Whats Going On With the Pros and their Sponsorships?

Something strange is going on.

Can somebody explain why several of the touring pros are dropping their major sponsors (DD, Innova, etc.) with more soon to follow? 

[Ron Suir]

end

of

the

world

[Socsavvy]

Interesting...are there more details you can share?  It seems that Nikko left Innova pretty quickly (and quietly), but I don't know about any other player/sponsor departures.

[Steve]

I think you will all find alot of these top pro's exclusively sponsored by Dynamic.  Only time will tell.

[Ryan S. Flahive]

I saw information stating that Leviska,Wysocki, Schustrick, Ullibari, and Paige Pierce have ditched their major sponsors for the 2013 season. And there is plenty of optimistic speculation about possible 'greener pastures', inlcuding the thought that Nike was getting involved. But I consider that pretty far fetched.

However, it does seem that there are folks out there who know something we don't and are being quite tight-lipped about the whole thing. 

[Donny Olow]

Only thing to do , is Ask each person directly. You may get different answers.

[Ghost]

It looks as if Lavone Wolfe is setting up a new company called Prodigy Disc Golf and has lured all those players away with financial incentives.  A few of these pros aren't going to Prodigy tho.  To my knowledge, Nikko isn't.  Devan Owens went to Prodiscus.

[Disc Player Sports]

From the PDGA discussion:
Cale Leviska has left Discraft for what can be assumed to go to Lavonne Wolfe's new company Disc Golf Prodigy
Will Schusterick has followed suit
Ron Convers Jr has left Discraft for DD
Page Pierce is supposedly doing the same (going to DD)
Liz Lopez is undecided but most likely going to DD
Eric McCabe has been spotted playing several rounds with an all Latitude bag and Latitude is fielding an American team this year. He's either going to DD or Latitude (DD discs being molded by Latitude)
Dixon Jowers has left Innova for DD
Devan Owens left Discraft for Prodiscus

[Socsavvy]

Wow!  If even half of this is accurate, there is indeed a BIG shift underway for professional disc golf.  Given the level of commitment being demonstrated by Lavonne et al. it is also safe to say that will carry through into the Am/sales side too. 

It looks like the 'Old Guard' of pro sponsors (Innova, Discraft) will be forced to respond with better/comparable incentives, lest they lose more of their elite ranks.  Or, this is just another small step in the growth of disc golf, and sponsorship may actually become more lucrative/liveable for players. For the sake of all of us, I'm hoping for the latter.

I guess we will have to wait and see...

[Chuck Kennedy]

Innova and Discraft may be happy not having to spend as much money sponsoring players. It's not like they need a large stable of sponsored players to spur sales. Sponsoring a few name players is relatively more important for new manufacturers trying to break in.

[david swamp thing black]

Cant blame these Pros for doing such. Have you thrown a DD or 64? They are silly consistent. Discraft is still great and Innova can fill any stability gap in your bag but the other companies are Money. Maybe they have more money also?

[Steve]

Vibram is probably the most financially well off company if I had to guess, more so that a strictly disc only company.  

[Rob Liebman]

I know the DD team is in transition with the company joining forces with Latitude, and Westside as well. All of their discs will be being made at Lat's facility in Sweden so their sponsored players will be able to choose from all 3 companies. Discraft has apparently told their players that they must choose between them and DD, can't be sponsored by both anymore now that DD is making their own molds.