Is the LPGA Dying?
Wednesday July 1, 2009
Is the LPGA dying? That question is asked in our Golf Forum by forum member "gohawaii," who happens to be About.com's Hawaii guide John Fischer.
John is an avid LPGA fan who spends part of his year in Hawaii and part in Philadelphia, and recently he's had to watch the LPGA Tour vacate both areas. It was announced just yesterday that the LPGA's tournament at Kapaula Resort in Oahu, scheduled, for October, is the latest tour event to die.
John writes in the forum:
"I ask, are we seeing the end of the LPGA, at least as we know it? Will it be forced to merge with either the European LPGA or one of the Asian tours in order to survive and have enough tournaments on the schedule to keep its members earning a living?Looking at the schedule for the rest of 2009, it's pretty bleak. There are many open weeks and few tournaments covered live on TV. That surely does not help keep up interest in the LPGA."
What do you think? Are recent tournament cancellations and the lack of contracts for many events in 2010 a sign of the imminent demise of the LPGA Tour? Read the full forum post and join the conversation.
Comments
I believe the LPGA is dying because there are so many orientals in the program who do not speak English. Fan ands sponsorship support, I believe, is dewindling, as well as TV time. It needs to merge with the European LPGA in order to survive and allow the players to ear a living at it.
I think they need a Tiger Woods type draw. I think that if the economy comes back – sponsors will be happy to spend money if Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Loreana et al start playing and winning at a good rate.
I think the LPGA is contracting due to the horrid economy. 9.5% unemplyment is taking a hit on all sports, but women’s sports get hurt first in a recession…
The LPGA needs a Tigeress or it will die a natural death. Even the PGA Tour was a different (and poorer) animal before Sir Eldrick came along. People complain about one person dominating the tour, but they also want to follow a (super) star.
Womens golf is not exciting to watch now.Ok for the caddie to help with club selection but this practise of the caddie standing behind the player lining them up has made the game artificial.
Having attended LPGA tournament a couple years ago, I can tell you it is more fun following the girls around than the guys-and I’m talking about from a golf standpoint. You can get real close. Some of the girls chat among themselves while waiting in a teebox-something the men don’t do. The distances they play something regular guys can relate to (or aspire to, in my case). I could have grabbed and kissed Sri Pak along a sidewalk as she strolled to the next tee alone after a kick-in birdie gave her a couple free moments. You couldn’t do that with Freddie Couples.
That said, the accessibility is indicative of the low attendance. Men’s tournaments are big money makers for food and merchandise vendors. Men’s tickets run about $40 a head, last time I was out to one of their tournaments-higher or majors. When 40-50,000 a day turn out, that’s millions before the first hot dog is sold. The women don’t draw like the men. In the past, I believe the reputation as a lesbian habitat hurt mass appeal. Nowadays, I agree with posters who site the non-English speaking Asians who cannot provide an interview. Sorry, girls, but the commissioner had it right. The tour is not funded with tax money, so as a private venture should govern itself in such a way to make itself marketable and discriminating to the extent it can sell advertising in the US. Or maybe we just have to sit through some Korean commercials and interviews.
A couple other ideas while the tour still has some marquee names that can help it-like Michelle Wie, Lorena, etc.. Put the advertising they do sell in magazines that are not golf specific, whose demographic may be similar. Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Simple Living, Midwest Living, Southern Living, Women’s Health, O, etc. Also, television coverage should include more behind the scenes stuff, growing up stuff. If this stuff is on file when someone is contending, it would be nice to know something about the players and perhaps bridge some of the anomosity the viewership has for the foreign players. If the foreign players cannot be legislated out, then make them feel welcome enough by exposing them to enough fame to make them want to learn the language.
I believe the fan appeal is going away with so many Asian players on the tour who quite frankly lack personality. The LPGA Commissioner was right in requesting that all players speak English, all Golf tours PGA, LPGA, Champions etc require fan interaction in order to maintain their popularity
I think the LPGA ought to have a skins game with Gulbis and wie on the same days as the ladies us open and see which one gets more ratings.
Mostly men sit around and watch sports, not women.The LPGA needs to appeal to its sponsor’s veiwers that buy the product that are advertised during the TV broadcast. The advertisements at the actual event are seen through the tv set. The sponsors could care less about the event attendees seeing their ads. The Men at home watching the TV do not want to see old lesbians play golf. They got the PGA tour for that. The men at home want to watch sports that have pleasent looking blondes, brunettes,blacks asians, hispanics, etc. Not the BLAND everybody looks the same act the same last name the same crap. We need some character.
Leaving Michelle Wie and Natalie Gulbis out of the U.S. Open hurts the LPGA greatly. The only reason why a lot of fans watch is because of these name players. Also there are too many Asian players that are like robots with no personality.
The LPGA sucks…..the golfers are great……but the LPGA sucks…..
No Gulbis, No Wie…..No Interest
The absence of Michelle Wie and Natalie Gulbis in the Open was a big mistake. They both had good records…no need to qualify. The LPGA needs all the help it can get, in today’s environment, to garner viewers. These are very popular players who the public enjoy watching. I agree that there are too many oriental players who just don’t have any personality in interviews. I’m sure there would be a cry of discrimination though, if their numbers would be cut. I really hope something can be done to increase the number of tournaments…I really enjoy watching them.
the LPGA is no longer interesting with the lopsided field that is now in place. How can you expect sponsors when we as viewers no longer feel it is a fair field, and no longer care to watch. Much too many orientals, not at all biased, want to see a more fair field!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If the LPGA had 50 spots for a person from each state. That would be good. I was in N.J. a few weeks back and overheard a lady all excited about a N.J. golfer that was coming up. It made me think. It would add a home team feel to things. Any other thing to make a home town feel like more Paula Cramers and Nat Gulbus. Yes limit Asians to something like 20 in U.S. play. They are hurting the game in the U.S. as they have to following here.
People need to move on about Michelle Wie. When the LPGA starts to market the better players they will be better of
I’ve noticed, primarily with many American LPGA golfers, that their caddies line them up for every stroke. One of the first things you’re taught in golf is how to line YOURSELF up correctly. It’s part of the challenge of the game.
Using practice/correctional gizmos, under the rules, is not allowed during play, and an outside source telling you at address whether you’re lined-up right, shouldn’t be allowed either. That’s what the PRACTICE TEE (or ROUND) is for. These people are PROFESSIONALS, for crying out loud, they’re supposed to be the best in the game! How can you respect “Professional” golfers who can’t even line themselves up correctly. What’s next, stopping them during their backswing if it’s too flat, or the wrist isn’t bent right?
It’s bad enough they get to confer w/ another person on EVERY stroke, and don’t carry their own bags, but during a tournament, the challenge of address and swing should be left solely to the golfer. I think most amateurs would love to see how good professionals really are ON THEIR OWN.