LPGA

[Goober McTuber]

So apparently the LPGA is struggling right now with sponsors, viewership, etc. I happened to flip to the Golf Channel today which was stuck with showing their current major. The plus side was an American in first place, the negative was that she was in front by about 8 or 12 strokes.

I watched for a couple of minutes as they flashed through the scores, and immediately identified part of their problem. As they scrolled through the leaders, I counted 4 Kangs, 5 Kims and 5 Parks. A ton of Asians breaking through. Which works fine for a porn website, but less so for a golf league seeking an American audience.

What to do? The only answer I can come up with is including a driving test to the qualifying school. And I don’t mean with a club called a driver.

[BSmack]

The answer is to go where the LPGA gets fan support and good press. Which means combining mid level US markets Like Toledo and Rochester that have always loved the LPGA with new markets in Asia. If you watched, you no doubt noticed that the galleries were well attended. That's because for once, the LPGA had their Championship in a market that has steadfastly supported women's golf. We'll see if that continues.

[Screw_Michigan]

Yeah, but the problem still remains that ratings points are more important to the long-term growth of the LPGA than selling lots of ducats to their majors. While that is certainly nice and a smart business move, Gobbles' take still remains: too many Asians.

[indyfrisco]

The chicks should have to play topless.

Seriously...I'd tune in.

[BSmack]

Yeah, but the problem still remains that ratings points are more important to the long-term growth of the LPGA than selling lots of ducats to their majors. While that is certainly nice and a smart business move, Gobbles' take still remains: too many Asians.

Yea, because the Masters and US Open would be compelling TV viewing with sparse galleries.

In order to get the ratings, you first have to be able to sell the product on the course. Which means go to the markets where the LPGA sells on its own, then pitch the tourney to the networks.

As for the Asians, you're not getting rid of them, so blaming them is a non starter unless your goal is to do nothing but blame the Asians. The LPGA is a global concern. It needs to start acting that way. Sure, you can pour money into girls golf programs here, but the payoff on that is 20 years down the road at best. As long as the South Koreans and Japanese are willing to work their 10 year old daughters 16 hours a day, you're not stopping that flood of Asian players.

[BSmack]

LPGA Champion - Christy Kerr

US Women's Open Champion- Paula Creamer

What was that about Asians?

[Screw_Michigan]

What was that about Asians?

They all have the same last name?

[Felix]

What was that about Asians?

they've diluted the LPGA to the point where nobody gives a flying fuck about it anymore....tseng, yang, yoo, kim, seo, shin, etc. etc.

I quit watching the LPGA a long time ago

[BSmack]

What was that about Asians?

they've diluted the LPGA to the point where nobody gives a flying fuck about it anymore....tseng, yang, yoo, kim, seo, shin, etc. etc.

I quit watching the LPGA a long time ago

They should definitely avoid events in Idaho.

[Felix]

What was that about Asians?

they've diluted the LPGA to the point where nobody gives a flying fuck about it anymore....tseng, yang, yoo, kim, seo, shin, etc. etc.

I quit watching the LPGA a long time ago

They should definitely avoid events in Idaho.

the LPGA needs television revenue and the influx of asians to the tour is killing viewership...the tour can't survive simply on the attendance at the events unless the players are willing to accept a winners check for $2,500.....

give it a few more years and you'll be able to count the number of televised tournaments on your fingers

[Bucmonkey]

Well, they had a good run ...

[BSmack]

The LPGA needs television revenue and the influx of asians to the tour is killing viewership...the tour can't survive simply on the attendance at the events unless the players are willing to accept a winners check for $2,500..... give it a few more years and you'll be able to count the number of televised tournaments on your fingers

I've got a news flash for you, here in Rochester the gate receipts are all donated to charity. The purse is provided by the sponsors who are more than happy to trade a million or more for the chance to put their logos in front of over 100,000 captive eyes for a full week. Even with the influx of Asian players we have maintained the same high attendance for the LPGA in Rochester during the last decade as the previous two. It is hardly unusual to see weekend galleries of over 25,000 and the weekday crowds have been stong every time I've been there. So don't tell me the golf can't sell. It's a matter of taking the product where it is wanted. Which probably means some LPGA sanctioned events in South Korea, China and Japan along with events in American markets that have demonstrated consistent support for the product like Toledo and Rochester to name a couple.

