Do you think that sponsored pros have an unfair advantage over the Average Joe?

Sponsored pros get stacks of plastic as soon as it hits the market in their favorite colors and weights.

People forget that most disc golfers aren't on the internet or the message board. Believe it or not, people in isolated areas have probably not even heard of a Wraith until the advertisement in the World News.

Even if the Average Joe can get ahold of the newest plastic, he might pay $15 a disc for premium plastic. Not to mention, even Dave D. admits, that there are inconsistancies in the runs. So you need at least 3-5 of each disc, just to find consistant drivers! That adds up!

So the Average Joe has to wait weeks or months for the discs to be available and must pay retail prices to buy inconsistant discs that hopefully are his color and weight. Meanwhile, the sponsored pro get stacks of the newest plastic as soon as it comes out in his choice of color and weight. Not to mention the factory insiders that aren't sponsored pros that get to finger through the stacks.

I'm not sure if I think it's an unfair advantage, even though companies keep making faster and faster discs. I do think, however, that maybe the PDGA should give all members access to the newest discs before they go to the public. Maybe they could do this by letting all TD's have access to these discs, or giving huge discounts to members on the PDGA store. This would be another advantage to being a member, and could possibly make some more income for the PDGA.

I dont think so Vince. I was a preTTy good player b4 I got sponsored. Any time I needed a disc I just went to a store and bought them. If there was not a perfect disc there for me I got one close and ADAPTED to it. IMO this made me a beTTer player. Nobody should be dependant on certain weights or COLORS(needing to have a certain Color is ridiculous). Every disc in my bag is replaceable, except for super flippy discs.

I think the availability of discs is less an "unfair advantage" than it is a perk of being so good and being sponsored. They also get alot more $$ for winning a tourney (B-tier or above?) It's not unfair, they worked hard for their team position, and they deserve to reap the benfits.

i think it could be a disadvantage. i'd get mesmerized by all the sexy new plastic and be tempted to throw it. i think you're much better off buying several discs of the same mold and weight at the same time and learing and throwing them than jumping on the latest disc. It takes time to break one in and get familiar with it.

The top pros could be disallowed from throwing any new discs and would probably still crush most of the competition.

No..........

Not until we are required by the PDGA, or the company that we play for, to have a full, nonreversal vasectomy, or tubal ligation(for the sponsored women). Kids and marriage take away all advantages, but give you so much more in return. :D

Vince, when you beat me last weekend where was my advantage? Skill and luck win out every time.

I have to call and order all of the plastic I throw. I get a small amount of the plastic that I have for free. I get the advantage of being able to pick through the large amount of discs that I BUY. Sometimes I pull out all of the pretty colors before anyone else gets to pick through them.

BTW, two of the discs in my bag were bought in the clubhouse at the Players Cup. I paid $16 & $18 for them.

Step away from the computer and go play a round on your nice course or I'll start my own thread.

"Do course owners have an unfair advantage?"

Id say no also. I do think it to be unfair that sponsored Pros have models or different plastic models available before the general public has a chance at them and they use them. Other than that, theyve worked harder or have put more into the game than most, thats why they are better.

Is there an advantage to gettting a new disc right away? Look in the bags of a lot of top pros. What are they throwing? Their bags are not filled with all the newest, fastest discs. In my experience it is the amateurs that can't wait to get the newest discs in their tournament bag. A lot of sponsored players may have them, but they don't necessarily throw them during tournaments the week they get them.

COLORS(needing to have a certain Color is ridiculous).




Colored discs don't fly correctly - it's just a fact

Is there an advantage to gettting a new disc right away? Look in the bags of a lot of top pros. What are they throwing? Their bags are not filled with all the newest, fastest discs. In my experience it is the amateurs that can't wait to get the newest discs in their tournament bag. A lot of sponsored players may have them, but they don't necessarily throw them during tournaments the week they get them.



Yeah I only know of one pro that does this, well, i really only know one pro, Sprague, and hes been using his proto-Wraith in his bag for tournaments since the day he got it.

