The Inevitable 2024 Pros Switching Sponsors Thread

[geebob]

I doubt if anyone offered him stacks of cash. I think it is more likely that he and Discraft decided to part ways, or even more likely that Discraft decided and Chandler knows that "going a different direction" sounds a lot better than "I got dumped." He did ok in the A tiers, but not much in elite series this season.

I hope he finds a good fit.

 

[biscoe]

Yeah, I doubt he hit the number of events his contract required last year. I know Discraft at the very least used to take that very seriously. He's a good guy- I too wish him well.

 

[HyooMac]

I doubt if anyone offered him stacks of cash. I think it is more likely that he and Discraft decided to part ways, or more likely that Discraft decided and Chandler knows that "going a different direction" sounds a lot better than "I got dumped." He did ok in the A tiers, but not much in elite series this season.

I hope he finds a good fit.

I'm interested to keep watching who gets "squeezed out" this year. Certainly there's the post-COVID sales slump which is likely the biggest factor. But I also wonder what the impact will be of the big group of young/new/rising players who are doing very well (Gannon, Cole, Isaac, and others on MPO; Ella, Sai, Holyn and others on FPO).

Making room with a shrinking budget means squeezing people out (or demoting them, I guess). So I'm keeping an eye on the players that haven't done so well, and older players that aren't doing as well as they used to.

 

[@CD-]

Fry is close with Sexton so could make sense for Innova (Innova ChAnimal Tour disc ). Also friends with the TSA/Infinite sponsored folks (Oakley, Proctor, Stinchcomb, Gilbert).

Clemons and Callaway are both pretty relevant at a few events a year - 23rd and 24th in DGPT points this year just ahead of Aderhold, Hammes, and Marwede who seem to have more long term sponsorships in place.

 

[Nick Pacific]

I think a big part of Gannon's low numbers is that he wasn't "pushing his plastic" this year after the early sponsor drama.

I think it's just a Prodigy thing too. Those discs are nowhere to be found in huge swaths of the US. That kids a monster, at only 18 and his physical size means his inevitable rein of at least 5 years of 1050+ golf and winning majors is coming. Seems like he's got a good head on his shoulders too.

 

[DanJon]

For HOD to get involved in this sport, they discovered inefficiencies in the DG marketplace where they felt they could objectively gain an advantage over the current players entrenched for years in the existing model which has some less sustainable elements.

I think you will see them dropping multiple smaller names in favor of long term contracts with top players.

 

[Monkeypaws]

It's a wicked cycle this.

Innova was top dog when I started playing, and they had a lot if not most of the top pros on their roster.

I remember Discraft sinking into irrelevance but then they laid out big bucks for McBeth and Pierce. Suddenly the discs I found or in the bags of folks I threw with had more and more Discraft, fewer Beasts and Destroyers, more Forces and new molds.

Now, MVP is the shit: everybody has some in the bag, and two of the best ambassadors of the game in Conrad and Lizotte.

What's next?

 

[DG Fanatic]

It's a wicked cycle this.

Innova was top dog when I started playing, and they had a lot if not most of the top pros on their roster.

I remember Discraft sinking into irrelevance but then they laid out big bucks for McBeth and Pierce. Suddenly the discs I found or in the bags of folks I threw with had more and more Discraft, fewer Beasts and Destroyers, more Forces and new molds.

Now, MVP is the shit: everybody has some in the bag, and two of the best ambassadors of the game in Conrad and Lizotte.

What's next?

Next?

Whenever someone makes a disc golf throwing robot, tests & compares data of all the discs that are made and the data actually shows that MVP's GYRO overmold technology will fly further.

Then it will be interesting to say the least.

 

[BuiltTooLong]

BTL Prediction time:

Gannon Buhr to Discmania
Emerson Keith dumps Lone Star moves to DGA
James Proctor to Discraft
Gossage extension with Discraft
Handley extension with Discraft
Alexis Mandujano jump to Lone Star, Val stays with Discraft
Jake Hebenheimer to MVP
Babcock extension with Discmania
Bradley Williams promoted on Star Team on Innova and extension
Weese, Holly Finley, and Hailey King extend with Innova

I'll add that I think Alden Harris will join Discmania along with touring partner Gannon.

