What do you think? It is commonplace in other competitive events for the defending champs to receive automatic free registration at the next championship. Should the following 2011 World Champs be registered automatically, at no cost, for the 2012 Worlds in Charlotte, NC?

Nate Doss � 2011 Open Champ
Paige Pierce � 2011 Open Women Champ
Jon Baldwin � 2011 Masters Champ
Carrie Berlogar � 2011 Masters Women Champ
Jim Oates � 2011 Grandmasters Champ
Anni Kremel � 2011 Grandmasters Women Champ
J Michael Barry � 2011 Senior Grandmasters Champ
Peter Shive � 2011 Legends Champ
Carlos Rigby � 2011 Senior Legends Champ

In my opinion it would be OK to have spots held for them until "X date" - similar to what The Vibram Open does, but not have them be free spots. After that date if they aren't registered, then the spot goes up for grabs, or back into the pool for sale, depending on whether the Event is Sold Out by "X date".

Keep in mind also that with your idea - and with it being a combined Worlds in Charlotte in 2012 - you would also have the 73 different AM champions that would also need a free entry, leaving you only 900 spots available to sell - which would hurt the overall prize purse.

The pdga could afford to pay for them.

The pdga could afford to pay for them.

He doesn't ask Could they? - he asks SHOULD THEY?

I could very well be wrong, but I'm under the impression that their sponsors pay their entry fees, anyway. Which would cover the Open division champ, and probably some of the others.

If so, should the PDGA (or Worlds hosts) save the sponsors that expense?

Would you limit this to defending champions, or all prior champions? There must be 150 current or former world champions, in one division or another.

I'd vote no---it's a nice gesture but I don't think it would accomplish much.

Paying a World Champ's entry is like handing somebody who has free concert tickets another set of free concert tickets just so they can scalp them.. It's a nice gesture but returning World Champs are already plaing with house money.

http://tntyardworks.com

It is commonplace in other competitive events for the defending champs to receive automatic free registration at the next championship.
What other major competitive events do this?

Steve: I can't think of any "major" competitions at the moment. I've been in small leagues (bowling, golf, poker, beer pong, etc.) that do this.

I was also thinking that it might save the PDGA the embarrassment of having the returning champions not register during the invite-only and pro-only period, not get onto the wait list, then show up at the last minute at Worlds and force PDGA to bump them over everybody else on the wait list.

I voted no - Most of the Pro winners are sponsored, don't they get their entry paid anyway?

You already get qualified for the USDGC and get to play with the world champion round 1, I think Am's should have to pay the first time to enter Pro-Worlds but I would be OK if it was waived...however...where does it end. Does the Legends Am winner player or the 13 and under player get waived and get to take a spot up in Pro-Worlds? How do you determine who gets the free admission?

This is outrageous.

Why does anyone's talent have anything to do with not paying an entry fee?

I voted "no" here and would be against it on the Board. MTL, in his comment above, has it right.