The Inevitable 2018 Pros Switching Sponsors Thread

[Dcinmd]

Something that doesn't look ideal for the SPORT is top level players rolling around carts. Takes away some of the perception of athleticism that golf in general strives for.

Nothing screams athleticism more than having someone else carry your bag.

 

[Darkgreen]

I hear this argument, but it borders sounding like you think Paul is having it all done for him. He actively participates in his brand more than any other golfer I know. Just in my experience alone making video content, Paul is the most willing to give you his time and effort if you come at him with a mutually beneficial idea. Other people don't see the opportunity as quickly. They're too short-term focused (can I get $100 for this? Can we shoot at *insert weird hour* so that I can not disrupt my schedule? etc.). I've approached pros to do commentary with me and they ask what they'll get paid...which to me shows that they don't get it. They're grinding in that paycheck-to-paycheck mentality, while others are building empires. It's just different mindsets.

Paul sees the bigger picture for his brand...and I'm not trying to sh*t on anyone else, just relating my experience in wrangling pro disc golfers. Most of them are just along for the ride, Paul is trying to build a theme park. I'll always give him due credit for that.

Well then you are not listening very well because I started out by saying that I was not going to necessarily disagree with you that McBeth is the most marketable. I just wanted you to see that there is more to Paul's exposure than just his personality, the work he does on his brand, and of course his titles and skill as a disc golfer. Innova pushes the Paul brand. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it or that there is anything wrong with it, just that you should probably acknowledge that Paul has by far the biggest disc golf company putting his name on signature discs and advertising him.

and...I know I'll catch some flak for this, but despite the two tours, neither has displaced the PDGA Majors as the top-tier events. I've yet to see concrete evidence of the standalone DGPT/DGWT events (meaning non NT/M dually 'sanctioned' tourneys) give anybody a leg up in the wider world. We as the hardcore fans like the drama, but the PDGA tour is still king because of the prestige of the titles.

I think you are a little too connected to the pros here to see this. The prestige you talk about exists differently I think for the pros compared to the viewers and thus differently for potential sponsors, which is what we were talking about.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Nothing screams athleticism more than having someone else carry your bag.

I agree, although caddies carry bags in ball golf and the players are not pushing a bag cart or riding a cart.

 

[Mocheez]

Couple really nice pickups for Prodigy.

No Facebook post from Uli yet though...hmm?

Isn't he under contract for another year?

 

[jjtwinnova]

Mos pros would carry their bag, but if someone came to me and offered to hold all my stuff and give me advice for free, I would do it. When I caddied for a pro, he didn't ask me, I asked him. And most of the other guys I saw carried their own bag. I don't think there is a single top PGA golfer who carries his own bag.

 

[VictorB]

I don't think there is a single top PGA golfer who carries his own bag.

Nope, because those bags are really quite heavy and the rounds are often a lot longer and more walking is involved.

 

[brutalbrutus]

They also pay their caddies really well. I think its standard practice for professional caddies to receive 10% of all winnings by their player, on top of whatever they are already getting paid..

 

[rj29274]

Team Prodigy for 2018! Im very excited to be help grow the brand and smash some chains.

 

[Stable]

MMA fighter Ben Askren is supposed to appear on the Joe Rogan podcast soon. Hopefully disc golf comes into the conversation. He's been a Discraft sponsored player in the past but I'm not sure if he still is. Supposed to be retiring from MMA so he might get more involved with disc golf? I'm sure any company would want a dedicated athlete like him on their roster even if he's not competing with the best.

 

[biscoe]

Team Prodigy for 2018! Im very excited to be help grow the brand and smash some chains.

Welcome! I'm back for another year as well.

 

[rj29274]

I threw a round with him at 2007 Am Worlds in MKE. Dude threw barefoot, lol

MMA fighter Ben Askren is supposed to appear on the Joe Rogan podcast soon. Hopefully disc golf comes into the conversation. He's been a Discraft sponsored player in the past but I'm not sure if he still is. Supposed to be retiring from MMA so he might get more involved with disc golf? I'm sure any company would want a dedicated athlete like him on their roster even if he's not competing with the best.

 

[Vonbeezy1]

WRESTLERBen Askren is supposed to appear on the Joe Rogan podcast soon. Hopefully disc golf comes into the conversation. He's been a Discraft sponsored player in the past but I'm not sure if he still is. Supposed to be retiring from MMA so he might get more involved with disc golf? I'm sure any company would want a dedicated athlete like him on their roster even if he's not competing with the best.

