2023 is over and we’re having some fun looking at the numbers. Overall, our direct retail sales were down significantly in 2023 compared with 2022, but there are some disc golf brands that saw an increase in sales.

These were the fastest growing disc golf brands of 2023:

Most of these brands are relatively small, so an increase from 100 to 152 discs sold isn’t particularly remarkable. ABC Discs primarily increased in sales because, well a few of their molds actually existed and were available for in 2023 when only one did in 2022.

Some major disc golf brands did experience sales growth even during a market downturn.

MVP’s Growth in Market Share

MVP and Axiom discs saw significant increases in 2023. Our Axiom sales increased by 15% and MVP grew by 4.5%. This growth is all the more impressive considering that, for a large part of the year, their most popular molds, especially the best-selling MVP Glitch, were often out of stock. The MVP family of disc brands really is the only brand that we still cannot keep in stock at will. Every time we attempt to make a restock order, the MVP order form remains very limited, and their fulfillment is not exactly next day.

The signing of Simon Lizotte last season appears to have been a hugely successful decision. All of the Simon Line discs have performed remarkably well this year, and we even had people camping out in front of Infinite Discs in hopes of getting one of our limited edition Timelapse discs.

MVP hype is the real deal right now, especially with so much competition in disc golf manufacturing. The combination of unique discs using Gyro Technology, along with the notable signing of the most popular professional disc golfer in the world, seems to have created a perfect storm of marketing excitement. Additionally, the most exciting and improbable win in the history of the disc golf World Championship, achieved by MVP-sponsored player James Conrad, certainly doesn’t hurt the brand.

These were the top-selling MVP and Axiom Discs of 2023.

Disc Golf Brands to Watch in 2024

In terms of the fastest-growing brands, Clash and Doomsday are definitely ones to watch as they saw the largest jump in sales in 2023.

Clash Discs

Clash Discs implemented an aggressive marketing strategy, including major sponsorships of professional disc golfers, tournaments, and advertising campaigns. Despite being one of the priciest brands in disc golf, their investment appears to have been worthwhile. Clash now boasts a full line of discs and has introduced several limited edition sets and completely unique double-mold plastic variations exclusive to this brand. Our Clash sells (on discs alone and not including any of the sets) more than doubled in 2023 where we saw a 119% increase.

It remains to be seen whether this trend will continue or if the Clash hype was just a temporary fad. It appears that Clash is reducing its sponsorships of professional players this year. Although Clash Discs are indeed premium and of the highest quality, it is uncertain whether buyers will continue to choose this brand when they can purchase discs from other brands at a significantly lower cost.

Doomsday Discs

With their distinctive apocalyptic branding, unique disc designs, and efforts to foster a disc golf community, Doomsday experienced significant growth in 2023. They introduced a variety of new molds across their disc lines produced worldwide and now boast 24 different discs either announced or in production. Doomsday offers an intriguing selection of unconventional “weird” discs that attract attention to the brand, as well as a stable array of affordable, mainstay discs for regular play. With their unique offerings, Doomsday’s sales impressively increased by 73% in 2023!

Similar to Clash, a large part of Doomsday’s growth stemmed from the addition of many new discs to their lineup. As the pace of introducing new discs eventually slows, it will be interesting to see if Doomsday’s popularity continues, or if the brand is attracting mainly one-time customers more interested in experimenting with their unique disc designs.

Lone Star Discs

Lone Star was our fastest growing brand of 2022. They started 2023 strongly but experienced a slight decline towards the middle of the year. They have now become one of the larger brands in disc golf, offering a full line of discs with 38 different Lonestar molds available for sale.

On the year, Lone Star was our #8 selling brand overall. This graph shows Lone Star’s sales ranks among all disc golf brands we sell by month in 2023.

Their aggressive “team” growth at the end of 2022 undoubtedly had an impact, but it seems that their PR image has also suffered as a result. Many believe that by allowing almost anyone to join, that the costs for team members outweigh the benefits of sponsorship. Additionally, their professional team has taken a hit with the departure of key players such as Emerson Keith, Chandler Kramer, and Lisa Fajkus, who have moved on to other sponsors.

Despite the claims in their commercials, there have been numerous complaints about the quality and consistency of Lone Star’s plastic production. This negative PR has slowed the rapid growth we saw from Lone Star in 2022. It appears that Lone Star may have grown a little too quickly.

Latitude 64

Latitude 64 also demonstrated impressive sales growth of 7.12%. This is notable with as big as a brand as Latitude 64 already is and as much market share that they have. The outstanding performance of Kristin Tattar, the premium plastic lines, and it’s reputation as the most professional disc golf manufacturer undoubtedly played a crucial role in maintaining the prominence of this major disc golf brand.

In the past Dynamic Discs has been our top selling trilogy brand but this year, Latitude 64 regained the top spot and was our 6th best selling brand overall.

Conclusion

Disc golf’s landscape is always shifting, shaped by its pro scene and the strong opinions of players and fans alike. The influence of the professional scene, sponsored players, and grassroots brand perception is more pronounced in disc golf than in almost any other industry.

Today we spotlight the disc golf brands that surged in 2023, but keep your eyes peeled for a potential shake-up as 2024 unfolds. Will the new sponsorships of Gannon Buhr and Eagle McMahon catalyze significant growth for their respective sponsors, or will 2024 witness minimal shifts in the disc golf industry? Time alone will reveal the outcome.

Photos courtesy of DGPT