The Inevitable 2024 Pros Switching Sponsors Thread

[Dcinmd]

A better offer? He's struggled since prodigy went all in on him. He's not even really competitive and doesn't crank out content.

He is in the same range as the following players. World rankings.

#28 Mason Ford
#29 James Conrad
#33 Adam Hammes
#34 Kevin Jones
#36 Casey White
#37 Paul Ulibarri
#39 Emerson Keith
#41 Garrett Gurthie

 

[PastorofMuppets]

During Masters Worlds week in Emporia last week, ironically there was quite a bit of talk about KJ amongst the players. I played a practice round with a Prodigy sponsored player who through conversation mentioned that he didn't see KJ playing on tour much longer as disc golf was his hobby, not his passion or long term career goal. Said he'd kind of lost the drive to put in the effort needed to stay at the top. Course this was just small talk amongst a bunch of us mixed in with a bunch of other random conversations, but ended up being kind of ironic when the news of him leaving Prodigy broke a few days after that random conversation.

 

[biscoe]

During Masters Worlds week in Emporia last week, ironically there was quite a bit of talk about KJ amongst the players. I played a practice round with a Prodigy sponsored player who through conversation mentioned that he didn't see KJ playing on tour much longer as disc golf was his hobby, not his passion or long term career goal. Said he'd kind of lost the drive to put in the effort needed to stay at the top. Course this was just small talk amongst a bunch of us mixed in with a bunch of other random conversations, but ended up being kind of ironic when the news of him leaving Prodigy broke a few days after that random conversation.

This has been apparent for a while imo. Obviously would prefer doing DJ stuff to DG stuff. Super talented but that doesn't mean squat without the motivation. Pretty sure he also got engaged recently.

 

[lee76007]

This has been apparent for a while imo. Obviously would prefer doing DJ stuff to DG stuff. Super talented but that doesn't mean squat without the motivation. Pretty sure he also got engaged recently.

Yep, I saw more videos of him in the off season composing music than DG.

 

[TheOtherBill]

I can think of about 3-4 holes over the last few years that would have made a big difference for KJ's career and how he's viewed. A couple of 50/50 putts go the other way or two roll-aways and we'd have a different view of this split IMO.

 

[HyooMac]

I can think of about 3-4 holes over the last few years that would have made a big difference for KJ's career and how he's viewed. A couple of 50/50 putts go the other way or two roll-aways and we'd have a different view of this split IMO.

So true. It's been interesting to watch him move from the spotlight to the fringes of the sport during the last couple of years.

How much of it is him playing worse, or others rising above him? Probably some of both.

EDIT: Eyeballing his rating: pretty much in the mid- high- 1030's two years ago, lower 1030's last year, high 1020's this year. He's definitely going in a different direction than the field, with the "elite" now in the 1040's.

 

[@CD-]

So true. It's been interesting to watch him move from the spotlight to the fringes of the sport during the last couple of years.

How much of it is him playing worse, or others rising above him? Probably some of both.

EDIT: Eyeballing his rating: pretty much in the mid- high- 1030's two years ago, lower 1030's last year, high 1020's this year. He's definitely going in a different direction than the field, with the "elite" now in the 1040's.

Looking a little closer at his 2024 season stats so far for DGPT compared to 2023 and 2022 -
Drops in GIR C1 & C2, and Parked % leading to a lower Birdie % in 2024. Putting % from C1x and C2 are nearly the same. OB Rate is down slightly.

This could all come down to courses being a bit harder to reach the scoring positions in the first half of the year. A drop of 10-15 ratings points is a stroke or 2 at DGPT courses per round. Maybe his STDEV has increased enough to retain some of those lower rated rounds that may have dropped off in 2022/2023. Still see him as a high ceiling player if he puts in 3-4 clean rounds.

Hopefully he is still able to compete over at European Open this year.

 

[Shallows]

Looking a little closer at his 2024 season stats so far for DGPT compared to 2023 and 2022 -
Drops in GIR C1 & C2, and Parked % leading to a lower Birdie % in 2024. Putting % from C1x and C2 are nearly the same. OB Rate is down slightly.

