USA Today: more on the LPGAs troubles

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Equipment firms have financial interest in rooting for LPGA

By Jerry Potter, USA TODAY
The LPGA opens its season Thursday at the SBS Open in Hawaii, starting a critical period for the organization.
Due in part to the economic downturn, the LPGA tour has four fewer tournaments than it had a year ago and approximately $7.5 million less in purse money. In addition, approximately one-third of this year's 30 events have contracts that must be renewed by 2010.

That's a troubling picture for the future, not only for the LPGA but the business of golf.

In separate interviews, Cindy Davis, president of Nike Golf, and George Fellows, president of Callaway Golf, expressed the opinion that a healthy LPGA is important for their business.

"What we want is a vibrant, successful LPGA tour so we can showcase our product through the players we sponsor," explained Davis, a former LPGA executive. "Their visibility is important; the more of it the better."

FIND MORE STORIES IN: United States | Hawaii | Michelle Wie | Lorena Ochoa | Morgan Pressel | Golf Channel | Suzann Pettersen | SBS Open | Callaway Golf | Nike Golf | Revlon Inc
Nike has five players under contract, including Michelle Wie and Suzann Pettersen, both of whom are in the field this week.

Callaway has four players, including Morgan Pressel, considered one of the tour's most popular young players.

In addition, it has No. 1-ranked Lorena Ochoa, who plays the Callaway golf ball, and Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam. Although retired, Sorenstam remains a key spokesperson for the company and is considered one of the icons of the tour staff.

"The entire area of women's golf is underdeveloped in the United States," Fellows said. "All of us would like to see that corrected, and the health and well-being of the LPGA is quite important to that."

A veteran corporate executive, Fellows once ran Revlon Inc., and he sees some similarity between a women's golf organization and a cosmetics company.

"Revlon is a model from the appearance point of view," he said. "The LPGA is a model from the performance point of view.

"People like to see the game at its highest levels, and the pro tours are that."

Davis said 20% of the golfers in the USA are women but they are part of a trend of people taking up the game and then dropping it.

"The LPGA is a tremendous product, but it operates in a very crowded field," said Davis, a former college golfer.

"When economic conditions get tough, it's tougher on that tour."

Television has long been a big issue with the LPGA, and its contracts with ESPN and the Golf Channel will have to be renewed, too.

Sponsors, such as Nike and Callaway, count on TV to add to the exposure of their product.

"The athletes personalize and humanize our product," Davis said. "That's why we're involved with the LPGA."

Davis said she was not privy to the LPGA's business model, but Fellows thinks the tour is "doing the right things" in the recession.

"We've been through these cycles before," he said. "This period will pass. That's why it's important to do the right things to get ready for the recovery."

All these articles about the $ and sponsor troubles on the LPGA are worrying me! Will there be a tour next year?
 
There will be a tour. Some of the major companies have far too much vested in these athletes to let it go. But they need a charismatic start to turn to and right now they just do not have one.
 
good read... well, I am not sure what the future of the LPGA will be but there will certainly be a tour. What it will look like and consist of can be questioned but there will be an elite level of golf for women for long to come in the future. This economic downturn has nailed a lot of people and organizations but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
 
I agree....I think (a lot like JB said) that they just need a few key players who can draw a crowd. If they can get another rockstar like Tiger and goofball like Boo people will watch more.
 
they need a charismatic start to turn to and right now they just do not have one.

Whether people like it or not, Michelle Wie is the key to widespread exposure for the LPGA. She has the potential to do for the LPGA what Tiger did for the PGA.
 
Similar to what I said before. You need to have a sideshow to make an impact. Whether it be charisma, train wreck, or anything else. That is what makes it move the needle for ratings.
 
Whether people like it or not, Michelle Wie is the key to widespread exposure for the LPGA. She has the potential to do for the LPGA what Tiger did for the PGA.


step (1)... stay off the mens tours!
 
Whether people like it or not, Michelle Wie is the key to widespread exposure for the LPGA. She has the potential to do for the LPGA what Tiger did for the PGA.

Beyond Tiger, think Michael Jordan...

Both have talent and charisma. Michelle Wie doesn't have a short game, and the last time she opened her mouth, it was clear she needed some coaching there as well.

Three years is a long time to wait, but when Cheyenne Woods turns pro, expect a huge media blitz.
 
She does not have charisma. But she has the other factor. The "train wreck" factor. See John Daly as an example. No, I am not comparing her to him in golf or in personal issues. But people tune in to see disasters or "I dont know what to expect" factor each week.
 
Beyond Tiger, think Michael Jordan...

Both have talent and charisma. Michelle Wie doesn't have a short game, and the last time she opened her mouth, it was clear she needed some coaching there as well.

Three years is a long time to wait, but when Cheyenne Woods turns pro, expect a huge media blitz.

Wie has a fantastic short game! It's the best part of her game. Look back at the 2008 State Farm. She had some putting issues after her wrist injury, but the more she plays, the better her putting gets.
 
Wie has a fantastic short game! It's the best part of her game. Look back at the 2008 State Farm. She had some putting issues after her wrist injury, but the more she plays, the better her putting gets.

I didn't watch that one, so I'll take your word for it.
 
Wie has a fantastic short game! It's the best part of her game. Look back at the 2008 State Farm. She had some putting issues after her wrist injury, but the more she plays, the better her putting gets.

Claire is probably thinking of the 9 she had during the Open last year because of her short game...That green was nasty, but still, she missed the cut mostly due to that hole. It all went downhill from there.
 
Claire is probably thinking of the 9 she had during the Open last year because of her short game...That green was nasty, but still, she missed the cut mostly due to that hole. It all went downhill from there.

True. But that green eviscerated everyone. It was a completely unfair green, even for pros. She was barely off the back of the green and her shot rolled all the way off the front of the green, then her putts from the front wouldn't stick. (IIRC).

I wish I could find video of that. It's hard to explain how absurd it was.

EDIT: Found the video: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3462416

Look how soft she hits that shot from barely off the green. Then on the next shot, the green is so sloped and so fast, there is no way to stop the ball. If she had hit it any closer to the hole, it still wouldn't have stopped.
 
I hope the LPGA stays around. I agree that they need more media exposure and the fans need individuals that they can relate to. Only time will tell.
 
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