Disc Golf World Tour

[DanJon]

Maybe we can make a combination of disc golf and dodgeball.

And I mean with real golf discs, not these.

If you can dodge a disc...

 

[nate22]

Judging by the video, the Aussie Open 2017 will be a part of this. For an event that did not fill in 2015 WITH multiple divisions and no qualifying...to go to open only with a need to qualify or be paid by a sponsor is an interesting move. A showcase event with 20-30 top pros would be good tv viewing Im sure, but cant see many Aussies traveling across the nation to watch it live.

 

[ru4por]

I actually think it's a good idea, whether it works or not is obviously yet to be seen.

For those naysayers that say disc golf isn't and never will be a spectator sport, I say your wrong. It may not garner the crowds of football, but many religiously watch Ball golf and I think disc golf is far more exciting to watch than the tediousness of ball golf or baseball for that matter. If there's money invested in high quality footage, it would be a game changer and help with the image of the sport, which would open the eyes of those looking to invest in youth programs and the like.

Sure, somebody is going to make money on it, so what? Since when is that a crime? I'm all for anything that gains us some respectability, helps promote the sport and helps push back the image of hippie stoners throwing plates.

I am glad to disagree, but far, far more people in this country have never heard of disc golf, than have. Nearly everyone in this country has heard of golf.....for generations. Interest would come from players, not casual sports fans. It simply is not entertaining enough to watch. The game is predominently played by hippie stoners....making that perceptions difficult to shake. But, I see that as a different issue, honestly.

 

[OhSnap]

I am glad to disagree, but far, far more people in this country have never heard of disc golf, than have. Nearly everyone in this country has heard of golf.....for generations. Interest would come from players, not casual sports fans. It simply is not entertaining enough to watch. The game is predominently played by hippie stoners....making that perceptions difficult to shake. But, I see that as a different issue, honestly.

Honestly, I will give you my relatively noobish somewhat embarrassing perception. Im a relatively recent addict and this was my perception of the sport years ago.

1) Frisbee. Classic Americana that is handed out free to kids at the state fair.
2) Frisbee Golf. Stoner Sport played with said frisbees.
3) Disc Golf. If you would have mentioned the game to me this way I would have honestly thought it was some weird euro sport.

It makes sense to me to start in Europe.

 

[schumijr]

Also the NHRA is a poor analogy. Its more of a entertainment than participation sport. Its more akin to Cirque Du Solis. Those cars are ridiculously amazing. As such different market dynamics and rules apply.

Analogies are by definition not perfect. Unlike Golf, Skateboarding, Snowboarding, etc. What disc golf has going for it is easy participation by all age, gender, economic, and fitness levels. Marketed correctly with compelling content (competition, content, personalities, and venues) on a national or international level and the participation will flow from the courses to the galleries. And the money will flow with it. It will not be easy.

Agreed. That's why the soccer analogy is especially interesting. Like Disc Golf, soccer is a sport that has easy recreational participation by a large American demographic. And like soccer, disc golf seems to be growing slowly, but with fits and starts... some big jumps up with some small steps back.

A lot of folks don't know (or remember) that soccer had some significant momentum in regions of the US in the early 1900's. Immigrants, major sponsorship by brewing companies, etc. Bethlehem Steel had an American pro team that travelled Europe in 1919. The major eastern cities had a pro league called the APSL in 1921, etc etc. But as we all know, it major leagues have come and gone, US international team performance has been up and down, and spectatorship and slowly increased in some regions (Pacific NW) while remaining stagnant in others (Eastern seaboard).

With soccer having to compete very directly with football and other team ball sports, it's undeniable that the European influence, and increased global telecommunications, has helped keep soccer growing in the U.S.

Even if this DGWT has no real immediate direct benefit to DG in the U.S., it very likely could boost both the sport in Europe, and the interest of Americans in the European side of the sport, thus increasing the sports overall popularity (growth) in American in the long run.

 

[scarpfish]

With soccer having to compete very directly with football and other team ball sports, it's undeniable that the European influence, and increased global telecommunications, has helped keep soccer growing in the U.S.

I would venture American soccer has been helped more by Latin America than Europe, and from building a spectator base from people who have played at the youth level over the last 20 years than it has from increased TV coverage.

Even if this DGWT has no real immediate direct benefit to DG in the U.S., it very likely could boost both the sport in Europe, and the interest of Americans in the European side of the sport, thus increasing the sports overall popularity (growth) in American in the long run.

Why would Americans get interested in the European side of the sport when they aren't showing interest in the American side?

Which in all honesty doesn't seem any different on the surface except perhaps in culture.

 

[ru4por]

Agreed. That's why the soccer analogy is especially interesting. Like Disc Golf, soccer is a sport that has easy recreational participation by a large American demographic. And like soccer, disc golf seems to be growing slowly, but with fits and starts... some big jumps up with some small steps back.

A lot of folks don't know (or remember) that soccer had some significant momentum in regions of the US in the early 1900's. Immigrants, major sponsorship by brewing companies, etc. Bethlehem Steel had an American pro team that travelled Europe in 1919. The major eastern cities had a pro league called the APSL in 1921, etc etc. But as we all know, it major leagues have come and gone, US international team performance has been up and down, and spectatorship and slowly increased in some regions (Pacific NW) while remaining stagnant in others (Eastern seaboard).

With soccer having to compete very directly with football and other team ball sports, it's undeniable that the European influence, and increased global telecommunications, has helped keep soccer growing in the U.S.