Not for nothing, but China and Japan are the #2 and #3 economies in the world. I think they can support a month or two of LPGA golf during the off peak time of the tour.

[Dinsdale]

The SafewayClassic is coming up in a couple of weeks, at Pumpkin Ridge (they used to always play at Columbia Edgewater, but Pumpkin is probably better, and the Women's Open has been there before, as has the men's Ameteur Championship... Tiger kinda won his last one there).

They'll pack the place out, even though it's not in town, and out in the sticks. Very popular event.

Then again, you can throw down just about any golf tourney you want, and people around here will flock to it. A few years ago, there was a charity celeb deal -- played during the week, way too early in the year so it was raining, and the biggest names involved seemed to be Joey Harrington and John Popper... and they did well.

Over the years, the local golf radio shows have had Whatshisface, the PGA director, who has said repeatedly they'd love to do a yearly event in Portland, but there just isn't any open dates during the season. Dude also goes on to say that the Portland area usually has the best across-the-board TV ratings for golf (which seems odd, since during most of the season, most people are too busy playing on weekends... but the TV broadcast is usually done by 3:00, enough time to get 18 in afterwards in the summer months).

The LPGA has certain areas where it does well. But agreed, they need to attack the SE Asain markets to do well long-term.

[Dinsdale]

Oh, and another note on the Safeway Classic -- just about all of the local sports hacks (one of the sports radio stations used to broadcast from the event) seem to be in agreement that they never want Natalie Gulbis to ever step through their studio doors again.

Things like "not worth the show," and "A serious C-Word," and "intolerable."


I think I'd still take my chances.

[BSmack]

Oh, and another note on the Safeway Classic -- just about all of the local sports hacks (one of the sports radio stations used to broadcast from the event) seem to be in agreement that they never want Natalie Gulbis to ever step through their studio doors again.

Things like "not worth the show," and "A serious C-Word," and "intolerable."

I think I'd still take my chances.

I notice the Golf Channel doesn't hype her as much either. I just figured it had to do with her game not matching her hype. I can tell you that here in Rochester, Gulbis has never been a monster gallery draw. She does OK, but all the top players and a fair number of past champions easily have bigger galleries than her. The only exception to that was the year they paired her with Paula Creamer.

And come to think of it, the only time the local media ever paid attention to her was when she was dating Ben Roethlisberger.

[Felix]

I've got a news flash for you, here in Rochester the gate receipts are all donated to charity. The purse is provided by the sponsors who are more than happy to trade a million or more for the chance to put their logos in front of over 100,000 captive eyes for a full week.

then I guess the LPGA has nothing to worry about

no doubt, a 100,000 people buy a shit load of groceries

[BSmack]

then I guess the LPGA has nothing to worry about

no doubt, a 100,000 people buy a shit load of groceries

The biggest problem the LPGA has is poor management.

As for Wegmans, it is not just the 100,000 people who attend the tournament. There are also the million or so Rochestarians who are absolutely inundated by the Wegmans name during tournament week and throughout the year. Ask any Rochestarian if they have heard the "no L, No L" commercial around Christmas time. Seriously, the tour will fold before the Rochester stop goes away. Hell, they fired Carolyn Bivens in no small part because she didn't get along with Danny and Colleen Wegman and Danny started making some rumblings about pulling the stop. Next thing you know, Bivens is history and Rochester gets the LPGA Championship stop in 2010.

[Felix]

The biggest problem the LPGA has is poor management.

no, the biggest problem is the tour holds no interest for cats like me...the casual observer


I used to really enjoy watching them play, but the influx of soo's and yengs, and choo's and all of the other Asians has killed my interest

you are obviously enthralled with the LPGA, but for me (and lots of people I know), the LPGA has no star power and as such, no appeal....

