For Immediate Release:
The DGPT to Become The Official Pro Tour of the PDGA
Jeffersonville, VT – September 28, 2021: The Disc Golf Pro Tour (DGPT) has reached an agreement with the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) to become the Official Pro Tour of the PDGA. The PDGA National Tour will conclude after the 2021 season, with some events becoming part of the DGPT schedule. While the DGPT will remain independent, the Pro Tour will continue to follow all rules, standards, and technical specifications of the PDGA, the worldwide governing body of the sport of disc golf. The agreement will strengthen both organizations and usher in a new era for professional disc golf.
“This is a landmark deal in the history of professional disc golf,” said DGPT CEO and Tour Director Jeff Spring. “From the start, we have aimed to provide the highest level of professional disc golf to our players and fans. This agreement is another step in the maturation of the sport and will allow us to continue to meet our goals while reaching new heights. This agreement has been over five years in the making, and we are thrilled to partner so meaningfully with the PDGA. Together we will deliver even better results for our players, fans, subscribers, and PDGA members.”
Over the past 18 years, the PDGA has allocated resources and staff, developed rules and competition standards, and provided the technical backbone that made a pro tour possible, starting with the National Tour. From that platform, the DGPT has built a premier tour, elevating the top tier of the game to a new level.
“The PDGA will continue to sanction and support the Major tournaments that define the pinnacle of disc golf,” said Joe Chargualaf, Executive Director of the PDGA. “The PDGA is an entity that represents the foundation of the sport and is the caretaker of its history. As the governing body, we are committed to preserving the sport’s storied past while continuing to build a future for all disc golfers. This partnership enables both organizations to come together to do just that.”
As part of the agreement, active PDGA members will receive complimentary access to a new tier of Disc Golf Network. This will include access to live broadcasts of the first and last event of the DGPT regular season, USWDGC, Champions Cup, the final two rounds of the PDGA Professional World Championship, and select video-on-demand access including a library of archival footage from the PDGA. The PDGA has also locked in another year with a 50% discount for PDGA members to the full version of DGN, along with discounts for members going forward.
Learn more on how this agreement further benefits PDGA members in the member benefits article on PDGA.com.
Additionally, the DGPT will provide operational support to the PDGA’s Professional Major Events. These events will also continue to broadcast on Disc Golf Network, and the DGPT will manage the media rights for Pro Open Majors. The two organizations will work together to schedule DGPT and PDGA Majors events, with a 2022 DGPT schedule expected to be released in the near future.
The deal will also allow the Disc Golf Pro Tour to continue the progression of professionalism in the sport. The DGPT will work with the PDGA to create a specific set of tour standards, help to evolve rules, and upgrade enforcement capabilities. Going forward, DGPT events will feature more rules officials to help make rulings and the progress is being made toward finalizing Tour Cards, planned for the 2022 season, which will give touring professionals access to additional benefits from the DGPT and assure standards are being enforced.
The Disc Golf Pro Tour is also putting further emphasis on their Community Connect program, committing over double the resources to the program for the 2022 season. The Tour will also continue to be at the forefront of environmental sustainability and diversity incentives in the sport, again committing to double the resources for development in those areas. “A partnership with this type of significance gives the DGPT the ability to invest in both the communities we visit and the disc golf community as a whole” said Spring. “We are an inclusive organization that cares about the environment, and with the PDGA’s full support, we are thrilled to be able to expand our impact in those areas.”
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For media inquiries, please contact DGPT Marketing & Communications Manager, Baker Helton at baker@dgpt.com.
