discgolfer magazine: Is it (the print version) worth it?

[sumo21]

At this time, I think a magazine should be run by a private enterprise, fully endorsed by the PDGA. This way, money made by the PDGA can go to grow the sport. And maybe the PDGA could get a little bit of the cut from a privately run magazine for using their players, instruction and logo's.

 

[Cgkdisc]

That experiment failed in 2008-9: Flying Disc Magazine, and they even tried to appeal to a wider disc throwing audience. The current Disc Golfer is actually contracted for publication. Those who edit and produce it are not PDGA employees.

 

[JC17393]

I thought the Ragna Bygde article was interesting as well. The girl worked in Australia for a year killing poisonous snakes on a farm.

I think having a magazine for disc golf is probably a good thing for the sport; however, I don't think the subscriber base would be a large enough to warrant its existence without a forced subscription via PDGA membership.

If the advertising within the magazine is enough to support the production costs, then I don't see the harm in continuing its distribution to PDGA members. However, if a portion of PDGA membership fees goes towards the production of the magazine, then I say dump it and make the switch to digital.

I think the Hucker story is plenty of evidence that an independent subscription-based magazine is unsustainable at this point in our growth (or perhaps ever in the digital age). Disc Golfer can't exist without the PDGA subsidizing it, no doubt. That's part of the reason the PDGA took its production in-house (and abandoned support of the otherwise independently produced Disc Golf World...and Flying Disc as Chuck mentions).

If how it works, and the numbers seem to bear this out, is that our membership includes a $4-5 annual "subscription" to the magazine, that's well worth it. Plenty of magazines with a much larger circulation than Disc Golfer will ever have charge way more for a year's worth of issues.

As for the suggestion that it is an amateurish magazine with little in the way of content, well duh. There is no full-time paid magazine staff to write articles. Everything is volunteer contributed. The easiest thing to cull together for publishing is tournament results. Additional content has to be offered to the magazine for publication, and it has to come from players like us.

 

[DavidSauls]

I'm sure even the most ardent PDGA supporters can find something in the budget that they don't want. If we all had memberships a la carte, there'd be nothing left.

 

[cjdiscgolf]

Everything is volunteer contributed.

Absolutely incorrect.

Like 99% of things on this site.

Content providers and photographers are compensated for their work.

 

[JC17393]

Absolutely incorrect.

Like 99% of things on this site.

Content providers and photographers are compensated for their work.

My point is that there's no one working exclusively for the magazine to generate content.

To keep it in the realm of sports, Sports Illustrated has a paid staff of writers, photographers, and editors who generate content for each issue. They go to games, watch and photograph the action, and write about it. They don't rely on someone happening to interview LeBron James and deciding to submit it for publication. They pay someone to go and interview LeBron James.

Disc Golfer magazine has no such thing.

 

[discgman]

Side note, thread drift!!!

Anybody read the Climo article? Did the World payouts really go down over the years or what? Same amounts basically since 87?

 

[AndyJB]

I do like the magazine, but I'd like a whole lot better if they would finally publish my article about growing the game instead of growing the "sport"

 

[cjdiscgolf]

Side note, thread drift!!!

Anybody read the Climo article? Did the World payouts really go down over the years or what? Same amounts basically since 87?

If you simply look at the winner's amount that is accurate. But as a whole and the added cash and the percetnage paid compared to entry has greatly increased.

You are only looking at 1 out of hundreds of players who receive winnings.

 

[discgman]

If you simply look at the winner's amount that is accurate. But as a whole and the added cash and the percetnage paid compared to entry has greatly increased.

You are only looking at 1 out of hundreds of players who receive winnings.

Greatly increased?

Open 2000 Ann Arbor MI Ken Climo FL 4297 $7,303
Open 2001 St Paul MN Cameron Todd SC 12827 $3,065
Open 2002 Houston TX Ken Climo FL 4297 $4,500
Open 2003 Flagstaff AZ Barry Schultz WI 6840 $5,000
Open 2004 Des Moines IA Barry Schultz WI 6840 $5,300
Open 2005 Lehigh Valley PA Nate Doss CA 11794 $5,000
Open 2006 Augusta GA Ken Climo FL 4297 $5,500
Open 2007 Highbridge WI Nate Doss CA 11794 $5,500
Open 2008 Kalamazoo MI David Feldberg OR 12626 $6,000
Open 2009 Kansas City MO Avery Jenkins OR 7495 $5,500
Open 2010 Cedar Lake IN Eric McCabe TX 11674 $5,500
Open 2011 Santa Cruz CA Nate Doss CA 11794 $7,000
Open 2012 Charlotte NC Paul McBeth CA 27523 $5,500
Open 2013 Cedar Lake IN Paul McBeth CA 27523 $5,000
Open 2013 Portland OR Paul McBeth CA 27523 $5,000

Since 2000 its gone up and down. Shouldnt this be at 10k by now?

 

[Hampstead]

If it went strictly digital I wouldn't read it, just like all my favorite magazines I no longer read that went to an all digital format.

 

[cjdiscgolf]

Greatly increased?

Open 2000 Ann Arbor MI Ken Climo FL 4297 $7,303
Open 2001 St Paul MN Cameron Todd SC 12827 $3,065
Open 2002 Houston TX Ken Climo FL 4297 $4,500
Open 2003 Flagstaff AZ Barry Schultz WI 6840 $5,000
Open 2004 Des Moines IA Barry Schultz WI 6840 $5,300
Open 2005 Lehigh Valley PA Nate Doss CA 11794 $5,000
Open 2006 Augusta GA Ken Climo FL 4297 $5,500
Open 2007 Highbridge WI Nate Doss CA 11794 $5,500
Open 2008 Kalamazoo MI David Feldberg OR 12626 $6,000
Open 2009 Kansas City MO Avery Jenkins OR 7495 $5,500
Open 2010 Cedar Lake IN Eric McCabe TX 11674 $5,500
Open 2011 Santa Cruz CA Nate Doss CA 11794 $7,000
Open 2012 Charlotte NC Paul McBeth CA 27523 $5,500
Open 2013 Cedar Lake IN Paul McBeth CA 27523 $5,000
Open 2013 Portland OR Paul McBeth CA 27523 $5,000

Since 2000 its gone up and down. Shouldnt this be at 10k by now?

Did you even read what I said.

I'll copy and paste.

"But as a whole and the added cash and the percetnage paid compared to entry has greatly increased.

You are only looking at 1 out of hundreds of players who receive winnings."

 

[Stardoggy]

I read it pretty much cover to cover, and they end up on the back of the toilet, to be read again.

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

what's a magazine?

 

[Chiefstang]

I like it when I poop.

 

[Martin Dewgarita]

This should be a poll.

I vote: Yes, I like it for pooping. I look forward to reading the articles and looking a pictures and such, but I don't wait by the mailbox expectantly.

 

[Loomis]

I vote we make it a six times a year magazine. Let's include this in the whole "grow the sport" conversation.

 

[aPfaff]

The magazine didn't mention ROY : /

 

[discguy42]

Anybody want to part with their Disc Golfer mags that they are done with?

PM me with what issues you have and your price and we can work out something.

I have been tempted to order a few issues from the PDGA but, I just haven't gotten around to it.