Live Video

[lyleoross]

There has been a lot of discussion concerning the DGPT coverage vs Smashboxx. Here's a thought. If folks want to see Smashboxx doing live video, go to the PDGA.

The PDGA is us, we own it. It truly is a democratic institution. If the majority of folks in the organization came forward and required them to do live-video of certain events, Majors or NTs for example, they'd take it seriously.

I haven't looked at their budget, but I'd much rather get live video than my quarterly discgolfer. Indeed, I'm an Ace member and I'd love to see some of my Ace money go into such a project.

I'm not sure of the relevance of discgolfer any more? Don't get me wrong, the content is fine, but it is directed at members. What if the PDGA put that content on their website? You'd pull more non-member eyes to it. Also, you'd free up money that could go towards live video.

One of the PDGA's mandates is to promote the sport. It doesn't take a lot of math to realize that 50 to 70,000 views of a video, or even 20,000 views (over time) of a live event is a lot of views, and quite probably a lot of non-member views. Since the PDGA would own the content there is a ton of exposure and marketing matterial that can be used on parks departments and other governmental bodies.

I'm pretty sure that the PDGA already donates, either that or Smash and others are putting up their ads for free. I'm simply proposing they think aobut something more direct.

Right now, the DGPT is quickly becoming as watched as NTs and even Majors. Some of the events have been B tiers. Steve is showing the benefit of live coverage, directly. I see as much discussion, if not more, about his events as NTs. In other words, as a promotional scheme, well, what he is doing is working.

If the PDGA took this up, then you get your biggest events, one, two maybe three, live with all that promotion.

Last, I'd be willing to up my membership fee to support such a thing. Of course the burn is money. The PDGA puts money towards Pro payout and does a lot of work in the sport. But I think the exposure benefit of this would be huge, given the current trends.

 

[aredoubles]

Are you proposing that Smashboxx cover the PDGA NT events? I can't quite tell from within all of the points here.

If so, my understanding is that many/most of the NT venues have terrible/no cell signal, and so live coverage is legitimately technically impossible to do. I think I've heard Steve Hill mention that they'd love to have Smashboxx do live coverage, but it's just literally impossible at those venues, without bringing in huge signal towers just for the event, which ball golf tournaments have to do for example.

 

[Dcinmd]

I do not want my PDGA membership going towards broadcasting live PDGA events.

#1 I can not stand live broadcast.

Here is the 2018 Budget.
https://www.pdga.com/files/pdga_2017_financial_report_and_2018_budget_summary.pdf

Good luck craving something out of that.

 

[discerdoo]

#1 I can not stand live broadcast.

Same here, I have no interest in watching live DG coverage.

 

[lyleoross]

Are you proposing that Smashboxx cover the PDGA NT events? I can't quite tell from within all of the points here.

If so, my understanding is that many/most of the NT venues have terrible/no cell signal, and so live coverage is legitimately technically impossible to do. I think I've heard Steve Hill mention that they'd love to have Smashboxx do live coverage, but it's just literally impossible at those venues, without bringing in huge signal towers just for the event, which ball golf tournaments have to do for example.

You could advocate for Smash but not demand it. That's why I didn't.

 

[lyleoross]

I do not want my PDGA membership going towards broadcasting live PDGA events.

#1 I can not stand live broadcast.

Here is the 2018 Budget.
https://www.pdga.com/files/pdga_2017_financial_report_and_2018_budget_summary.pdf

Good luck craving something out of that.

Same here, I have no interest in watching live DG coverage.

That's what makes it an interesting discussion. Presumably, the PDGA would do a poll of the membership to see if a majority support it.

Question. If a financial analysis showed that live production would increase membership and money flow into the sport, and into manufacturers, greater than the outlay, is it worth doing despite those who don't like it?

 

[_MTL_]

Ironically the best live coverage I've seen is from USDGC last year. I was very critical of the product up front because it was marketed in a manner that seemed that only hole 17 would be shown live.

What this turned out to be was pretty smart from Innova, USDGC and Spin TV as they under promised and over delivered their live coverage.

The absolute worst thing about live coverage is the walking that occurs in between. It's not fun to watch. USDGC was smart by putting the studio on site and a very exciting / easy hole to film always having a camera.

The studio on site allowed so many guests - as we saw - and any time there was a backup / people walking, we could watch hole 17. I'll watch a 990 guy I've never heard of play hole 17 100 times before I want to watch players sitting at a tee waiting to throw.

USDGC creatively solved the in-between play issue quite well and I would hope that model would be followed at live coverage. In the end, live coverage is the best way to watch sports.

