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I prefer golf when Tiger is away (media issue)

MPlefty

MPlefty

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this is not a thread made to bash on Tiger, so please don't take it as such.

I was listening a some sports radio channels this week and I got frustrated against Tiger, but I realise it's not him that aanoys me, it's the media. Golf this week had about 20 times the media attention it usually gets at this time of the year(which is great), but about 95% of it is around tiger.

I understand that he was a great players, one of the greats to play the game, but I do think golf, as a whole, is more enjoyable without him, because the media gets lazy and talk about him, instead of talking about the 22 players that were actually better than him last week.

fan favourites are a good thing, but when they suck the light away from the actual winners, there is something wrong.

I preferred following to golf on tv and on the radio in the past few years, when they actually talked about golf and the golfers that mattered.

I understand this is not a popular opinion, but please help me understand why this happens.
 
It’s an easy story and everyone knows who Tiger is and what he has done in his past.
 
This happens because he is one of the greatest to ever play the game. He was a one man wrecking ball who changed the sport. He was on track to possibly beat Jack's record and then it all came crashing down. He finally "appears" to be back on the right track and I think a lot of people (myself included) want to watch the greatest player of my generation maybe ever start winning again. I personally think its great for the game even though the media can be a little over the top
 
jdtox said:
This happens because he is one of the greatest to ever play the game. He was a one man wrecking ball who changed the sport. He was on track to possibly beat Jack's record and then it all came crashing down. He finally "appears" to be back on the right track and I think a lot of people (myself included) want to watch the greatest player of my generation maybe ever start winning again. I personally think its great for the game even though the media can be a little over the top
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I totally understand your point... but is it normal that 10 minutes in the golf segment on the radio on a Monday morning, I still don't know that there are playoff holes being played that day but I know that Tiger ended up 23rd and heard a play by play of his rounds?
 
First, it's a Tiger comeback, the GOAT with Jack, and he will dominate the golf news at first.

Second, Tiger moves the needle like no other golfer.

Third, gosh, Tiger could not hit fairways or greens but scrambled to the Top 25. I think people assume that the short game will stay top notch and the long game will improve. No guarantees.

Give it time - but if Tiger is around, just accept that he will garner a lot of attention, more if he is playing well.
 
MPlefty said:
I totally understand your point... but is it normal that 10 minutes in the golf segment on the radio on a Monday morning, I still don't know that there are playoff holes being played that day but I know that Tiger ended up 23rd and heard a play by play of his rounds?
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Ratings sell! To average Joe Blow that is scanning the tv and hears Tiger Talk, they'll stop to listen so they can talk Tiger in his weekly golf game. Start talking JB Holmes and the picnic he had on the 18th fairway before finishing, Joe Blow doesn't care.
 
I wasn't able to watch much last weekend but when I was able to watch I wanted all Tiger coverage all the time. And I'm far from a Tiger homer.
 
Nate said:
Ratings sell! To average Joe Blow that is scanning the tv and hears Tiger Talk, they'll stop to listen so they can talk Tiger in his weekly golf game. Start talking JB Holmes and the picnic he had on the 18th fairway before finishing, Joe Blow doesn't care.
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you are right, I know, but for me, Joe Blow is sucking the fun out of the golf

tequila4kapp said:
I wasn't able to watch much last weekend but when I was able to watch I wanted all Tiger coverage all the time. And I'm far from a Tiger homer.
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it's fin, and you are not alone! but I would rather watch great rounds by the leaders, not four average rounds from a golfer people liked
 
Hmmm that's funny, because most of the talk on PGA Tour radio the past two days has been about JB Holmes...
 
It's because media is all about clicks/viewers/listeners. People stop and listen when they hear "Tiger" but they don't stop and listen when they hear "CT Pan". So while you're frustrated at the media I think you're actually frustrated with the average golf fan.
I do agree the Media perpetuates the cycle by being lazy.
 