This is a great question :cool:
*
Coming from someone who has a team full of successsful "sponsored players" here at Gateway, I would say there are definite advantages to being sponsored.
Choosing your 12 disc lineup from a box of 40 is a huge advantage over someone who buys 2 and hope they work.
Having more money to spend then another player is no different then having more discs to choose from as sponsorship.
Being able to have a relationship with someone who knows more about the discs than you and can also help with other advice is the advantage Gateway sponsored players have.

As to it either way being unfair, well many cliches come to mind, with the main one being " life is unfair".
The other saying that it's the archer and not the arrow is relevant, but certain arrows do help, you just need to know which ones or someone else that does.!


The part about sponsored players getting discs before other players doesnt happen at Gateway.
In fact sometime our sponsored players get upset when they find out about new discs or runs from other players.
When we make a new disc or run we contact our resellers as soon as they are made. Unless one of our sponsored players is working at the shop or stops by, our vendors get the discs and sometimes they even take all of them.
We have to make sure we hold some back for team guys.
We are a lot smaller company than the other 2 and our runs are also smaller.

I do agree the pdga should be more involved in selling products and should even have proprietary starter discs for sale!
I would be more than happy to make a starter set for the pdga to sell( Sabre, Element and wizard)
under their own brand.

I say, "no."
After a few year's of playing Am, I have about 400+ discs!
If I HAVE to have the newest and greatest, I'm sure I have a few gems in my boxes that I can trade with.

The only advantadge I see is having a team of people behind you, and getting replacement discs for nothing.

It is an individual sport, when on course it's just you and your discs. Regardless of how many people have, you can only carry so many. Sponsored pro's feel just as bad when they lose a favorite.

I have one answer to this question.

Steve Rico.

of course the odds are greatly against it -- but what if that plate means someone thinks Wisconsin's weather is Hot for Montreal? :eek: :D

I have one answer to this question.

Steve Rico.



Well...that's not entirely true. Rico was once sponsored I do believe. But...for present conversation...he definitely ends the debate about the posed question.

Every pompous post that Gateway_Disc_Sports writes makes me want to buy his discs less and less. And that's basically every post he writes.

Thanks for the honest response, Gateway!

Thanks to all the others replies, too! I needed a good laugh... especially the one that said it is a disadvantage! That's classic! :D

And last time I checked, Steve Rico never won a major...and Doss, Schultz, Climo, and Feldberg were sponsored.

Hysell, you don't count. You're a self-proclaimed consumer. You have too much money and toys to undestand what free discs mean to most disc golfers. :p

Schwebby, I didn't say that golfers can't be good if they're not sponsored. I said that having first dibs on the newest plastic might be an advantage, since there are inconsistancies in the runs.

COLORS(needing to have a certain Color is ridiculous).




Colored discs don't fly correctly - it's just a fact

This comment from a racist disc thrower.

I think the main advantage that sponsored players have is that they are better than the rest of us. Also, once you get sponsored you are no longer thinking, "Hmmm, Buzzz or Roc?" So, yeah, they have the huge advantage. Because they are hugely better than the rest of us.

My opinion about sponsorship is one of relating it to marriage. Behind every great player is a sponsor; just like behind every good, happy man is a great woman, or vice-versa. That being said this continues to manifest itself in confidence. I think we can all agree that people play better when their confidence is high. Of course sponsorship is not the only reason for confidence.... but it sure helps. Outside of this, it�s my opinion; there is no 'unfair' advantage of being sponsored.

Its an advantage no doubt, but its not unfair....sponsored players work hard to improve their own game and deserve being on the teams they are.

Is there an advantage to gettting a new disc right away? Look in the bags of a lot of top pros. What are they throwing? Their bags are not filled with all the newest, fastest discs. In my experience it is the amateurs that can't wait to get the newest discs in their tournament bag. A lot of sponsored players may have them, but they don't necessarily throw them during tournaments the week they get them.



Yeah I only know of one pro that does this, well, i really only know one pro, Sprague, and hes been using his proto-Wraith in his bag for tournaments since the day he got it.





Advantage? Sprague.

Yeah ive never seen any other proto-Wraith like Spragues, anywhere. Not in any store, not anywhere online, and not in anyone else's bag. Not even on Ebay.