FTFY lol once a wrassler always a wrassler

 

[snappyj]

MMA fighter Ben Askren is supposed to appear on the Joe Rogan podcast soon. Hopefully disc golf comes into the conversation. He's been a Discraft sponsored player in the past but I'm not sure if he still is. Supposed to be retiring from MMA so he might get more involved with disc golf? I'm sure any company would want a dedicated athlete like him on their roster even if he's not competing with the best.

I wonder if Joe Rogan will make fun of disc golf like he normally does

 

[Stable]

I wonder if Joe Rogan will make fun of disc golf like he normally does

He was talking about how much he respects Askren so if it comes up it could soften his stance. I have heard him goof on it before.

 

[Lazerface]

I threw a round with him at 2007 Am Worlds in MKE. Dude threw barefoot, lol

LOL, same story here at my local A-Tier probably around that same time. It was when I was just getting into the competitive scene and we were playing advanced. We were playing a wide open bombers course and I look down and the guy's barefoot, crushing over 450 with a Teerex off concrete tees. He had a super hot lady friend tagging along as well. I could tell he was an athlete but he never mentioned being one of the best wrestlers in the country at that time. He was not at all the stereotypical bro type you may expect from a collegiate wrestler. I just figured he was a really muscular hippie. We had a fun round.

There was some sort of weird beef between him and Dana White back in the day so he never made it to UFC. I think it was basically Dana saying he was not UFC material and Ben lashing back on social media, but don't really recall.

 

[Mocheez]

There was some sort of weird beef between him and Dana White back in the day so he never made it to UFC. I think it was basically Dana saying he was not UFC material and Ben lashing back on social media, but don't really recall.

The beef is still strong. From the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel a couple of months ago...

The only thing that would bring him out of retirement, Askren told the Journal Sentinel, would be a chance to fight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship title. The UFC is regarded as the world's top mixed martial arts promoter.

That's a long shot, however, because Askren and UFC president Dana White have never gotten along.

"I'll say it on the record: Dana is a scumbag," Askren said earlier this month. "It's not a secret if you pay attention. He's a scumbag. He's a terrible person."

 

[Jimb]

The beef is still strong. From the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel a couple of months ago...

The only thing that would bring him out of retirement, Askren told the Journal Sentinel, would be a chance to fight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship title. The UFC is regarded as the world's top mixed martial arts promoter.

That's a long shot, however, because Askren and UFC president Dana White have never gotten along.

"I'll say it on the record: Dana is a scumbag," Askren said earlier this month. "It's not a secret if you pay attention. He's a scumbag. He's a terrible person."

Not knowing anything about the situation, or the character of the participants, could all of this just be posturing for a mutually beneficial payday? (Genuinely asking the question, btw.)

 

[numbernine]

Cameron Coleglazier, Matt Orum, Nick Masters, and Cameron Messerschmidt to prodigy

It's a good thing Prodigy still has Cat on the roster.

 

[JTacoma03]

Well then you are not listening very well because I started out by saying that I was not going to necessarily disagree with you that McBeth is the most marketable. I just wanted you to see that there is more to Paul's exposure than just his personality, the work he does on his brand, and of course his titles and skill as a disc golfer. Innova pushes the Paul brand. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it or that there is anything wrong with it, just that you should probably acknowledge that Paul has by far the biggest disc golf company putting his name on signature discs and advertising him.

Whoa, easy dude. I never positioned his success as a factor of solely his personality. I just said in my own opinion that Nike would be a better company fit than Adidas for him because of the way he presents his own brand.

I also didn't accuse you of naysaying, I was just relating my experience that I thought you would find interesting. It's not that serious or contentious.

I think you are a little too connected to the pros here to see this. The prestige you talk about exists differently I think for the pros compared to the viewers and thus differently for potential sponsors, which is what we were talking about.

DGPT doesn't have the prestige of the PDGA NT's and Majors. DGWT had prestige because it used NT's and Majors strategically for that purpose, but the tour couldn't even sustain it for their standalones (La Mirada and Konopiste). I will bet that Konopiste Open has more big names now that it's a PDGA Major than before.

None of this has to do with my perceived proximity to the pros. I'm just evaluating the state of the game.

 

[DinosaurThunder]

Paul is doing a FB live with a podcast (not sure the name of the podcast) and is addressing the adidas deal. The fairly short version of it is - last year adidas gave Paul a deal that consisted of shoes, some money and an allotment of clothing from the golf program - because of how well 2016 went .He asked for an improved contract for 2018, Adidas outdoors couldn't make it happen and he decided to not be locked into a contract if anything else materializes that could meet his wishes. He is still receiving free product from Adidas and maintains a good relation. He did hint at not receiving money for 2018 doesn't impact his bottom line in a major way, especially since he still gets free shoes.