Disc Golf Recession? Market Decline in 2024
Disc golf is on the decline since the rapid boom of the Covid pandemic.
Have you noticed how quiet the disc golf off-season has been this year?
Over the past few years, we've become accustomed to big announcements from top disc golf brands about their latest off-season acquisitions. This year, however, there's a noticeable silence. Instead of new signings, we're hearing about farewells from sponsorships. There's a reason for this shift: disc golf is experiencing a decline.
Pandemic Growth for Disc Golf
Disc golf saw unprecedented growth during the COVID-19 boom. By most metrics, the sport doubled from 2019 to 2020, with more people playing, an increase in disc golf product purchases, and massive growth on the pro tour.
Checkout the google search terms for disc golf between 2019 and 2020. Beginning in March of 2020 the disc golf search queries shot off the charts.
This surge, however, was artificially stimulated by the government's response to the virus, making it unnatural and unsustainable. As social distancing rules came into effect and normal life was disrupted, disc golf became a popular alternative. Its appeal lay in the combination of outdoor recreation, exercise, and competition, all within the bounds of social distancing.
The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) reported a significant increase in memberships and courses during this period, after reconsidering its initial decision to ban tournaments for player safety.
The increased media coverage of tournaments and events during the pandemic played a pivotal role in popularizing professional disc golf, attracting external sponsors and enabling higher revenue, better coverage, and bigger payouts for professionals.
Disc Golf Growth Since the Pandemic
2020 faced a severe shortage of disc golf products. Manufacturers grappled with shutdowns, disrupted supply chains, and inadequate production capacity to meet the soaring demand.
2021 was a landmark year. Manufacturers invested in new machinery, and dozens of new disc golf brands emerged, seemingly cementing the COVID-19 boom as the new normal. However, as life gradually returned to normalcy, the demand for disc golf products began to wane.
In 2022, the industry shifted from shortages to surplus. The influx of new brands, disc molds, and related products was a response to the previously growing popularity of the sport.
By 2023, a noticeable downturn began. Major retailers reported a 25% decline in sales compared to 2022, which itself was a 10% drop from 2021. The unprecedented Black Friday sales and the abundance of mystery boxes were symptomatic of the industry's effort to liquidate excess inventory.
Looking at google trends again, the google search queries for “Disc Golf Discs” peaked in June of 2021. Numbers are still up substantially compared to 2019, but are down 19% compared with two years ago.
But what really adds to the “decline” is that now in 2023 there is substantially more competition in every aspect of disc golf.
Decline in Professional Sponsorship
The decline has extended to professional disc golf. Many companies have reduced their sponsorship of touring players. With diminishing returns on investment, the market is saturated with pro series discs, diluting consumer interest.
In 2021, discs from top players like Paul McBeth and Ricky Wysocki were selling out instantly. Now, even significant discounts, like Infinite Discs' Black Friday deals on Sockibomb Slammers, aren't enough to clear the stock. This shift indicates a looming correction in the disc golf industry.
Looking Ahead: A Disc Golf Recession?
The future of disc golf appears to be approaching a crucial juncture. Companies may face closures, the number of professional players on tour might dwindle, and the prices of equipment are likely to continue decreasing in the short term. We're witnessing not just a market correction but potentially a recession within the disc golf industry.
The critical question remains: Is this a harbinger of a broader recession, or is it confined to the disc golf sector alone?