PDGA Executive Director Resigns

[Steve West]

Anyone who is qualified should be able to convince them why it is to the PDGA's benefit to pay enough to get the right person.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Anyone who is qualified should be able to convince them why it is to the PDGA's benefit to pay enough to get the right person.

Similar to the persuasive skill needed to raise money from sponsors, get help from Convention Bureaus, persuade clubs to host Majors, etc.

 

[lyleoross]

Some perspective. I am qualified. MBA, PhD, project management position. MBA talent starts well above this, but money is only about fifth in terms of motivation. Empowerment, independence, having a say, making an impact, all of those things matter way more. People who's retirement is reasonably set would take this job at the drop of a hat. Finance, oil industry, aerospace etc. All areas that have pensions or well structured retirement plans that allow early payment.

I agree with Chuck. They will get plenty of offers from insiders, and if they communicate the structure of the org well, they should get outside offers too.

 

[corin_brown]

People who's retirement is reasonably set would take this job at the drop of a hat. Finance, oil industry, aerospace etc. All areas that have pensions or well structured retirement plans that allow early payment.

Really? A financially secure pensioner in any of those fields might be willing to take a job at a significantly discounted salary if the job didn't require so much travel, outreach, media appearances, relentless gladhanding, evangelizing, overall hustle and all the other intensely tedious aspects that went into the position. But ED of the PDGA sounds like it requires all of those things. The job sounds like a serious grind requiring a comprehensive, hands-on management approach. The staff doesn't sound like it's big enough to enable the ED to disengage at all. Not sure there are too many early or late retirees who'd be willing to jump into an all-hands-to-the-pump scenario like that. Who knows, maybe I'm way off. All we need is one poor sucker, right? Lol.

I agree with Chuck. They will get plenty of offers from insiders, and if they communicate the structure of the org well, they should get outside offers too.

I just don't see qualified outside candidates willing to be paid so far below market rates, unless they REALLY love disc golf. Again, I guess all we need is one! Lol.

 

[onemilemore]

I just don't see qualified outside candidates willing to be paid so far below market rates, unless they REALLY love disc golf. Again, I guess all we need is one! Lol.

Does it really need to be an outside candidate though? Look at the variety in opinions and ideas we have here in this little DGCR bubble. Just because someone is from "inside" the sport means they won't be able to shake things up.

 

[lyleoross]

Really? A financially secure pensioner in any of those fields might be willing to take a job at a significantly discounted salary if the job didn't require so much travel, outreach, media appearances, relentless gladhanding, evangelizing, overall hustle and all the other intensely tedious aspects that went into the position. But ED of the PDGA sounds like it requires all of those things. The job sounds like a serious grind requiring a comprehensive, hands-on management approach. The staff doesn't sound like it's big enough to enable the ED to disengage at all. Not sure there are too many early or late retirees who'd be willing to jump into an all-hands-to-the-pump scenario like that. Who knows, maybe I'm way off. All we need is one poor sucker, right? Lol.



I just don't see qualified outside candidates willing to be paid so far below market rates, unless they REALLY love disc golf. Again, I guess all we need is one! Lol.

Good point. You caught me typing without being clear. By insider I mean someone known and high profile in the sport. By outsider, I mean someone who plays or knows the sport, but is low profile. There'd have to be an interest there. You're correct though, getting someone who knows nothing about the sport to take this on is not likely.

That said, I know two executives and three MDs who retired and went into teaching. If you think ED bs is worse than teaching bs, you might be right, but not by much. All of them were in their early 50s. You make pensioner sound so old.

 

[lyleoross]

Does it really need to be an outside candidate though? Look at the variety in opinions and ideas we have here in this little DGCR bubble. Just because someone is from "inside" the sport means they won't be able to shake things up.

Since you went there, just what needs to be shaken? I'm big on stiring myself

 

[onemilemore]

Since you went there, just what needs to be shaken? I'm big on stiring myself

I suppose "shake things up" was lazy on my part. That said, I would ideally like to see much greater emphasis put on building the sport at the youth level.

The more salient point, though, is that the ED will still be under the direction of the board. They're the ones steering the ship.