This could all come down to courses being a bit harder to reach the scoring positions in the first half of the year. A drop of 10-15 ratings points is a stroke or 2 at DGPT courses per round. Maybe his STDEV has increased enough to retain some of those lower rated rounds that may have dropped off in 2022/2023. Still see him as a high ceiling player if he puts in 3-4 clean rounds.

Hopefully he is still able to compete over at European Open this year.

Also ongoing shift towards more open courses may curb his US hyzerflip game in favor of Buhr etc.'s preferred OS flex shots.

 

[BuiltTooLong]

Kevin Jones to Innova. Commercial just aired on the live broadcast

 

[TheOtherBill]

I wonder if he can take his mold names with him. Innova could use more than an updated logo.

 

[@CD-]

I'm guessing Innova was in the mix when he signed w/ Prodigy initially and before signing the 2nd Prodigy deal. Could be he had those connections established for multiple years already. Maybe BSF (Innova sponsored event) he connected with Innova team members/managers after Prodigy let him know they were not continuing the contract?

Wonder if his sponsorship will be the Star or Champion level? - he has 2 DGPT wins and a DGPT Championship win. Emerson Keith was brought in at the start of 2024 at the Champion team level w/ 1 prior DGPT win. Hopeful he gets a good selling tour series disc - nexus Roc? proto glow Khan?

Looks like he is just registered for European Open in Europe. Hoped to see him at some of the other events since I think his game fits Europe's courses pretty well.

 

[glassila]

Does anyone know the reason KJ and Prodigy parted ways before his contract was up?

 

[@CD-]

Does anyone know the reason KJ and Prodigy parted ways before his contract was up?

No, just speculation. NDAs are likely in place around all the DG contract terms these days.

General thoughts are that Prodigy built in some performance clauses KJ had dropped below. Maybe PDGA rating or DGPT ranking at certain points of the season.

 

[Hampstead]

I wonder if he can take his mold names with him. Innova could use more than an updated logo.

Someone tell them a pencil is no longer available.

 

[biscoe]

I'm guessing Innova was in the mix when he signed w/ Prodigy initially and before signing the 2nd Prodigy deal. Could be he had those connections established for multiple years already. Maybe BSF (Innova sponsored event) he connected with Innova team members/managers after Prodigy let him know they were not continuing the contract?

Wonder if his sponsorship will be the Star or Champion level? - he has 2 DGPT wins and a DGPT Championship win. Emerson Keith was brought in at the start of 2024 at the Champion team level w/ 1 prior DGPT win. Hopeful he gets a good selling tour series disc - nexus Roc? proto glow Khan?

Looks like he is just registered for European Open in Europe. Hoped to see him at some of the other events since I think his game fits Europe's courses pretty well.

He owns a home in Charlotte so didn't need to make any Innova contacts at BSF. Since 2020 he has a grand total of 1 B tier and 1 C tier win. He does have one more top 20 finish on the DGPT this year than I do however.

 

[@CD-]

He owns a home in Charlotte so didn't need to make any Innova contacts at BSF. Since 2020 he has a grand total of 1 B tier and 1 C tier win. He does have one more top 20 finish on the DGPT this year than I do however.

I was more saying that he re-connected with team leadership at the BSF event or on the West coast that he may have previously discussed contract information with when he was a free agent/negotiating the 'extension' (pre-2019 & pre-2022). That would have been from before his move to Charlotte (2022-2023?). Prodigy may have informed him of the contract being discontinued prior to the West coast swing so he could start those discussions.

Innova did announce him joining their Team Champion.

Welcome Kevin Jones to Team Innova 2024 - Innova Disc Golf

The disc golf world has been buzzing about Kevin Jones after his departure from Prodigy and Innova has been bursting with excitement waiting to make the big announcement. KJ USA is a welcome mid-season addition to Innova’s Team Champion!

www.innovadiscs.com

 

[biscoe]

I would be surprised if it hadn't been in the works for a while.

 

[TiltedFlipCurves]

Bill Nye (Ultimate somebody? and science guy) to Innova. Special appearance by #3 Stork!

 

[TheOtherBill]

I think the photoshop of Joel Freeman is my favorite.

 

[Dcinmd]

I think the photoshop of Joel Freeman is my favorite.

The one of Drew Gibson is pretty good. But why is Drew even in the video?