 

[Casey 1988]

Eagle is stuck with DM, nobody else is throwing out crazy money for a usually hurt has been.

The people talking about him to MVP need to put down the bong.

Yes, I think Discmania if not Discmania/House of Discs doing part sponsorship using other brands to foot the bill. Possibly and least possible highly unlikely allowed to use all brands who currently make discs for Discmania as in Latitude 64 and Yikun being part sponsors so Eagle no longer needs some of his molds made way he wants as he can use actual brands molds for discs.

Worst would be Eagle being forced to retire from disc golf touring because his body could not take it but more in my guess probably more likely then my third guess of a sponsor switch to all brands making discs for Discmania and using those molds.

 

[Casey 1988]

I think it's just a Prodigy thing too. Those discs are nowhere to be found in huge swaths of the US. That kids a monster, at only 18 and his physical size means his inevitable rein of at least 5 years of 1050+ golf and winning majors is coming. Seems like he's got a good head on his shoulders too.

Prodigy has had issues ever since founder left to make discs for other brands only with a putter, midrange, and fairway/control driver in lineup to keep new company going as few are making discs with this brand preferring to make molds for own like newest Texas brand, Trash Panda, some of Discmania now, or in NSH discs using 3D printing or sticking with brands these companies still use now.

 

[elmexdela]

Prodigy has had issues ever since founder left to make discs for other brands only with a putter, midrange, and fairway/control driver in lineup to keep new company going as few are making discs with this brand preferring to make molds for own like newest Texas brand, Trash Panda, some of Discmania now, or in NSH discs using 3D printing or sticking with brands these companies still use now.

casey i missed you so much i hope all is well

 

[Casey 1988]

Casey I missed you so much I hope all is well.

YES I am good.

 

[Jolt]

I wonder if its harder to even find a sponsor for -24 and if many players need to take lower contracts to even get one?

 

[acrosley]

I wonder if it's harder to even find a sponsor for -24 and if many players need to take lower contracts to even get one?

The manufacturers have the leverage except in Eagles case if he really is on the move. Maybe Gannon could name his price too but not sure which brand would want to shell out cash

The actual pool of free agents are extremely talented disc golfers but not in that top 0.001% of name recognition that sell to a wider audience.

 

[Mr.Scary]

looking ahead to the 2025 Worlds Nokia & Tampere Finland... which Brands will make it so they can flood that Worlds with their Players? This is the year to qualify/sign up for Worlds correct?
With deals few and far between and most Top 25/Top10 Women's Players wrapped up in multi year contracts how the heck does say a Tristan Tanner or Stacy Rawnsley afford to go to Worlds ???
Should Players signing two year+ deals try to include funds in their contracts to be assured of going to the 2025 Worlds???

 

[biscoe]

Anyone whose performance at Worlds is actually relevant will have no problem attending imo. Disc golf is a job for these people, travel is a cost of doing business. They have roughly a year and a half to plan.

 

[tigerstrom]

Paige Shue will represent Discraft one more year.

 

[Nale72]

I guess we now have confirmation that Eagle will not switch to Latitude:

Our fourth team to announce is our touring players, the Grand Team! This team comprises the Latitude 64 team players who play disc golf full-time but have not won the PDGA World Championships (see our team structure explanation article for more info). This year, Latitude 64 looks forward to focusing on our full-time professionals and helping them succeed on and off the course.

Spoilers There are no new Grand Team players for 2024. Spoilers

As we increase our focus on supporting and promoting our existing team, we look forward to building a sustainable system to help grow this team in future seasons.

While we do not have any new team players, please read further to learn more about each of our returning Grand Team players.

2024 Latitude 64 Grand Team - Latitude 64

 

[TheOtherBill]

Where's Kristin on that list? Are they going to next announce the MF'n BADASSES team? If she has a 'team, Eagle would certainly qualify if he signs with Lat64/HoD.