now. To any new (or even experienced) player looking for discs to try the plethora of choices is daunting.

However, with so many new companies making discs there is more need than ever for those companies to actually produce a good product. Way more competition for business than before.

As a small disc company, staying successful can't be easy. They have to innovate constantly to stay relevant. All the established companies are having to do the same thing to avoid losing more market share too though.

 

[Twmccoy]

Between all the existing companies, how many speed 13+ discs are there?

IMHO, that's where things are seriously over saturated.

I actually don't mind a glut of fast drivers on the market right now. Gives you way more options when fine tuning your disc choices. Obviously not every one of those speed 13 drivers are going to be great, but quite a few of them actually are.

Frankly I think these companies pretty much have the whole spectrum of very fast drivers well covered.

 

[ru4por]

So should the Steelers...

Lol, made me laugh.

And the entirety of the Bengals' team should be in jail.

Sorry, now it just sounds bitter.

 

[armiller]

Did either of you two actually read the OP? I am actually concerned for those people that try to give us new innovations for our game and the ramifications of what would happen to somebody that spends a couple hundred thousand dollars on 4-8 brand new disc molds without already having a market share to support it.

Those people are taking a calculated business risk based on some kind of (hopefully) novel disc design or marketing strategy. It's probably a harder time than ever to try to break into the market, but the fact that people are still trying and that demand seems to be increasing can't be bad for disc golf.

If you're worried for those folks, don't be. They ought to realize the challenge they're up against. Their money could well be wasted, but I don't see how it's a problem other than making it more difficult for players/retailers to pick out discs, bags, baskets, etc. And as a player, I suppose I'm just thankful that a certain level of excellence is needed somewhere along the line for a new company to make it.

 

[armiller]

Frankly I think there are too many different discs available now. To any new (or even experienced) player looking for discs to try the plethora of choices is daunting.

However, with so many new companies making discs there is more need than ever for those companies to actually produce a good product. Way more competition for business than before.

As a small disc company, staying successful can't be easy. They have to innovate constantly to stay relevant. All the established companies are having to do the same thing to avoid losing more market share too though.

Exactly. 1) The only problem is it's tough to choose discs (or baskets, or bags). 2) But product quality increases due to competition. 3) And the companies that make it have either found some sort of niche (I'm looking at you MVP/Axiom & Vibram) or have somehow improved on what the Discrafts/Innovas were already doing.

 

[Mr. Butlertron]

I've been pondering this question for awhile now and I just noticed that in the last month 3 new companies have had discs approved, including two who started with several discs. With the costs of designing a producing the mold for a disc, it seems to me that at some point someone is gonna lose a whole crapload of money trying to start a new disc company.

Is there such a thing as too many disc manufacturers?

I don't know if there's too many companies/molds or not, but as consumer I'm less likely to go and build my game around prototypes or first runs, which have a reputation of getting tweeked, from a company that might just be a flash in the pan.

 

[DG_player]

Entry fees are essentially capped for each tier unless waiver requested.

What's the reasoning behind this?

I would think that higher entry fees would lead to competition to deliver a better product and more tournaments, wouldn't this be a good thing for the tournament scene?

 

[Cgkdisc]

You don't want to price players out of the sport which attracts a high percentage of value oriented customers. In high demand areas, TDs can go to higher tiers to charge higher fees when they know they can still fill the event.