 

[Steve West]

Some perspective. I am qualified. ...

So apply, please.

If nothing else, you'll exhibit some qualities they'll realize they should look for in everyone else.

 

[ShopTom.com]

When the PDGA advertised for a memberships manager, they made it clear they wanted someone fresh out of college for $20k instead of someone with experience for $50k. I imagine they are again shopping by price instead of quality.

 

[DavidSauls]

I imagine they're shopping in their price range.

Though the job description says minimum of $80,000, so I also imagine they can go higher, depending on the quality of the applicant(s).

Either way, the PDGA always gets criticism for spending too much money, and not spending enough money.

 

[takman]

When the PDGA advertised for a memberships manager, they made it clear they wanted someone fresh out of college for $20k instead of someone with experience for $50k. I imagine they are again shopping by price instead of quality.

Two very different levels of management levels to use as a comparison.

 

[corin_brown]

That said, I know two executives and three MDs who retired and went into teaching. If you think ED bs is worse than teaching bs, you might be right, but not by much. All of them were in their early 50s. You make pensioner sound so old.

Of course, teaching is a profession as fraught as any other, including running the PDGA. All of us here are crazy about disc golf, but I hope we can all agree that molding young minds in the classroom, teaching kids how to think critically and how to be good citizens is way more important, noble and personally rewarding, as a profession, than running the governing body of a miniscule cult sport like ours.

Taking a teaching job that pays a fraction of the wages of your previous private sector career makes total sense, especially considering the massive public service teachers deliver. I'm pretty sure the public service one would deliver as the ED of the PDGA would be much less.

 

[corin_brown]

Does it really need to be an outside candidate though? Look at the variety in opinions and ideas we have here in this little DGCR bubble. Just because someone is from "inside" the sport means they won't be able to shake things up.

Of course it doesn't need to be an outsider. That's why I stated in my previous post that the BoD must be leaning towards promoting from within, because they have to know that with what they're offering it'll be tough to attract a wider pool of applicants.

I don't know any of the potential applicants, but from what I've seen of BG's performance, I hope they get someone like him.

 

[demon102]

Is there a reason the PDGA is non profit? Seems odd that it is in a land where spots organizations can make billions.

 

[Future_Primitive]

Is there a reason the PDGA is non profit? Seems odd that it is in a land where spots organizations can make billions.

The NFL was a nonprofit until finally opting to drop that status last year. MLB was until around 2007. Maybe the PDGA is waiting until they rake in billions upon billions to drop that status.

 

[Cgkdisc]

USGA handles millions of dollars as a non-profit. Local DG clubs who went non-profit have been able to raise more money for projects and events than if they weren't non-profit.

 

[lyleoross]

I suppose "shake things up" was lazy on my part. That said, I would ideally like to see much greater emphasis put on building the sport at the youth level.

The more salient point, though, is that the ED will still be under the direction of the board. They're the ones steering the ship.

I was being cheeky or mean. I meant it. You are a stable, smart voice. I don't always agree with you, but that doesn't mean I don't want to hear it.

The problem I see is, grow the youth level seems great, but how is the $65,000 question.

 

[demon102]

The NFL was a nonprofit until finally opting to drop that status last year. MLB was until around 2007. Maybe the PDGA is waiting until they rake in billions upon billions to drop that status.

LOL wow I never expected that, I just figured they were raking in money. That just seems weird, whatever I'm not a watcher of sports so it makes sense I know nothing about the business and such. That just seems insane with all the money involved tho.



So when the NFL or MLB brand is on a game, jersey, hat, whatever they don't take any cut of that? I just dont' see how that's possible, it's so ****ing wierd lol. There's billions on merchandise alone and they don't take a cut when there label is on something? There are what like 20 years of Madden and more for MLB video games and they aren't taking a cut? They aren't making a profit when their name is on stuff do they cycle that money in the non profit?

 

[demon102]

USGA handles millions of dollars as a non-profit. Local DG clubs who went non-profit have been able to raise more money for projects and events than if they weren't non-profit.

Ya see stuff like this makes sense with the AM side and I figured it was something this.