Payout

[lyleoross]

Am listening to Smashboxx and they are discussing the notion of not going to a tournament because the payout is not from multiple manufacturers. That is, I'm not going to Ledgestone because they are only giving out Discraft.

People are actually mad about this. As John said, seems like a first world problem. Curious to see what people say.

 

[Lazerface]

They should pay out nothing and give all the AM entry fees to the pro payout :thmbup:. Give them a couple nice Buzz's and a trophy. It will still fill.

 

[PBokor]

View from the Outside Looking In

I really don't get the notion of signing up for any tournament based on swag.

Why would I want a bag I wouldn't normally pay for and discs I won't throw? I understand that the player pack values exceed the registration fees, but why would I want stuff I probably would never use?

On the other hand, 'been there, done that' shirts, hats, or patches to commemorate the occasion would be welcome.

 

[bnbanbury]

I don't choose tournaments based on payout personally. I think people are typically more satisfied with the payout of an event if they end up taking home stuff that they actually throw so more choice is always more fun for the ams. Not always possible though and hard for me to imagine getting angry about it.

 

[brutalbrutus]

I am so tired of trying to flip discs, I think i'm mainly gonna play tourneys run by the local disc shops this year. At least I can get stuff I throw from these events...

 

[hellbound]

Fair number of tournaments within a couple of hours of me are moving to more of a Trophy only event. If any payout with those events its minimal. Larger players pack usually consisting of a stamp disc, lunch and other odds and ends. Only down sides to these types of events is everyone needs to sign up in advance to order the correct number of trophy's and just to get to third place it has to be something like a 30 person field. Most events are held to 72 people. Getting a 1-3 event is almost impossible giving the current structure of divisions.

 

[Toro71]

Yeah, like you guys I feel like I get value from the event, swag is just bonus. The discs are pretty much never something I throw.

Though I have to say, the whole field got the Heropack bag in the players pack for last year's Charlotte Amateur Championship. It's a decent bag for the money anyway, but totally rad for a freebie.

 

[ejvogie]

They should pay out nothing and give all the AM entry fees to the pro payout :thmbup:. Give them a couple nice Buzz's and a trophy. It will still fill.

Spoken like an MPO player

And I already have 8 Buzzzes that I need to offload

 

[da Crippler]

Just buy me lunch. And maybe a shirt.

 

[PBokor]

Just buy me lunch. And maybe a shirt.

I would even forgo lunch, unless it was something better than I could pull out of my Jeep. I like shirts you have to earn rather than buy.

 

[scarpfish]

DD used to run a great deal of the sanctioned events around here prior to them being a manufacturer. When they dropped all of the non-Trilogy plastic, many of the local clubs made other arrangements to handle payout. A local disc golf shop with a full spread does things locally here now. As far as I'm concerned, the change was a win-win result.

The thing is, tournaments are a discretionary expense. If players don't like a particular event's merch selection, they may go elsewhere.

 

[jeverett]

Am listening to Smashboxx and they are discussing the notion of not going to a tournament because the payout is not from multiple manufacturers. That is, I'm not going to Ledgestone because they are only giving out Discraft.

People are actually mad about this. As John said, seems like a first world problem. Curious to see what people say.

I can't help but wonder if the issue of the Ledgestone only using Discraft as a vendor is partly due to the (very large) size of the payout. I saw their payout estimates.. including a whopping $1300 payout to first in MA1. I honestly can't fathom spending $1300 on only Discraft merchandise.. maybe buy some baskets?

Edit: and I'm not saying that because I don't throw Discraft. I do.. half my bag is Discraft. I just can't imagine buying 100+ discs with scrip.

 

[scarpfish]

I saw their payout estimates.. including a whopping $1300 payout to first in MA1. I honestly can't fathom spending $1300 on only Discraft merchandise.. maybe buy some baskets?

I can't fathom spending $1300 in one shot even with every manufacturer's wares available.

 

[DanJon]

I can't fathom spending $1300 in one shot even with every manufacturer's wares available.

Agreed. Ideally you would hope that there would be baskets, bags, apparel, etc available. Something beyond just discs.

 

[EricW]

Give me a lunch and beer after before more swag :thmbup:

Incoming rant...

I've felt for a while that the disc industry is too heavily subsidized by AM tournaments. Swag has to be a huge portion of revenue to some companies. It can't last. Even when many player bags are overflowing with plastic, the demand from tournaments is steady and scheduled flooding the bins in the basements. Reduced price or "at cost" still helps with bulk material purchases and keeps everyone working.

What's a little filthy is that this prize only rule is codified by our sanctioning body. Can't take cash and remain an AM (yes, the actual restriction is can't play in AM champ or worlds), but you can accept goods with cash value??!! Amateur sports is a relic, just a different division.

Ledgestone is the biggest pie. Soon the IRS is going to start looking at an $80000 AM purse and reviewing who won. How will the MA1 winner like paying fat tax on $1300 dollars worth of plastic? This is when things will change.

The big time isn't all it's cracked up to be. Keep AM cheap!!

 

[F.Luke]

I can't help but wonder if the issue of the Ledgestone only using Discraft as a vendor is partly due to the (very large) size of the payout. I saw their payout estimates.. including a whopping $1300 payout to first in MA1. I honestly can't fathom spending $1300 on only Discraft merchandise.. maybe buy some baskets?

Edit: and I'm not saying that because I don't throw Discraft. I do.. half my bag is Discraft. I just can't imagine buying 100+ discs with scrip.

I can't imagine an "amateur" receiving 1300 dollars worth of payout.

 

[worldwide]

they are including space for 984 am players. that's a lot of people on the course

 

[McLovin]

I go to tourneys for the experience, the swag is just a bonus to me. I usually grab some back ups for what I already throw, or get the "newest greatest" thing to try out.
I went to two events last year that didn't offer my preferred manufacturers plastic. So I picked up a few accessories, then spent the rest on easy to throw, neutral flying discs. I give these out to new players I take out, or to people who seem interested in the sport when I'm out playing. I get to grow the sport & dont have to part with discs i actually throw. It's a win win for me.

 

[VictorB]

Am listening to Smashboxx and they are discussing the notion of not going to a tournament because the payout is not from multiple manufacturers. That is, I'm not going to Ledgestone because they are only giving out Discraft.

People are actually mad about this. As John said, seems like a first world problem. Curious to see what people say.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

My opinion is that Ams should be playing trophy only and have better players packs. If people are signing up for Am divisions for the payouts, that's kind of lame imo.

 

[Seabrook]

I really don't get the notion of signing up for any tournament based on swag.

Why would I want a bag I wouldn't normally pay for and discs I won't throw? I understand that the player pack values exceed the registration fees, but why would I want stuff I probably would never use?

On the other hand, 'been there, done that' shirts, hats, or patches to commemorate the occasion would be welcome.

I would generally agree. The Trillogy Challenge is big in my region and I will probably skip them because I don't want another disc. My bag is generally set and there are holes but I am doing the research to fill it.

I want to be treated like a king, that means give me lunch, provide water on the course or give me something unique in my players pack. Otherwise giving me a bunch of random discs will probably go to waste. Make my tournament experience unique and not just another tournament that is the same as all the others.