Madison Walker isn’t Catrina Allen, Hailey King, Kona Panis, or Valerie Mandujano. But she’s a solid FPO talent, for sure. So much so, it’s strange more brands didn’t target her this off-season.
Or, even more strange, last off-season when she went an entire year without a title sponsor.
Well, that’s not entirely true …
ARIA Discs not only drew Walker away from Innova Champion Discs in 2021, but they named her chief development officer (CDO) of the Ultimate-focused brand’s disc golf division, as well.
Kind of a sweet gig, but don’t even act like you know what ARIA Discs is …
It was time for a change of scenery.
Fortunately, one brand clearly learned its lesson, and – five-ish weeks out from the start of the Las Vegas Challenge in late February – has finally offered Walker the contract she deserves …
MVP Disc Sports – or simply “MVP” if you’re a normal person.
The details of Walker’s contract haven’t been made public. MVP is known for its sponsorship of James Conrad. Their FPO offering, however, is impressive in and of itself, featuring Sarah Hokom, Elaine King and Jennifer Sawyer as part of the manufacturer’s Premier Team.
Walker now adds her name to the roster.
For MVP, this is an impressive signing so late in the off-season. Walker making it this long without a “serious” sponsor (sorry, ARIA) is surprising for a number of reasons:
- Walker is good. She’s not great, but the FPO field is small – she’ll get camera time.
- Walker is one of the more likable characters in disc golf. Her kindness is infectious.
- Both hailing from Florida, Walker and Calvin Heimburg are as tight as tight can be.
That last one’s of particular interest …
Walker and Heimburg are friends. Are they more than friends? This isn’t TMZ, so no idea. It doesn’t matter, though. This off-season, Innova’s shed talented, high-profile contracts left and right. Heimburg’s the fifth-ranked player in the world. His time with Innova could be limited.
And if it is, don’t doubt for a second that Walker will immediately have Heimburg’s ear when the time comes to open contract talks with new manufacturers. MVP might not be the go-to option for a player of Heimburg’s caliber, but many big-name brands already have their money tied up in million-dollar contracts with the handful of greats “Vinny” competes with each tournament.
If MVP can make him a competitive offer, he’s likely to listen.
And with Walker already part of the program, he’s likely to listen intently.
Don’t think for a second, though, that Walker’s value is linked solely to her relationship with Heimburg. She’s a 933-rated player. She’s also finished third at the Idlewild Open and Glass Blown Open (now Dynamic Discs Open) in her career. Injuries and time off for a pandemic might’ve set her back a bit, but she can play with the best of ‘em when her game’s on.
MVP scores major “stealth” points with this signing.
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