[Prodigy] Prodigy Market Survey

[Spike Hyzer]

When i first saw prodigy in the store it was the grip and feel of the plastic that sold me.

I have in my bag:
1x Pa4
1x Pa1
2x Pa3
2x M4
1x F7
1x H1
3x D3
3x D1

Depending on the courses I am playing I may add an addition F7 or H1.. and maybe a D4 if i need something more understable, but the Tern has kind of taken that role right now.

How is the H1? I throw a Felon and an XXX. Watching these recent Will S videos it looks like it could be deadly accurate.

 

[JedV]

I think that the bottom line is that in the current state of market saturation, a company needs to really make something that people feel that is an improvement over what they currently use. While the Prodigy discs might be decent, they aren't necessarily better that what people already have. Nor is the company exciting enough for people to get behind en masse like they have for other companies.

 

[dekdo]

How is the H1? I throw a Felon and an XXX. Watching these recent Will S videos it looks like it could be deadly accurate.

It's very accurate, and very reliable. I used to throw the XXX but it got knocked out by the more OS H1.

Prodigy is still a new company, they have been around for what two years now? I don't seem them going away, they make great durable, grippy plastic and I think they offer something unique with their high speed drivers all having a relatively similar feel, yet different flights.

 

[Cgkdisc]

At some point, we'll see some mergers or acquisitions of disc manufacturers and/or brands in the marketplace. Natural progression. Perhaps more likely than a company just closing its doors. Just a general comment, not about Prodigy specifically.

 

[Abrookdg]

Trunk Sales

I work in a DG shop as well.

Regarding the OP, I scanned through the pages and didn't see mention of Prodigy's wholesale model. Anyone that wants 25 discs can purchase them for well below retail. There are enough guys moving these discs out of their trunk that it's hard for us to sell.

Not to mention they're priced higher than Innova and Discraft.

It's worth noting the influence top pros have. If this poll was on Facebook and not DGCR, I think the drumbeat would be different.

 

[kw83028]

Might be true Abrookdg, but this poll, the comments, and the 18 months of sales that are just funny, definitely proved that Prodigy is meant for a niche market. Overall it just helped my decision to liquidate and never order again. When my revenue is this big, and Prodigy is only 1.7%, it says something.

 

[TAFL]

I have no problem with Prodigy's naming conventions, prima facie. Neither calling a disc "D4" nor "African Swallow" indicates anything about the disc's flight characteristics or quality, nor does it indicate anything about the manufacturer's focus or anything else. Disc names simply differentiate one model from another. I'm aware that other people may find the naming convention to lack appeal, however, so won't say it doesn't affect sales.

The problem I have, when looking at Prodigy discs on display, is that I have no damn clue what the flight characteristics are for any of them, as there are no markings on the disc and no poster hanging where I can see. I've no experience with any Prodigy disc to think I might really like another model. The price point seems rather steep to me for something that would be a completely blind experiment...so I don't buy any.

Now, I did just trade for a used D4, just to get my hands on the plastic (400?) and see how it flies. I may not like this model, though I may perhaps decide I really like the plastic and look for a different model because of it, though I'm not certain I'd buy one new to try because of the price point.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

Might be true Abrookdg, but this poll, the comments, and the 18 months of sales that are just funny, definitely proved that Prodigy is meant for a niche market. Overall it just helped my decision to liquidate and never order again. When my revenue is this big, and Prodigy is only 1.7%, it says something.

How was the ordering process for Prodigy, I heard it was much more difficult than other top manufacturers?

 

[goosefraba1]

IMO, the D4 is the most touchy of all the distance drivers that they currently have out... could be that I probably don't have quite the arm speed required.

The X1, though, best utility disc ever made.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

And the D5 is the new GROOOOOVE, I just felt one in store. Groove track and all, Yeeea!

 

[HiFi]

Love the plastic but I just have no desire to carry any of the molds.

 

[THUGNIFICENT763]

And the D5 is the new GROOOOOVE, I just felt one in store. Groove track and all, Yeeea!

More comparable to a Monarch lol

 

[bogeyfreetilinfinity]

Seems like everybody has one prodigy mold they love

 

[JedV]

Seems like 15.56% have one prodigy mold they love

Ftfy

 

[blackcatsmith]

I have no problem with Prodigy's naming conventions, prima facie. Neither calling a disc "D4" nor "African Swallow" indicates anything about the disc's flight characteristics or quality, nor does it indicate anything about the manufacturer's focus or anything else.

The "D" designates it as a driver, the "4" is an indicator of stability which gives insight into the flight characteristics... Surely if one company chooses not to do what everyone else is doing(cartoon graphics/arbitrary names) then it says something about the manufacturer's focus.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

At some point, we'll see some mergers or acquisitions of disc manufacturers and/or brands in the marketplace. Natural progression. Perhaps more likely than a company just closing its doors. Just a general comment, not about Prodigy specifically.

I think this would be a good move for some of the smaller brands.

 

[kw83028]

How was the ordering process for Prodigy, I heard it was much more difficult than other top manufacturers?

For me it was very simple. Signed up to be a dealer (can't remember if that was simple), went to the dealer portal, selected the discs I wanted in their online dealer store, check out, done. Actually it's not as simple as filling in a spreadsheet like the other companies, but it's as easy as buying 100 discs from an online store. Click mold, select quantity and plastic, repeat.

 

[JedV]

I think this would be a good move for some of the smaller brands.

That is, assuming, there is something that the smaller brands have that a larger company wants for themselves, or wants to bury*.

I don't see it happening. In the disc golf world, companies just try to mimic each other. How many designs are actually protected by patents?

*Unrelated tangent: my wife has bad enough allergies that she needs to carry 2 epinephrine injectors with her at all times. Until 2 years ago, she was able to carry one device called a TwinJect that was double ended and dispensed two doses. The owners of Epipen bought them out; only to discontinue the competitors product. Now my wife has to carry 2 Epipens, which are somehow larger than the TwinJect was. And more expensive to boot :|

 

[whentherainscome]

I never checked out Prodigy at the start because they hit the market with warp speed drivers. Sounded like they had good plastic but the usual inconsistencies that come with wide rimmed discs, plus a lot of trimming/flashing issues. The next disc I checked out of theirs was the F1 and holy hell it had a beads worth of flashing under the rim. I put it right back down and got a sexy FAF Firebird instead. That F1 might've been just as overstable, but the flashing would've torn my hand up.

The names are a thing for me. I have a total double standard too, because Discmania gets a pass. I throw their PD, FD, FD2 and don't ever call them Freak or Jackal or... FD2 doesn't have an alt name. I like that they've given up the "edgy" names/stamps for the clean look.

I only own one Prodigy disc, due to it being a player's pack disc. It's an F2 or F3, idk. It feels pretty nice, except for the full color print on top is a totally different texture.

 

[AndyJB]

All this thread has done has shown me I didn't give Prodigy a fair shake. Mids and putters are good...so far I haven't liked their drivers. But I'm buying an H3 as soon as I finish typing this LOL