Prodigy Disc

[THE GOV'NA]

"It's all... part of the plan." Can't you tell by the people involved that this is orchestrated? There's no way Prodigy is winging it.

We've seen two ways to step onto the seen: Dynamic Discs and now Prodigy. Who are you more impressed with?

i think DD has better resources..but im still not buying their stuff

i mean their line of discs dont have to sell like hotcakes for them to stay in business

 

[jcrab66]

since the vast majority of people who play disc golf have no idea who any of the people involved in prodigy (or innova, discraft, etc...) are, innova will remain king of the jungle with discraft second for many years to come, all the rest are in the minor leagues, regardless of who is on thier team...

 

[THE GOV'NA]

i think they will rename them..a catchy name can help sell a product..d1 is not catchy

 

[jcrab66]

i mean their line of discs dont have to sell like hotcakes for them to stay in business

especially since its not thier primary business at this point...

 

[Royal Hill]

I think we all know that D1 will be called " "
D2 will be called " "
Etc.

Imagine the alternative. You release a series of discs and the first gut word association determines your assessment. (of the whole company no less!) Oh, a bird name... I don't like birds. Oh I don't like them, their names are all sci fi... Too dark, too cheesy, too much like [x] company's names... Blah, blah,blah.

Dismissed out of hand.

Distribution. No worries on the big online retailers quickly making arrangements, that's what they do. I think the Video appeal to the player is about all the small brick and mortar shops. Smart... Enlisting your target market to take an active, invested advocate role if you can pull it off. Tall order when it comes to disc golfers, but it could be sneaky smart. plus, could you imagine trying to keep (300) or (x) number of accounts to keep a lid on things leading into Jan?

I know our local brick and mortar shop actually knows very little about discs, but they respond to the local players Interests and leadings. If I went in and asked them to look at Prodigy, and it turns out I'm not the only one asking... They'll do it. It shocked me when one of the principal owners asked me if I'd heard about Vibram discs not long ago and if I knew anything about them....

 

[Chainchaser]

since the vast majority of people who play disc golf have no idea who any of the people involved in prodigy (or innova, discraft, etc...) are, innova will remain king of the jungle with discraft second for many years to come, all the rest are in the minor leagues, regardless of who is on thier team...

This is so true. If you talk to the casual player the only reason they know anything about innova is because it is printed on the disc they are chucking. Ask them about any pros well forget it. They could not tell you locastro from feldberg if they would bite them on the ass!!

We also see eventually that they will throw only prodigy discs when the full line comes out, how is this going to differ from anything else out there?.

 

[jcburton24]

I am sure Prodigy will have discs available very soon for the public. This has been in the making for a long time for at least one of the owners and disc designers. I know for a fact they will have the best plastic because lots of testing and research has been put into making the most durable and best feeling plastic ever put on the market. I have not had a chance to throw any but I have held them in my hand. I do know a few people who have thrown the discs and I can say they were all very impressed. I am excited for all of those involved as I know this has been a goal for Prodigy for quite some time.

 

[jcburton24]

I heard Greenwell has been selling some of his disc collection off, so maybe that's where they got the money.

Lavonne was also selling off stuff because I was lucky enough to buy a few from him.

 

[apparition]

I would think it would be more along the lines of cost of start up rather than any demand thing. Tooling is super expensive as is bulk plastic compounds, labor, insurance, machinery, buildings to manufacture and ship, offices..etc. As a result, they have to start up slowly and ramp up as they can, despite what demand may dictate. New companies, no matter who is backing them on the end use side, must pay suppliers up front in many cases until a line of credit is established. After they are established a while, they can stretch their legs easier than at the onset.

Is it just me, or does it seem that we are still resistant to accept that Prodigy isn't still just conceptual? Like we don't believe Prodigy is actually a formidable entity in the sport. Maybe it's still their responsibility to convince us so. But I think the small size and unexploded mainstream potential of disc golf keeps us from accepting that someone out there actually has their stuff together other than Innova and Discraft. And this comes from the fact that the sport has historically been propelled and kept alive primarily by pure passion of the people who love disc golf, not the profitability of the businesses involved. What I really mean is that Prodigy may have transcended the "start up" mentality and has way more than just a financial foundation for disc manufacturing. We're all too focused on the money.

 

[smyith]

so many haters out there.
Chuck said that the PDGA was asked to release info on a certain date.
for all we know they could have ask them to release set A on this date, set B on this date, set C on this date....etc. that way each set of discs generates buzz and talk. its not a bad marketing strategy.
I also believe during the video he said all of the discs will be available to the public end of January. It would be stupifying if they did not have a complete bag before the Memorial. I wouldn't be surprised if the Team already has the full set and is working them in.
Support any DG company that comes out with a solid plan. Don't hate! The more successfully companies there are the more intrigued investors will become. I hope like Legacy, Prodigy focuses on making discs for competitive players. Not mass producing for chuckers.

