Disc Golf World Tour Opens New Chapter in Sport’s Rapid Growth
La Mirada Open features ground-breaking, multi-faceted media strategy that will unlock disc golf’s marketing potential
Los Angeles (02 February 2016): The Disc Golf World Tour announces the launch of its inaugural event March 10-12, 2016 at the La Mirada Disc Golf course in Los Angeles County, California. With 120 players from 9 different countries the La Mirada Open will be one of the most international disc golf events in California for decades. Through a collaboration between Disc Golf World Tour organizer Spin18 Ltd (Finland) and West Coast Disc Golf promoter, Jeff Spohr, the La Mirada Open will begin a new chapter in the sport that features a series of five international tournaments where the best disc golfers compete in one division throughout three championship rounds.
This One Division, One Champion format will be even more enhanced with the multiple media platforms dedicated to covering each event. At the La Mirada Open, for example, Disc Golf World Tour founder, former professional disc golfer, Jussi Meresmaa will deploy many of the sport’s top media producers to develop content as wide-ranging as daily wrap-ups, live statistics, play-by-play videos, social media snippets, lead card live streaming from the course, and a highly produced magazine-style television show to be aired after each stop on the tour.
“We believe that disc golf is now ready for mass media coverage and distribution,” explained long-time disc golf promoter Meresmaa. “But the tournaments had to be packaged differently to attract the broader audiences we know will watch our shows. This is why the Disc Golf World Tour was constructed with our unique format to show the best disc golfers on the best courses at the best events.”
Besides the innovative tournament structure that will drive the competition at each stop, Meresmaa has hired media manager, Jamie Thomas from San Francisco to embark upon an ambitious media strategy that promises the Disc Golf World Tour will gain the attention, not just from the rapidly growing disc golf community around the globe, but of brand managers who should be intrigued by the disc golf personalities and lifestyle.
“Our sport has so much to offer to our players, to parks’ systems, to tourism agencies, and, especially, to lifestyle brands that we know would benefit from our appeal,” said Thomas. “Our goal for the World Tour media strategy is to bridge that gap, in order to show the world at-large that what’s happening in the park down the street isn’t just a fad. Disc golf is here to stay, it’s relate-able, it’s exciting, and most of all it’s fun. Our coverage of the La Mirada Open and entire World Tour will capture these important aspects of the sport.”
To support this broad undertaking, Thomas will coordinate the efforts of disc golf’s most proven media teams, including Terra Firma Media Group. Additionally, the Disc Golf World Tour will feature the expert analysis of 2009 PDGA World Champion Avery Jenkins, who will join Thomas during the live stream and on other video productions.
DGWT Launch Press Release (PDF)
