Innova: Behind the Brand

I started throwing Innova discs in the late 1990s. Discs like the Beast and Firebird and Birdie became my go-to plastic. I learned players’ names such as Ken Climo and Barry Schultz due to their signatures being inked on the discs. But I never learned the story behind the company. It turns out there was one man who was the original brains behind the operation; Dave Dunipace.

History

Innova was formed in 1983 by Dave Dunipace. Dunipace was a skilled disc golfer and distance thrower throughout the 1970s. Disc golf was climbing in popularity and discs across the industry were sparse. All of the discs at this point had blunt rims and were virtually putters by today’s standards. Dunipace set out to make the first run of disc golf-specific discs.

This journey started with the Innova Eagle (US Patent #4,568,297). The Eagle introduced the world to the beveled edge. This invention revolutionized disc golf and carried the sport into the modern era. It gained PDGA approval on April 1, 1983, and took the disc golfing world by storm. The Eagle’s stability and consistent flight path were something disc golfers had never experienced. Innova had set disc golf on a new trajectory and Dave Dunipace was at the helm.

Innova has gone on to create dozens of molds of discs throughout the last 38 years. Many of these discs have become legendary and players throw them across the world. Some of them have even garnered thousands of dollars on the collectors market. One such modern disc is the Nate Sexton Firebird. This disc has become THE forehand disc and is gobbled up by the collector market.

Innova also got into making baskets and on October 30, 1995, gained PDGA approval for the DISCatcher basket. This basket has gone through many variations and is now the most used basket in the world. This is just another example of Innova leading the sport through its innovation.

Why the Name Innova?

Have you ever wondered what the name Innova means? Well, Dunipace says the answer is two-fold. The first meaning is one of “Innova”-tion. Dunipace has always been on the cutting edge and wanted his company to embody his vision.

The second meaning of Innova is rooted in the stars; think nova. Dictionary.com defines “nova” as “a star that suddenly becomes thousands of times brighter and then gradually fades to its original intensity.” Innova burst onto the scene in the early 1980s and changed the sport forever.

Sponsored Players

Innova has sponsored dozens of players throughout the years. They have sought players who represent their commitment to excellence including innovative play and a love for the game. According to the Innova website:

“Innova Champion Discs is proud to sponsor a variety of athletes and ambassadors from around the world. Our sponsored athletes represent disc golf’s most talented and promising competitors. Their primary goals are competition-related, ranging from success at the junior levels, up to the elite professional. Innova has maintained a winning tradition since our first World Championship title in 1983. Together with our sponsored athletes we preserve a standard of excellence in competition. All of our sponsored athletes, ambassadors, employees, friends, family, and fans help comprise what we like to call, the Innova Air Force.”

They have dozens of PDGA world champions amongst their sponsored players. Some of the most decorated Innova sponsored players include:

• Ricky Wysocki – 2x MPO World Champion
• Barry Schultz – 2x MPO World Champion, 2x Masters World Champion
• Des Reading – 3x FPO World Champion
• Juliana Korver – 5x FPO World Champion
• Ken Climo – 12x MPO World Champion, 3x Masters World Champion

Ken Climo

Ken Climo deserves recognition amongst all of the players Innova has sponsored. His nickname is “The Champ” for goodness sake! Ken Climo dominated disc golf through the 1990s and early 2000s. We will never see another period like it.

Recommended Reading: “The Story of Disc Golf Legend: Ken Climo”

Climo’s most dominant stretch was the 1990’s. During this decade he played 201 tournaments and won 140 of them. He finished outside of the top three only 14 times. That decade saw him win 70% of the tournaments he entered! If the 1990s were his most dominant decade, 1995 was his most dominant year. Climo played in 26 tournaments and won 23. His three other finishes were all second place. This is all to say that his dominance gave him a platform to grow the sport. As he did so, Innova was along for the ride pioneering many aspects of the modern game.

Climo grew the sport due to his dedication. He traveled extensively to tournaments and was a part of the pioneer days of the road warriors of disc golf. Due to his dedication to the sport, people loved to see him wherever he showed up. As a result of his success and recognizability, he was the first player to gain monetary sponsorship from a disc golf company, Innova Champion Discs. Many other players were sponsored with free products from various disc golf companies, but Climo was the first to ink an actual contract. He was also the first player to get a signature line of discs and earn royalties from their sales. This is a crucial source of income for many professional disc golfers to this day. This paved the way for our current generation of players to live the disc golf life full time without needing another job to supplement their income. We have Innova and Climo to thank for this!

Discs

Innova currently boasts over 60 discs in their lineup. Their main headquarters are in Ontario, CA where they pump out thousands of discs a year. According to Infinite Discs, Innova had 10 of the top 20 selling discs in 2020. Dunipace has kept Innova at the forefront of disc technology for over 37 years. The discs listed below are from the Top-20 list and beside each disc is the ranking from Infinite Discs. Click the links for more information on each disc.

1. Destroyer
4. Wraith
6. Aviar
7. Firebird
10. TeeBird
11. Leopard
13. Valkyrie
14. Mako3
16. Thunderbird
18. Shryke

Bringing It All Together

Innova has been a pioneer for the sport of disc golf. We owe a debt of gratitude to Dave Dunipace and the entire Innova operation for their continual progression of our sport. From the Eagle that started it all to DISCatcher baskets to the Firebird that sells for WAY too much money on the collectors market, we have Innova to thank. Whether you throw Innova plastic or not, they are synonymous with our sport. For that, we can all be grateful.