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The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

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Re: The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

#41

Post by pcthrowaway »

jasonkester wrote: post #39
pcthrowaway wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm also skeptical. There are no rock climbers on this list. Climbing is still a relatively niche sport (though depending on where you are, it might be one of the most popular), but I'd wager participants collectively spend as much on climbing equipment as many more popular sports. The gear is quite expensive, and for safety reasons, much of it needs to be replaced with relative regularity. You'd be hard-pressed to f…

You’re mistaken. My wife was a sponsored rock climber when we met, and we know quite a few top level climbers (including a couple that non climbers might actually have heard of). Sponsorship keeps many of them going, but not at the level you’re thinking of. Think “can afford to do a euro trip staying at Airbnb’s”. Which is cool, but you probably make more than any of them with your developer gig.

I'm certainly not arguing that many climbers are making $1 million/year from sponsorships, but I do think some are, or occasionally do anyway.

One of the interesting things about climbing though, is that this is often all the compensation climbers get. There aren't climbing leagues/teams that pay climbers a salary comparable to other sports (I suspect some competition climbers get paid a salary or stipend, but I doubt it's as much as a professional football/basketball player). But there is so much money to be made from selling climbing equipment, the manufacturers are heavily incentivized to get their names out. And the superstar climbers like Honnold will get sponsorships from other companies as well (Red Bull, Clif Bar, etc.)

Re: The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

#42

Post by spoonjim »

cjonas wrote: post #38
pcthrowaway wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm also skeptical. There are no rock climbers on this list. Climbing is still a relatively niche sport (though depending on where you are, it might be one of the most popular), but I'd wager participants collectively spend as much on climbing equipment as many more popular sports. The gear is quite expensive, and for safety reasons, much of it needs to be replaced with relative regularity. You'd be hard-pressed to f…

In skiing, only a few individuals at the very top make any real money. Most "professional skiers" just get free gear and travel budgets to film a segment or go to competitions. To be a professional, you either have to be a massive dirtbag, or have a trust fund; and the former has gotten much harder these days. Same deal for professional climbers, AFIAK. I also disagree in that climbing seems quite affordable compared…

What is a "dirtbag" in this context?

Re: The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

#43

Post by jasonkester »

pcthrowaway wrote: post #40
cjonas wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In skiing, only a few individuals at the very top make any real money. Most "professional skiers" just get free gear and travel budgets to film a segment or go to competitions. To be a professional, you either have to be a massive dirtbag, or have a trust fund; and the former has gotten much harder these days. Same deal for professional climbers, AFIAK. I also disagree in that climbing seems quite affordable compared…

Sponsored climbers are quite common. Climbers who would have no chance of winning a competition and are climbing nowhere near the frontier of the sport can become sponsored; it's often about building connections and a name for themselves (perhaps for being really good at one specific move, or doing some first ascents in a remote area). I think very few climbers have made $1 million in a year from sponsorships. But if…

It still sounds like you’re stretching a bit to make the sport sound expensive. Sure, a trad rack might set you back a couple thousand dollars, but nobody buys the whole thing at once.

You’ll build your rack slowly over a dozen years, maybe tricking in a new cam or two and the odd nut to replace stuff you’ve lost. But nobody ever retires cams, and no dirtbag climber has ever decided to spontaneously replace his entire trad rack.

Similarly, as a sport climber, I get a new rope every six or eight years if I’m trashing it, and a new rack of draws every fifteen. It’s not a regular occurrence.

I moved to Fontainebleau specifically for bouldering and am on the rocks 3 days a week. I go through 2 pairs of shoes a year and add a pad to the collection every few years. If I spend $500 on the sport in a year, that’s a big year.

Compare that to something like surfing, where I’ll spend more than that on baggage fees for one trip, and it just rounds to zero on the scale of expensive sports.

Re: The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

#44

Post by jasonkester »

pcthrowaway wrote: post #41
jasonkester wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re mistaken. My wife was a sponsored rock climber when we met, and we know quite a few top level climbers (including a couple that non climbers might actually have heard of). Sponsorship keeps many of them going, but not at the level you’re thinking of. Think “can afford to do a euro trip staying at Airbnb’s”. Which is cool, but you probably make more than any of them with your developer gig.

I'm certainly not arguing that many climbers are making $1 million/year from sponsorships, but I do think some are, or occasionally do anyway. One of the interesting things about climbing though, is that this is often all the compensation climbers get. There aren't climbing leagues/teams that pay climbers a salary comparable to other sports (I suspect some competition climbers get paid a salary or stipend, but I doub…

I guess what I’m trying to say is that we actually know the guys (and girls) who would be making those millions if anybody was. And they’re not.

One day hopefully.

Re: The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

#45

Post by dagw »

spoonjim wrote: post #42
cjonas wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In skiing, only a few individuals at the very top make any real money. Most "professional skiers" just get free gear and travel budgets to film a segment or go to competitions. To be a professional, you either have to be a massive dirtbag, or have a trust fund; and the former has gotten much harder these days. Same deal for professional climbers, AFIAK. I also disagree in that climbing seems quite affordable compared…

What is a "dirtbag" in this context?

A "dirtbag" in climbing/skiing circles is someone who lives in a beat up van, has very little money and spends all their time and (meager) money driving for spot to spot, devoting their entire life to climbing/skiing.