[BSmack]

no, the biggest problem is the tour holds no interest for cats like me...the casual observer. I used to really enjoy watching them play, but the influx of soo's and yengs, and choo's and all of the other Asians has killed my interest. You are obviously enthralled with the LPGA, but for me (and lots of people I know), the LPGA has no star power and as such, no appeal....

That is a lot closer to the truth than anything else you've written. Ochoa and Sorenstam leaving in their prime really messed with things. But it is not as if there isn't a host of potential replacements waiting in the wings. All I know is that my hometown routinely fields galleries for the LPGA that absolutely dwarf your average European mens tour event. Every time I see the European Tour's events on Golf Channel it looks like the B flight at a club championship is playing. And yet I never hear anything about the European Tour being in trouble. Which tells me that poor management and lack of vision is seriously hampering the LPGA.

[indyfrisco]

Oh, and another note on the Safeway Classic -- just about all of the local sports hacks (one of the sports radio stations used to broadcast from the event) seem to be in agreement that they never want Natalie Gulbis to ever step through their studio doors again.

Things like "not worth the show," and "A serious C-Word," and "intolerable."


I think I'd still take my chances.

You kinda made my point. If they were all playing topless, who gets the better gallery? While her game isn't top 10, she'd still pull one of the larger crowds. Hell, even have them wear bikini tops. She's still up there.

[The Seer]

If the LPGA needs Western Culture $ to survive, they're in trouble. The Korean women might just be marketable if only:

They weren't (with very few exceptions), all short, frumpy, puffy headed dogs.
They were able to speak English for interviews, hawking products, etc.
They could lose that robotic, stonefaced style and show some friggin emotion.

[BSmack]

If the LPGA needs Western Culture $ to survive, they're in trouble. The Korean women might just be marketable if only:

They weren't (with very few exceptions), all short, frumpy, puffy headed dogs.
They were able to speak English for interviews, hawking products, etc.
They could lose that robotic, stonefaced style and show some friggin emotion.

The last two of your concerns I think are somewhat valid. But they are hardly deal breakers with the competent management at the helm. As for their looks being an impediment, I have three words for you.

The
Williams
Sisters

[Felix]

That is a lot closer to the truth than anything else you've written.

I'm just offering my opinion and the truth as I see it...nothing more, nothing less

[The Seer]

If the LPGA needs Western Culture $ to survive, they're in trouble. The Korean women might just be marketable if only:

They weren't (with very few exceptions), all short, frumpy, puffy headed dogs.
They were able to speak English for interviews, hawking products, etc.
They could lose that robotic, stonefaced style and show some friggin emotion.

The last two of your concerns I think are somewhat valid. But they are hardly deal breakers with the competent management at the helm. As for their looks being an impediment, I have three words for you.

The
Williams
Sisters

Quite a reach on your part. Tennis isn't dominated by the Williams woMEN and has a much broader appeal internationally. Don't have to worry about Korean women dominating anything that requires strength or speed. There are plenty of hittable fems in tennis that will keep the average viewer entertained.

[Dinsdale]

Speaking of Natalie -- I think she even knows that her looks are so far ahead of her game, and I'm sure her respctive paychecks from the LPGA and sponsors reflect that.

In the upcoming Safeway Classic... and I appreciate that she's quite charitable... but for her cadiie, she's using...

whoever bids the highest in an auction.

How serious is she about winning if she's hiring Joe Off The Street (a street in a rather fancy neighborhood, I'm sure) to be her caddie?

I can see a truly top-flight golfer caddying for themself, but someone who wins nothing?

She obviously just needs to keep her card to sell more calanders.

[BSmack]

Quite a reach on your part. Tennis isn't dominated by the Williams woMEN and has a much broader appeal internationally. Don't have to worry about Korean women dominating anything that requires strength or speed. There are plenty of hittable fems in tennis that will keep the average viewer entertained.

You missed the point entirely. Those women are very marketable ON THEIR OWN despite having been hit twice by the ugly stick. They bring home millions in endorsements.