Today I feel at a disadvantage. Not only is my day filled with anticipation for the arrival of the MSDGC dvd, now I just received an email from Discraft with a UPS tracking number. What are they sending me now?

Yeah ive never seen any other proto-Wraith like Spragues, anywhere. Not in any store, not anywhere online, and not in anyone else's bag. Not even on Ebay.




Val Jenkins sold one not to long ago for around 34$. It looked like a last run CE TL, similar to the ones I saw from Sprague.

If you dont think having a Wraith before anyone else isnt an advantage, your throwing the wrong disc. IMO.

Yeah ive never seen any other proto-Wraith like Spragues, anywhere. Not in any store, not anywhere online, and not in anyone else's bag. Not even on Ebay.




Val Jenkins sold one not to long ago for around 34$. It looked like a last run CE TL, similar to the ones I saw from Sprague.


Wow, i would definately pay more money than that for that disc. It is definately one of a kind, and doesnt fly like a normal Wraith, imo. And yeah it had the exact same stamp as the 5th run of CE TL's, without the C.E. Teebird lettering, of course.

Today I feel at a disadvantage. Not only is my day filled with anticipation for the arrival of the MSDGC dvd, now I just received an email from Discraft with a UPS tracking number. What are they sending me now?



Just take some Xanax of other anti-anxiety pills. I'm waiting on the same two items as well. :D

My guess is the annual Discraft Christmas/Holiday present. :D

Although mine isn't schedule to get here until Dec. 30th.

Every pompous post that Gateway_Disc_Sports writes makes me want to buy his discs less and less. And that's basically every post he writes.



While I personally have not found success with Gateway discs, I enjoy that disc manufacturers post on our website. I have also never found anything David McCormack has written to be pompous. Mike, please explain why you feel that way.

evilee13,

Pompous posts?

Are you talking about me personally or posts by Gateway sponsored players in general?

I usually watch what I say, try to be open minded about most topics and base my opions on experience or facts.

Do you have an example?

Talking up his own product cannot be seen as being pompous. That was a well written response to the question.

Krasyeye, Thanks for the kind words.

The successes of any sponsored player, not just Gateways and the forming of a mutually benificial relationship is the whole idea of sponsorship.
The manufacturer gets players to represent their products and the players get access to equipment and fringe benifits.
Our players who come by our shop get full access, It can give you a lot of confidence in your discs if you hand pick your discs and have enough to test.
Like I said going through 40 to pick out 14 is a big advantage over a guy who buys 2, finds out they dont work and then tries to sell or trade them.



I have been going back over my posts to find one that seems pompous or arrogant.
I do Give CK a hard time, but he knows where I'm coming from :D


Maybe he missed my point here.

I pretty sure no one could compete on the nascar circut without sponsorship, at least players in the PDGA can still compete without sponsors since the cost for equipment, entries and travel are well within the means of most people who have money or REAL Jobs.
Unfortunately it is hard for most players to compete against the top ranked players who tour if they work 40 hours a week.

My answer is No.

Sponsored players have to excel in order to get sponsorship.

I (as many others) have seen company #1 sponsored players pick up company #2's discs and throw them just as well.

Another example would Be (and i know ill get crap for this) is JJ at the Dogwood a couple of years ago. His entire bag gets stolen before the first round and he plays with barrowed discs and still wins.

In short, A player makes the discs
a player makes the sponsor

I think people who practice more have an unfair advantage over people who don't practice. Practicing is cheating.

Dave, I thought your post was fine.

I think people who practice more have an unfair advantage over people who don't practice. Practicing is cheating.

I agree, I cheat alot. :o;) :D

Hey Schweb,
I am the guy that gave you a DVD of the 10th Mad city open at the players cup. I got a copy of the 2002 Gator Country classic you are in as well as several other videos you might like. Can you get me addresses for some of the other guys that are in these videos? I would like to get them copies as well. You can see what DVDs I have in my e-bay store....
THANKS,
Bart Zandstra
Channel Z�s Disc Golf Fly Mart
http://stores.ebay.com/Channel-Zs-Disc-Golf-Fly-Mart

Bart, I will work on that.

Thanks Shweb :cool:
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