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The Inevitable 2022 Pros Switching Sponsors Thread
- Thread starter dehaas
- Start date
Cgkdisc
.:Hall of Fame Member:.
It's not only about whether you want to watch them but if you see them online or in person in some way. Barsby travels with clinics, Philo and Jerm are on the mike, Juliana has video clips and blogs, Ohn posts regularly on her local events, Garrett promotes his jerky, Sexton is team captain and commentator, Calvin top player w/pro demeanor, Jen Allen is a master female bomber, not sure about Henna and Evalina's media exposure but it wouldn't have to be in the U.S. market.
Eveliina is the 3rd highest rated FPO player in the World and No2 on Udiscs World rankings so think shes on the star team on skill level
Henna and Calvin are the 4th highest rated players so they to are on the star team on skill.
TheOtherBill
* Ace Member *
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2010
- Messages
- 2,711
I'm not denying all those great attributes - they're true grow-the-sport players. But be honest, would you drive an hour each way if Bloomros and Barsby are the top names there?
Innova doesn't seem to be into buying names anymore, but a brazillion pages of DGCR proves that names sell.
Innova doesn't seem to be into buying names anymore, but a brazillion pages of DGCR proves that names sell.
From Innova's perspective, I wonder if they are re-defining what 'top exposure' means. For years, it seems like the most important thing was lead card exposure. With the exception of Vinny on the MPO side (don't follow FPO much), perhaps Innova is finding the other avenues of exposure are better for them, allowing them to get top exposure without necessarily paying top dollar.
As many nice things as the departing players seem to be saying about Innova, it 'seems' like $$ is the real issue. Which is fine of course. But Innova is not a new or inexperienced company. Will they get more exposure from this group than Discraft gets from Paul? At likely a similar total cost?
I hear the phrase 'Sexton Firebird' about 100 times a year. Couldn't tell you what some other top pros' signature discs are though...
As many nice things as the departing players seem to be saying about Innova, it 'seems' like $$ is the real issue. Which is fine of course. But Innova is not a new or inexperienced company. Will they get more exposure from this group than Discraft gets from Paul? At likely a similar total cost?
I hear the phrase 'Sexton Firebird' about 100 times a year. Couldn't tell you what some other top pros' signature discs are though...
Me? yes. . .but here in Sweden we don´t get to see the pros very often so i would drive far to see players like Henna and Barsby.
Just realized that Swedish Linus Karlsson plays for Innova , AND only ONE player on Innovas Star Team is Higher rated than him.
Linus is a monster, few top players train as much as him. . .and he has one of the most insane Aces i have heard of
Tad bit off topic, but are there youtube channels which specialize in European coverage like Jomez and Central Coast do here in the US? I have only watched two events from Europe online but loved the courses, want to see more...
Nale72
Birdie Member
Yes, Linus is good and has won the Swedish Championships the last two years and got second in the European Championships this year. But he actually just announced that he is leaving Innova for 2022. His new disc sponsor is still not official. I'm hoping for L64, but wouldn't be surprised if it's gonna be Discmania...
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYKNclkr9HU/
Nale72
Birdie Member
There are a few with recent content, but not comparable with Jomez, Central Coast, GK Pro etc. Here are a few:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJJzKH19F0C88KRxCL1bD-w/videos
https://www.youtube.com/c/DGTVPlay/videos
https://www.youtube.com/c/NBDGEnglishNaturalBornDiscGolfer/videos
https://www.youtube.com/c/SimenDiscGolf/videos
Through the first link you can find coverage from Heatland Open this summer with Philo Brathwaite and Linus Carlsson etc. and European open with Kristin and Henna etc.
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Nale72
Birdie Member
I missed this channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSpinTVcom/videos
Here you will find the MPO from the 2021 Europeans with Simon Lizotte, Niklas Antilla, Linus Carlsson and Josef Berg (who is one of the founders of the new Frid-bag) etc. with commentary by Discmanias Jussi Meresmaa and Simon Lizotte.
runningDoc
Double Eagle Member
- Joined
- May 21, 2014
- Messages
- 1,602
it does have a kind of "holllywood studio/record label accounting department" vibe to it. (where talent gets the short end of the $$$ no matter if there are millions in ticket/record sales.
or maybe boxing promoter type of situation where the promoters feel they are the show and the talent works for them?
but i also admire innova as a company because in a way they kind of run their company like a frugal but successful baseball team like the A's or Devil Rays where they'll just let players go even super stars if contracts get too expensive and move on and find some other way to push plastic.
or maybe boxing promoter type of situation where the promoters feel they are the show and the talent works for them?
but i also admire innova as a company because in a way they kind of run their company like a frugal but successful baseball team like the A's or Devil Rays where they'll just let players go even super stars if contracts get too expensive and move on and find some other way to push plastic.
jdm0514
Eagle Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2018
- Messages
- 821
With all these players leaving Innova and them not bringing anyone new in I have a feeling that none of the current players will be getting raises. Ie Calvin, Big Jerm and Sexton. These guys are the face of their team and I highly doubt Innova is willing to give them more money.
