posted May 16, 2007

"In the current season the Tour visits China, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Dubai, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore on top of its more traditional European venues."

Not sure of the point of this article: as you said, aren't they already trying to do this?

Why would the South African, Australasian, Asian and Japanese Tours just roll over to let the European Tour encroach further on their turf/profits than they already are?

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posted May 16, 2007

Good article, Iain, and I think Padraig has the germ of a good idea.

Personally, I believe the European Tour diminishes itself playing all over the world under its brand. Far better for each Tour to have its own identity, (the European Tour starting in the desert for instance and moving straight into N.Africa and Iberia) in my mind, with more adequate and rewarding purses. But, as the international Tours are mostly seasonal, why not have a FedEx equivalent, compiling results in a way that incents and attracts the traditional "European Tour" golfers, whatever their nationality? Let's face it, the European Tour has more admirers than detractors.

The European Tour has done itself no favours by allowing Tim Finchem to monopolize the World Championship events, the "World Cup" moving to China being no fair compensation to the traditional tours.

So, wouldn't a global brand be interested in ensuring some sponsorship of traditional events in Australia, South Africa, and Asia(and maybe even South America) etc, culminating in a season-ending event, not necessarily confined to Europe but one that could fairly be rotated?

But it is too early to panic too much; there will be repurcussions on the US Tour in the wake of the first FedEx Cup year. There has been scepticism from respected players, Azinger, Beem, Faxon, Pernice, etc and the 2007 structure of the FedEx schedule is sure to exhibit teething troubles and cause unrest.

And in reality, the number of European players who will feel they should rearrange their schedules will be small, except in late August and early September. Remember, 24 players will be eliminated following the "Barclays" (which Tiger for instance may not play) and another 50 after Boston's "Deutsche Bank". Then we'll be down to 70, 30 the week after, and you know that some elite players will be on the outside looking in; and then the questions will begin.

So: "Don't panic"!

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posted May 16, 2007

Despite the WORLD title - I think you will find that pgatour has the right to decide where the World Golf Championships are played.

I think the chances of any of them being played again at Valderrama or in England are almost zero

Agree with kwini - only a handful of europeans will make the final 30 so there is a good chance oof a decent field at the Mercedes in Germany on same week as FEDEX finishes

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posted May 16, 2007

Paidraig is mostly right. The European tour has the same opportunity now as Formula 1 had in the 1970's. They were faced with the majority of sponsorship and tv money being in the USA, however who now knows the winner or the Indy 500, I guarantee not as many as know who won the Spaish GP! Tiger Woods has made Golf a World game, however it is in the grasp of the European Tour to truly capitalise on the hightened awareness he drives and expose the PGA Tour for what it is. A parochial inward looking club for a select country club few.

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posted May 17, 2007

"Waters says it would be wrong to call it a ‘World Tour.’ He said: “I think that would be a bit presumptuous, we are not a world tour anyway - there is America out there"

And since when did a non-American team contest the World Series?

Good on Padraig - you can take the man out of accountancy but you can't take accountancy out of the man. OF COURSE merging businesses will bring with it greater buying power (think sponsorship, TV rights etc.) Maybe not in it's first year but within 2 or 3 years a World Tour could well command the sort of money being talked about for Fedex.

The US Tour has a geographical advantage in that tournies can be arranged virtually back-to-back and the players have no difficulty in getting from one to they other (if they choose).

The sticking point in proposing any merger would be that a bigger tour still only needs one Chief Executive and one Marketing Director etc. So... the guys who make the decisions will want to preserve their healthy incomes, no?

Nicho's F1 analogy works for me - plenty of lessons to be learnt there if we consider all the venues that have come to the calendar in the last 10 years or so.

p.s. I doubt more Americans could name the winner of Indy rather than the Spanish Grand Prix!

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posted May 17, 2007

It's a shame that no one in Europe has realised that the US tour is the main tour and our's is a minor and unimportant tour, which can be ridden over roughshod. At least that's how the US see's it. Funny then that the Europeans have beaten the US in the Ryder Cup many times recently, and the only way they can win is to cheat. Now we cannot see the US Tour on Sky, lets hope it has an affect on them. Actually I hardly watch any golf on TV now, so in the end its the game of golf that is missing out, no fans no one buys equipment then no money and no pros, I hope they take note, but they won't.

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posted May 17, 2007

While I find the comparison to racing true, I think there is another more relevant—Premiership Football. I think the league is the finest in the world, and as such fields the best players—be they English, Argentine, Brazilian, etc. It is a well run league, which offers money and exposure to the players that can’t be found in lesser leagues in South America, Asia, etc. So naturally, that is where you find some of the worlds best footballers. In a similar fashion I feel the PGA is the strongest tour for the same reasons—money and exposure.

I for one have no problem with this setup—regardless of where the talent springs, bring the best together and let’s enjoy some fine competition. I don’t have a problem with the football leagues in lesser venues trying to improve their product, and the European Tour should do the same. But to lament the PGA Tours success simply because it’s American, would be as disingenuous as lamenting the Premierships success simply because it’s English.

I would hate to see the PGA (or European Tour, or Premiership) be relegated to purely local venues, at the expense of truly elite, competitive sportsmanship. In other posts I’ve conceded the value in supporting your local sportsmen, but I would rather support them at the ultimate venues, regardless of the locale.

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posted May 18, 2007

Padraig Harrington is right, in part, in how to allow the European Tour compete with the PGA. Merging the other tour events would be an answer, but that would be the only part of the solution.

In addition to that there are 2 things that would need to be done.

First of all, the "World Tour" field would need to be limited to perhaps the size of the Eurpoean Tour. That would mean that only the best South African's, Asian's, European's etc would play full time on Tour. The last thing you want is for the fields to be diluted by everybody and anybody form those combined Tours playing.

The better the players playing, the more attractive the event is in terms of qualifying points fo the majors etc.

In addition to the qualifying field, the most important thing that would need to be secured by the "World Tour" is extensive TV coverage.

The PGA attracts so many sponsors because of the TV exposure they are given. If a "World Tour" was to be viable then extensive TV coverage and access would need to be given.

And certainly from a UK point of view that would mean some coverage of every event being shown via Free to View Digital TV, not just Sky or Setanta. Ideally we would need the BBC to get their finger out and start spending real money on sports events like this instead of the piece meal service that wee see at the moment.

If those steps were taken, I'm sure a World Tour would ecetainly take off and given the variety of player and course type, the standard of golf would be a whole lot better than some of the PGA events that we see, especially after a major.

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posted May 18, 2007

I cannot see that happening, although it would make great sense. I think the other tours would strive to keep their own Identity. I think it falls down to our own tour to be a little more forceful in negotiations with sponsors. I also think our tour should take a leaf from the Americans and "follow the sunshine" Europe is blessed with some wonderful courses on our own continent, Italy, Spain and Portugal, Let our tour play in Europe, get the prize money up and you will see less player defecting across the pond.

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posted May 19, 2007

Baz, your point about the Ryder Cup is pure twaddle.
If it held any truth, then the same accusation could be levelled by European golfers at American ones while the latter dominated the Ryder Cup for a lengthy period.
US golf emphasises Stroke Play; that's how they play Amateur Tourney's there.
UK Amateur golf has traditionally been Match Play which is why the Walker Cup is such a good training ground for future RC players.
Padraig's point is a good one, which I support.
Something does need to be done about the state of affairs in European golf.

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