 

[IHearChains]

What this turned out to be was pretty smart from Innova, USDGC and Spin TV as they under promised and over delivered their live coverage.

Agree...That seems to be the biggest problem from Steve Dodge. He overpromised and underdelivered. The coverage was OK, better than nothing I suppose...but he promised so much more and then couldn't/didn't follow through.

 

[JC17393]

There has been a lot of discussion concerning the DGPT coverage vs Smashboxx. Here's a thought. If folks want to see Smashboxx doing live video, go to the PDGA.

The PDGA is us, we own it. It truly is a democratic institution. If the majority of folks in the organization came forward and required them to do live-video of certain events, Majors or NTs for example, they'd take it seriously.

The PDGA already does live at their biggest events (and here's the key thing) WHERE IT IS TECHNOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE TO DO SO. Worlds was live last year at Smuggler's Notch because signal there is outstanding. Worlds was not live the year before at IDGC/Ft Gordon because signal there is abysmal.

Looking at the NT schedule, only one NT tournament is going to be live because it is the only one where there is good enough signal to broadcast: GBO. Signal is spotty at best in Vegas and Delaware (FB Live on certain holes is the best they can do). Signal is non-existent at Masters Cup and Beaver State and HOF Classic (even FB live is tough).

The only way to get more live coverage of Majors and NTs is to do like the DGPT does, and require their events to have adequate signal to broadcast in order to be considered for the tour. Frankly, the DGPT grabbed up the former (and potential future) NTs that have adequate signal for live coverage...Memorial, Ledgestone, Maple Hill, Green Mountain Champs. The PDGA is going to have to come up with a whole new slate of NT locations in order to go live from more of them.

It's not really a matter of not wanting to spend the money. They're willing. The events just aren't able.

 

[JC17393]

Agree...That seems to be the biggest problem from Steve Dodge. He overpromised and underdelivered. The coverage was OK, better than nothing I suppose...but he promised so much more and then couldn't/didn't follow through.

A matter of perspective, I suppose, but he was also promising these things for the tour as a whole, not just a single event. So just because the first event may not have lived up to high expectations, doesn't mean the tour overall won't by the end of the year.

 

[IHearChains]

A matter of perspective, I suppose, but he was also promising these things for the tour as a whole, not just a single event. So just because the first event may not have lived up to high expectations, doesn't mean the tour overall won't by the end of the year.

Fair point...hope he steps up eventually. This one was obviously part of the "tour as a whole" and will linger in most viewers minds. So it's raised the bar on his product by the end of the year, in order to balance out this disappointment. Basically it seems to me he's dug himself into a hole by refusing to do business with the best.

 

[jimimc]

The PDGA already does live at their biggest events (and here's the key thing) WHERE IT IS TECHNOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE TO DO SO. Worlds was live last year at Smuggler's Notch because signal there is outstanding. Worlds was not live the year before at IDGC/Ft Gordon because signal there is abysmal.

Looking at the NT schedule, only one NT tournament is going to be live because it is the only one where there is good enough signal to broadcast: GBO. Signal is spotty at best in Vegas and Delaware (FB Live on certain holes is the best they can do). Signal is non-existent at Masters Cup and Beaver State and HOF Classic (even FB live is tough).

The only way to get more live coverage of Majors and NTs is to do like the DGPT does, and require their events to have adequate signal to broadcast in order to be considered for the tour. Frankly, the DGPT grabbed up the former (and potential future) NTs that have adequate signal for live coverage...Memorial, Ledgestone, Maple Hill, Green Mountain Champs. The PDGA is going to have to come up with a whole new slate of NT locations in order to go live from more of them.

It's not really a matter of not wanting to spend the money. They're willing. The events just aren't able.

Not exactly right. Iron Hill actually has a Verizon tower on sight.

 

[_MTL_]

The PDGA is going to have to come up with a whole new slate of NT locations in order to go live from more of them.

While the PDGA owns the NT and Majors and ultimately decides who is and isn't an NT (and signal is 100% part of the review process), it's not up to the PDGA to come up with new locations. It's up to new clubs, people, manufacturers, whomever to come with an NT and present it to the PDGA.

The only 100% PDGA run event is at the IDGC.

 

[biscoe]

The PDGA already does live at their biggest events (and here's the key thing) WHERE IT IS TECHNOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE TO DO SO. Worlds was live last year at Smuggler's Notch because signal there is outstanding. Worlds was not live the year before at IDGC/Ft Gordon because signal there is abysmal.

It's not really a matter of not wanting to spend the money. They're willing. The events just aren't able.

Not my experience in working with them on a 2019 Major.