Would you shell out $160 to attend a TGL event?
Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.
As we’ve noted these past few weeks, the TGL- Tiger and Rory’s tech infused simulator golf league that will feature two teams of four players in match play each week – will kick off in January in Palm Beach, Florida. A ticket to attend one of the matches will cost $160 US. If you happened to be in the vicinity, would you shell out 160 bucks to watch?
Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): I’d need more details re: format and players, but on principle, there’s no way I’d pay $160 to watch people hitting a ball against a wall. I like simulators a lot, and think they’re very accurate, but do I want to watch other people essentially playing a video game? Simply, no.
Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): I like the sound of TGL, but no chance I’m paying $160 to go see an unproven entertainment product, unless it includes meet and greet or photo opportunity with the talent (which it doesn’t). I’d rather just watch it on TV to start. If I had to guess, it will have an even smaller (niche) market to watch than traditional golf tournaments, so expect a small audience (like The Match, etc.).
Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: I tried to sign up for this, but the form won’t accept a Canadian Postal Code. I was curious to find out the cost and commitment. I don’t understand this kind of marketing. Selling a ticket for $160.00 for what appears to be a computer game isn’t something I’d do. Didn’t anybody learn from Sam Walton (Walmart)? It’s better to sell a lot at a fair price than to sell a few at a high price.
Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: Hmmm, that’s $222.23 Canadian. Well, at $220 maybe…. Hard to fathom that there are going to be enough desperately lonely, bored Palm Beachers to shell out all those after-tax green backs to people a studio audience. Methinks show runners will have to be out on the streets begging passersby to come on in, pulleez. If anything shouts ‘made for TV’ event, this is it and no one pays to get to clap when the APPLAUSE sign flashes.
Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine (@FairwaysMag): Not a chance. I’m curious to see the inside of the SoFi Center but not $160 curious. I’d rather spend it on playing golf than watching it, although that sum may not go too far in Palm Beach.
Sponsorship of the PGA Tour’s Fall Series has been taking hits recently. The latest shot comes from Shriners Children’s Hospital which announced this would be their last year as title sponsor. That follows Sanderson Farms initially cancelling their sponsorship, then extending for one more year and Procore jumping in to prop up the Napa event after Fortinet pulled out. Since the end of the wrap-around season, the Fall events feature very few top ranked players and smaller purses. Is it time for the PGA Tour to pull the plug on the Fall Series?
Deeks: My response is, I don’t care. I’m only watching if I happen to be in front of my TV, and the only alternative is Sponge Bob Square Pants. But as long as there are sponsors willing to kick in the dough, I don’t see why the Tour would stop it. Besides, the Fall Series gives a lot of young upstarts like Nico Echavarria an opportunity to start up, and that’s good.
Loughry: The Fall Series likely needs new vision, or to just accept the fact there may not be partners willing to invest at levels they once did (revolving door). I’m not exactly sure what the partner/sponsor receives in terms of ROI, but it’s clear it is hard to justify in such a rocky environment and virtually no to little current talent participating to generate interest. Until some of the dust settles around PGA Tour and its future, this series as is will continue to flounder.
Schurman: Dear Mr. Monahan. Please accept my sincere thanks for ruining the PGA TOUR. Your childish rejection of anything LIV before you even understood our Business Plan has helped us greatly. The few ‘name’ players we needed to establish our tour was an inexpensive investment for us to enter the Golf Market. It was never our intent to stop with one or two tournaments in the USA market. All we wanted was to build some events using a basic standard TOUR model until we could extend beyond current Golf Markets into the rest of the world, into countries where little or no golf is played. It is unfortunate you spent so much money out of your Reserve Fund to shore up purses and place such huge demands on your sponsors to increase their portion of the tournament revenue. What is particularly sad is the loss of the large amounts of money raised for charity that now goes into Prize Money. Charitable fundraising has been the heart and soul of the PGA TOUR setting it apart from any other sport. Oh well, it’s too bad you chose this approach. Once again, the Golden Rule proves to be true. “Those with the gold make the rules”. Goodbye, Mr. Monahan. Enjoy your greed-supplied future. Yours, all the people who loved the PGA TOUR.
Quinn: The fall out from the ill-conceived elevation of certain events is well and truly upon the Tour. Critics saw this coming as they tried to imagine sponsors paying top dollar for bargain basement events. This Series is a make work project that the Tour arrogantly assumed sponsors — let alone fans — would accept without complaint. Mentioned to the Colombian son-in-law that a Colombian was leading an event somewhere, had shot 64-64, and was only leading by two! “They playing at a pitch-and-putt?”. he asked. Enough of this fall stuff already.
Mumford: I never liked the wrap-around season, and the Fall Series is even less compelling. Pro golf needs a break, so all the stakeholders can catch their collective breath and prep for a new season. The true die-hards can still catch the DP World Tour and the LPGA in the fall. A few silly season events near Christmas are ok but a hard stop for September, October and November is necessary. It looks and feels greedy to prolong these second-tier events. The sponsors are telling the Tour to stop. Nobody needs them. Ya, it’s time to pull the plug.
The LPGA, the DP World Tour and the PGA Champions all have season ending championships upcoming in the next few weeks. Which one most interests you and why?
Deeks: I’d say the LPGA event is most interesting to me. I enjoy women’s golf as much as the PGA Tour, even though it’s a challenge to differentiate the Asian players by looks or by names. (PLEASE – that’s not meant as a racist comment.) Compared to a generation ago, the quality of golf, and the level of competition on the LPGA has improved tenfold.
Loughry: DP World Tour is of most interest to me, if for no other reason it fits best into my personal schedule (early weekend mornings to watch). A close second is the LPGA Tour but finding them on the Golf Channel to watch is spotty as their airtime moves throughout the year.
Schurman: I will watch the Champions Tour because Ames and Weir are entered with my hand on the remote for the NFL. There are no Canadians in Dubai, but I’ll follow Rory and Tommy Fleetwood. As for the LPGA, I’ll watch if Brooke is in contention. Frankly, I’m tired. Trump has sucked my energy. Monahan has sucked my energy. A rotten spring has sucked my energy – mind you what a great October – and we have lost nearly a dozen friends this year. Can we start 2025 early?
Quinn: To be honest — luv the Brit phrase as it implies that all that preceded was not — the three championships are in a dead heat for my interest; tied at zero. This week, a compelling World Series (named for the original sponsor, the New York World newspaper) is wrapping up as the NFL heats up. And: there are leaves to be raked, dogs to be walked, an election down south to worry about, lots of much more compelling priorities.
Mumford: They’re not majors but league championships are special. And since they’re on different weekends, I’ll probably watch them all. The DP World Tour interests me most and will feature a large cast of Ryder Cuppers including Rory McIlroy. He usually makes things interesting.