Just imagine what it's going to be like after he wins the Masters :alien:
 
Nate has it right “ratings sell”. This is the primary reason almost all media is of little use to anyone with slightest ability to think for themselves.
 
I like the excitement around him coming back. While I could use a little less focus during the broadcast, it's still exciting.

Although I'm sure that'll wear off after the Masters is done.
 
I get it but you need to simply ignore it.

You see maybe one or two of these types of athletes in a lifetime. Michael Jordan has the same effect. He came back to the Wizards and they sold out every game he played, he was constantly on Sportscenter, and to this day they still debate who will be the next MJ. It gets so bad when they do documentaries on individual players during Jordan's era they invariably spend 5-10mins just talking about MJ.

I don't think it shines any light away from the player or accomplishments. They just had the privilege to play and compete against the greatest player, possibly ever.

TW is the greatest golfer to ever play. He will be constantly talked about during his years of play and many years after. I think we should be so lucky to witness such an incredible feat even during his non-prime years. We're going to be those old people talking to our grandchildren about this guy.
 
Tiger is polarizing and it's easy stories for the media but because he is who he is the attention goes to him. We see additional threads here related to him outside of the official tiger thread and we don't see that for any other golfer. Nothing wrong with that but it's just the nature if the tiger effect
 
The network isn't interested in equitable coverage - they need to sell advertising, and to sell advertising they need viewership. Unfortunately for golf purists, it's still more of a niche interest among the general public. Most people will tune in to watch superstars, however, so that's what gets covered. Even among golf purists, I think the Tiger story is more interesting at this point in the season than watching a group of good-but-not-superstar players battle for the Farmer's title.

It will be a different story come Master's weekend. I think more people will be interested in the leaders than Tiger if he's playing poorly. But if he's even remotely in the mix, look out, haha.
 
I'm the opposite. Tiger makes golf even more enjoyable for me to watch. The intensity just feels turned up a bit because he just pulls in so many more eye balls.
 
blakehall said:
Just imagine what it's going to be like after he wins the Masters :alien:
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if he does, then he becomes relevant again, he'll deserve that coverage.
 
Just like it tends to dominate posting on here, it will dominate media coverage for an initial period of time while everyone is trying to figure out what this version of Tiger is going to be. If it is non-competitive (as far as winning or in serious contention in multiple tournaments), I think the attention will turn more back to DJ / Spieth / Fowler / McIlroy, etc. As has been mentioned several times in this thread, a good Tiger deinitely moves the needle in all facets.
 
Desmond said:
First, it's a Tiger comeback, the GOAT with Jack, and he will dominate the golf news at first.

Second, Tiger moves the needle like no other golfer.

Third, gosh, Tiger could not hit fairways or greens but scrambled to the Top 25. I think people assume that the short game will stay top notch and the long game will improve. No guarantees.

Give it time - but if Tiger is around, just accept that he will garner a lot of attention, more if he is playing well.
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Just look at the gallery around Tiger all weekend - - his game may not be what it was, but he is still THE biggest draw in the sport. I'm sure TV ratings jumped with Tiger in the field as well.
 
Well, people like to see Tiger. Look at the galleries, alongside the ratings increases. He won't play that often, so just enjoy the tournaments where he isn't playing, I guess. It will never be completely equal coverage while he's on the course, but I do think that this was amped up just a little bit because it was his first event back and his history at that course is so solid. I wouldn't expect it to be /that/ lopsided every tournament.
 
Look at the galleries on a Thursday for Tiger. Not only the media, but the general public also prefer when Tiger is playing. Can the media coverage be a bit overdone? Yeah of course, but they aren't doing shot by shot analysis on Kevin Kisner or tracking his every stat like they do Tiger.
 
I completely agree, it is over the top reporting by the media when there are a lot of others playing better than him, but it is lazy by the media because it is an easy story

As already mentioned, hopefully it will die down now that he has had his first tournament, but I have my doubts about it if I am honest. If he gets back to winning ways then fair enough, but until then there is zero need for the media to spend more time covering his mediocre golf at the moment
 
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