Re: The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

#46

Post by pcthrowaway »

jasonkester wrote: post #43
pcthrowaway wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sponsored climbers are quite common. Climbers who would have no chance of winning a competition and are climbing nowhere near the frontier of the sport can become sponsored; it's often about building connections and a name for themselves (perhaps for being really good at one specific move, or doing some first ascents in a remote area). I think very few climbers have made $1 million in a year from sponsorships. But if…

It still sounds like you’re stretching a bit to make the sport sound expensive. Sure, a trad rack might set you back a couple thousand dollars, but nobody buys the whole thing at once. You’ll build your rack slowly over a dozen years, maybe tricking in a new cam or two and the odd nut to replace stuff you’ve lost. But nobody ever retires cams, and no dirtbag climber has ever decided to spontaneously replace his entir…

It certainly can be done much cheaper, and bouldering alone is about as cheap as it gets. I live near Squamish and it's known for multi pitch climbing. People who just climb sport spend ~$400/year replacing gear. It's probably not the same everywhere, but lots of long climbs and rappels will wear at your rope. Even faster if you're taking falls on it. I know people who have only ever bought one rope, but they don't climb very much.

Personally I've been climbing outdoors for almost 3 years now and have had to buy a rope every year (2 ropes one year actually). I realize I'm not 'typical' of a climber, but I've probably spent $9000 USD total on equipment in the time frame. Mostly new equipment, but also mostly on sale 20-30% off retail price. But even the 'dirtbags' I know may save money by not paying rent, hitchhiking, living in vans, or camping, and still can spend $400-600 a year on climbing equipment

Re: The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

#47

Post by cjonas »

pcthrowaway wrote: post #40
cjonas wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In skiing, only a few individuals at the very top make any real money. Most "professional skiers" just get free gear and travel budgets to film a segment or go to competitions. To be a professional, you either have to be a massive dirtbag, or have a trust fund; and the former has gotten much harder these days. Same deal for professional climbers, AFIAK. I also disagree in that climbing seems quite affordable compared…

Sponsored climbers are quite common. Climbers who would have no chance of winning a competition and are climbing nowhere near the frontier of the sport can become sponsored; it's often about building connections and a name for themselves (perhaps for being really good at one specific move, or doing some first ascents in a remote area). I think very few climbers have made $1 million in a year from sponsorships. But if…

For sure, but trad/big wall climbers are the 1-5%. A lot of people who climb probably don't even own a rope. Of those that do, the vast majority just sport climb.

I climb ~50 days a year and I've got 5 year old draws that I'd still whip on.

I don't think soccer and climbing are even in the same ballpark when it comes to market size. I hope they never are because outdoor areas literally couldn't survive that level of popularity.

PS: Join the AAC if your aren't already. Gives you access to a bunch of discounts, including BD. Cams are in stock and 35% off rn.

Re: The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

#48

Post by pcthrowaway »

cjonas wrote: post #47
pcthrowaway wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sponsored climbers are quite common. Climbers who would have no chance of winning a competition and are climbing nowhere near the frontier of the sport can become sponsored; it's often about building connections and a name for themselves (perhaps for being really good at one specific move, or doing some first ascents in a remote area). I think very few climbers have made $1 million in a year from sponsorships. But if…

For sure, but trad/big wall climbers are the 1-5%. A lot of people who climb probably don't even own a rope. Of those that do, the vast majority just sport climb. I climb ~50 days a year and I've got 5 year old draws that I'd still whip on. I don't think soccer and climbing are even in the same ballpark when it comes to market size. I hope they never are because outdoor areas literally couldn't survive that level of…

Where I live, at least 25% of lead climbers do at least some trad climbing (there's just so much of it in Squamish and you'd be missing out on most of the multi pitch if you're just doing sport).

But for argument's sake, let's say 5%. That's still 5% of climbers who are likely to spend more in a year on equipment than 99% of people who play soccer ever will. That's why I'm saying it's a sizable industry when you look at what people are spending.

Re: The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

#49

Post by Fricken »

dagw wrote: post #45
spoonjim wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is a "dirtbag" in this context?

A "dirtbag" in climbing/skiing circles is someone who lives in a beat up van, has very little money and spends all their time and (meager) money driving for spot to spot, devoting their entire life to climbing/skiing.

There are dirtbag surfers as well. They only get so dirty because they're always in the ocean.

Re: The Rise of the $10M Disc Golf Celebrity

#50

Post by zimpenfish »

RosanaAnaDana wrote: post #27
kevinmchugh wrote: post #22

There's only so much room for a star in a niche sport. Cael Sanderson is one of the all time greatest collegiate athletes. He got a shoe deal. None of the wrestlers he beat got a shoe deal, because wrestling isn't that big a market, and who wants to wear the loser's shoe? A lot of good wrestlers lost to Cael. A guy named Daniel Cormier is one of them. Cormier went on to win championships at two different weightclasse…

Disc golf has a far far bigger reach than you prob realize. The biggest difference between discgolf and ballgolf is its accessibility. Almost every town has a free to play course, and you can be fully equipped to play for 40 bucks. After a couple months of playing or a trip to play-it-again, you can be as well equipped as some professionals. The biggest difference between discgolf and other sports is that the popular…

> Almost every town has a free to play course

Possibly in the US - over here in the UK, https://discgolfuk.uk/where-to-play/ reports 64 (some are "coming soon") of which 45 are "pay to play".

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