Even if this DGWT has no real immediate direct benefit to DG in the U.S., it very likely could boost both the sport in Europe, and the interest of Americans in the European side of the sport, thus increasing the sports overall popularity (growth) in American in the long run.

Soccer is played by far more people in this country, than have ever heard of disc golf. I don't see a real anology here. Our game is so small. I am guessing most here don't really see this or are refusing to admit this.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

I played soccer for years in PE before ever, ever hearing of DG. lol...(and I drove by a basket daily sitting next to a road as a kid wondering WTF that weird looking think was)

 

[sidewinder22]

Soccer mom or frisbee mom? :\

 

[JC17393]

Why would Americans get interested in the European side of the sport when they aren't showing interest in the American side?

Frankly, I think it's more apt to work the other way. Getting Europeans more interested in the American game, or more specifically the American players' game. Maybe the end game, or one of them, is European viewership of a USDGC or Maple Hill or Memorial telecast that rivals or exceeds that of the European Open this past summer...in part because that telecast is part of a package deal with the EO or other European-based events.

I think this is where some folks are being a bit short-sighted about the DGWT. It isn't necessarily about growing the game in America. It's about growing the game in Europe.

 

[puttlikeablowfly]

I'm interested to see how many US players will play in the European events. Here is the schedule posted on the website:
March 10.–12. La Mirada, CA USA
May 8.–10. Konopiste Czech Republic
June 2.–4. Tallinn Estonia
July 21.–23. Järva, Stockholm Sweden
September TBA USA
October 5.–8. Rock Hill, SC USA

The May 8-10 tournament overlaps with the KCWO, which is the second NT in a row, the week after GBO. June 2-4 is the week between the St Jude charity event in CA and the BSF (NT) in Oregon. I can't see anyone taking a quick hop to Estonia between those two west coast US events. The July 21-23 event is the European Masters major, which is two weeks before Pro Worlds, so that might draw a decent group.

 

[ru4por]

I'm interested to see how many US players will play in the European events. Here is the schedule posted on the website:
March 10.–12. La Mirada, CA USA
May 8.–10. Konopiste Czech Republic
June 2.–4. Tallinn Estonia
July 21.–23. Järva, Stockholm Sweden
September TBA USA
October 5.–8. Rock Hill, SC USA

The May 8-10 tournament overlaps with the KCWO, which is the second NT in a row, the week after GBO. June 2-4 is the week between the St Jude charity event in CA and the BSF (NT) in Oregon. I can't see anyone taking a quick hop to Estonia between those two west coast US events. The July 21-23 event is the European Masters major, which is two weeks before Pro Worlds, so that might draw a decent group.

This was part of my point. Does this ultimately events at the expense of NT events, with Innova madating their top players support one over the other?

 

[biscoe]

PDGA membership- 96 in the Czech Republic, 219 in Estonia. This includes expired memberships. I wonder why those sites were chosen.

 

[dontBLAMEtheDISC]

PDGA membership- 96 in the Czech Republic, 219 in Estonia. This includes expired memberships. I wonder why those sites were chosen.

Why are any sites chosen? But the czech republic is a pretty central location.

 

[JNichols]

Discmania is "Innova Europe". I can see Jussi scheduling European events to coincide with NT events in the USA, Especially because this whole thing is to do something Different than the PDGA. I think that is a key point. This IS different than the PDGA. Can they pull players from PDGA events to make this work? We will see...??? Also, Disc Golf is exponentially MORE popular in Europe than the US. Look at course growth in European countries, comparatively. No contest.

 

[onemilemore]

I'm interested to see how many US players will play in the European events. Here is the schedule posted on the website:
March 10.–12. La Mirada, CA USA
May 8.–10. Konopiste Czech Republic
June 2.–4. Tallinn Estonia
July 21.–23. Järva, Stockholm Sweden
September TBA USA
October 5.–8. Rock Hill, SC USA

The May 8-10 tournament overlaps with the KCWO, which is the second NT in a row, the week after GBO. June 2-4 is the week between the St Jude charity event in CA and the BSF (NT) in Oregon. I can't see anyone taking a quick hop to Estonia between those two west coast US events. The July 21-23 event is the European Masters major, which is two weeks before Pro Worlds, so that might draw a decent group.

This has always been my issue with the NT circuit - and now the DGWT - in general. If you want to attract the top pros, most of whom make very little money, why not make a tour that is actually a tour, like a band does? How many bands hop back and forth across the country? It generally runs in a logical layout that reduces travel between gigs. This is something that should be addressed for the success of future tours.

 

[DanJon]

This has always been my issue with the NT circuit - and now the DGWT - in general. If you want to attract the top pros, most of whom make very little money, why not make a tour that is actually a tour, like a band does? How many bands hop back and forth across the country? It generally runs in a logical layout that reduces travel between gigs. This is something that should be addressed for the success of future tours.

This.... is making a whole lot of sense.

 

[sidewinder22]

Also, Disc Golf is exponentially MORE popular in Europe than the US. Look at course growth in European countries, comparatively. No contest.

US has over 5,000 courses with a population of about 320 million.
EU has less than 1,000 courses with about half of those just in Finland and total EU population of about 740 million.

 

[onemilemore]

This.... is making a whole lot of sense.

Thanks. I actually had a whole blog post drawn up a couple years back with a proposal to re-route the National Tour to make it more friendly to the pros who would be traveling it. It never ran. Maybe it's time to dust it off.

It just seems that, if you want to make a tour that caters toward the pros, then cater it toward the pros all the way. Not everyone is making McBeth money.

 

[sidewinder22]

Not everyone is making McBeth money.