Keller
* Ace Member *
But DGCR is a very small percentage of players and we tend to nerd out on this stuff. Regular everyday chuckers don't even know who any of these players are..
I'm not driving that far just for any pro, but does that even matter as far as moving plastic is concerned? Is it whether people drive to the tournament, or whether people are setting notifications on Twitter and such to try and buy the latest disc drops?
Sexton Firebirds, Fireflies, and XCals move easily and at premium prices.
Big Jerm Thunderbirds have their own following.
Philo/Calvin Destroyers are popular. Destroyers in general are popular no matter the name.
Halo and Color Glow discs for Jen Allen, Ohn, GG sell well, whatever the combination of name and popular plastic. Even Halo and CG F2s sell well.
Innova has a huge share not only in specialty disc golf stores but also they are pretty much the only ones in big box stores like Big 5, Dick's, Academy, Walmart, even Sportsman's Warehouse.
From a numbers standpoint, how much do they even need more big names? I don't know, but they seem to be doing alright.
Hell, I have to google 3/4's of the names that get posted here. Posts using first names only drive me crazy. Somebody posted something about "Kona to Discmania with Colten"; Kona Panis I had already looked up (didn't know who she was until her name kept being dropped here) but I have no idea who "Colten" is. Colten could be the name of her dog for all I know.
The truth is that I don't really care, either. Disc golf used to be a very small thing and it was kinda fun to look and see who won the A tier that week. Trying to keep track of people who are out playing DGPT events and finishing outside the top 10 isn't fun.
That's why I'm surprised any of these lower-tier players push the needle at all. It's got to be a very low % of disc golfers who actually know who these people are. Maybe with social media it's easier to follow these people? I'm not sure why I'd want to read a post from some guy I don't know about his 58th place finish at some disc golf tournament, but I don't understand a lot of things these days.
Cgkdisc
.:Hall of Fame Member:.
It should be clear by now, if it wasn't to many posters, that the manufacturers and DGPT have more "hand" (Seinfeld reference) than the players. However, the manufacturers disguise that for marketing reasons. So, when the players say they have chosen to leave a sponsor, in several cases they likely didn't generate sufficient incremental sales, goodwill or other benefits they contracted to produce for the manufacturer to retain them or potentially boost their income.
Those who entered this sport in the past 10 years and even many who have been around longer don't realize the massive cash injection Innova has made to support pros and the tour since the 90s when it was mostly out of sight in video and computer media which was sparse at best. The most high-profile money and resources injection has been the massive effort and purses to produce the USDGC since it started around the turn of the century.
Another concern for manufacturers is those doing "professional" work on their behalf both among their employees along with TDs and their teams who aren't getting the kind of money fans seem to think the elite pros "should" get. The marketplace will eventually adjust the rewards for professional skills/effort, or those employees and TDs will simply opt out from those financially underappreciated jobs. I think we're seeing this readjustment underway with the player sponsor moves this winter.
Those who entered this sport in the past 10 years and even many who have been around longer don't realize the massive cash injection Innova has made to support pros and the tour since the 90s when it was mostly out of sight in video and computer media which was sparse at best. The most high-profile money and resources injection has been the massive effort and purses to produce the USDGC since it started around the turn of the century.
Another concern for manufacturers is those doing "professional" work on their behalf both among their employees along with TDs and their teams who aren't getting the kind of money fans seem to think the elite pros "should" get. The marketplace will eventually adjust the rewards for professional skills/effort, or those employees and TDs will simply opt out from those financially underappreciated jobs. I think we're seeing this readjustment underway with the player sponsor moves this winter.
I think people are also missing the fact that Innova has the largest international team by far. What effect will that have on their brand worldwide? To me, it appears they are making smart moves and laying the groundwork for more distribution of their products internationally. Maybe in a few years if they see their sales drop in the USA because they don't have Wysocki, they might spend big bucks for the next up and comer. But til then, silently they are making giant moves globally.
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Hampstead
* Ace Member *
Barsby? Yes.
He's a good dude that I haven't had a chance to see play in person.
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Was talking metal with him at a player's party (humblebrag alert!) and he said to check out his friend's band. For anyone interested
Plastic Thunder
Eagle Member
I did not know he had a 5 year deal, well that changes some of my thoughts concerning where his head is at currently.