 

[pnasalberta]

I like the names. I have always liked how discmainia has named their discs also and i think its very professional.

 

[kingjames1014]

so many haters out there.
Chuck said that the PDGA was asked to release info on a certain date.
for all we know they could have ask them to release set A on this date, set B on this date, set C on this date....etc. that way each set of discs generates buzz and talk. its not a bad marketing strategy.
I also believe during the video he said all of the discs will be available to the public end of January. It would be stupifying if they did not have a complete bag before the Memorial. I wouldn't be surprised if the Team already has the full set and is working them in.
Support any DG company that comes out with a solid plan. Don't hate! The more successfully companies there are the more intrigued investors will become. I hope like Legacy, Prodigy focuses on making discs for competitive players. Not mass producing for chuckers.

maybe that's it! they are tired of all the stuff that the big 2 offer and they are looking for more imput into what discs they throw.
what that means to the average chucker, we'll see.

 

[tbird888]

It would be stupifying if they did not have a complete bag before the Memorial. I wouldn't be surprised if the Team already has the full set and is working them in.

Prepare to be stupified

From Will Schusterick on Facebook:
"We will be throwing a mixed bag until our full line comes out. Our full line will be out by the middle of the year. Thanks for all the questions"

I will agree with you though that the pros probably already have a full set to work with.

 

[kingjames1014]

will schusterick on his Facebook page:
"Prodigy has been developing plastic and discs for a few years prior to our release. Some discs have "leaked" to the public."

i wonder which ones?
Latitude 64? can't be! they are doing discs for DD!

 

[tbird888]

That sounds more like they've given some discs to people/let some people throw them more than having another company molding and "leaking" their discs. Some of the comments from some of the members seem to fit with that (all those "I know, but I'm not telling folks).

 

[eegor]

i may be wrong but if these discs dont sell like hotcakes this company is doomed...kind of putting the cart in front of the horse by paying a salary to all these pros before they have any kind of sales success..these are only going to sell to the competitive disc golfer..most rec golfers buy there discs at sporting goods stores that wont be selling these products..just my $.02

When we were waiting for a "big" announcement, I was looking for their sales angle. They have the pros to promote their products, but considering the expense of these signings, you'd think they'd have a distribution network that would "change the game".

Discs sold "exclusively at Walmart" are something like that would be HUGE. Expecting us to pester our local disc distributors into purchasing discs from them to sell to us is... "Lightning-like".

 

[smyith]

Prepare to be stupified
I will agree with you though that the pros probably already have a full set to work with.

wow! who is their marketing strategist? they need a slap in the face. if they play this secret game all the way to the summer I will be one to start hating on them.

good for the pros though i guess...as far as transition goes.

 

[kingjames1014]

That sounds more like they've given some discs to people/let some people throw them more than having another company molding and "leaking" their discs. Some of the comments from some of the members seem to fit with that (all those "I know, but I'm not telling folks).

ok so it comes down to the definition of "public"

 

[thechamp]

I'm really not seeing to much hating. All of the secrecy on the part of Prodigy and their team has really hyped this up, many people on this forum thought prodigy was going to be something really big or a big name getting involved in disc golf. Prodigy is another disc golf company, that's it, yeah they have a really good team but most disc golfers don't care. Most disc golfers like the discs with the animals on them or the ones that the chart says go the farthest.

 

[jcrab66]

so many haters out there.
Chuck said that the PDGA was asked to release info on a certain date.
for all we know they could have ask them to release set A on this date, set B on this date, set C on this date....etc. that way each set of discs generates buzz and talk. its not a bad marketing strategy.
I also believe during the video he said all of the discs will be available to the public end of January. It would be stupifying if they did not have a complete bag before the Memorial. I wouldn't be surprised if the Team already has the full set and is working them in.
Support any DG company that comes out with a solid plan. Don't hate! The more successfully companies there are the more intrigued investors will become. I hope like Legacy, Prodigy focuses on making discs for competitive players. Not mass producing for chuckers.

Perhaps if they didnt make such a big deal out of building it up then do nothing more than announce 4 discs that cant be bought plus announce a handful of pros who have joined thier team, then maybe there wouldnt be the negativity. A company announcing a new disc lineup does nothing to promote the sport any more than a disc company going out of business (unless it was innova or discraft) hurts the sport. Also, i find it humorous that you would refer to someone that isnt worked up into a frenzy about this "huge" announcement as hating. Maybe you should take off the fanboi goggles and see it for what it really is instead of making a statement like "Support any DG company that comes out with a solid plan", particular when you don't know anything about how solid thier plan is (one might argue that releasing 4 wide rimmed drivers for a first offering isnt a very solid plan, especially compared to what DD did)...